TreySC
New Member
- Joined
- Aug 8, 2019
- Messages
- 5
- Reaction score
- 1
- Points
- 3
- Location
- Columbia, SC
- Vehicle Year
- 2001
- Make / Model
- Mazda B3000
- Transmission
- Automatic
- 2WD / 4WD
- 2WD
Hope this is the right part of the forum. I got an '01 B3000 about a month ago test drive was fine drove it a bunch the day I got it until that night it overheated I pull over and it's spraying coolant from around the t-stat. I replace the t-stat and figure out the last person to do it used the paper gasket and RTV, so I'm thinking that's the issue. But for some reason it never felt like the coolant was flowing through the hose to the t-stat.
I got fed up and took it to a shop to make sure I didn't do something wrong and have them give it a once over for any other issues. They did a pressure test and everything was fine, but they said the heater core was clogged. I decline to have them replace at $900 and figure I can do it myself. When I get it home from the shop the t-stat housing is leaking again! I do some more research on it and I'm pretty sure I didn't tighten the bolts evenly and hope it just needs to be resealed. I end up having my neighbor help who is a self taught mechanic, he's usually super busy that's why I didn't ask him before.
We get it done this past weekend, new heater core, t-stat housing resealed. Once we get the main part of the dash in place we fire it up to make sure everything is working. Air and heat perfect, doesn't run hot, no leaks. It's a little over 90 degrees so we let it run with the a/c on while we finish putting all the trim pieces back together on the dash and whatnot. After sitting there running 30-45 minutes, no issues take it for a little drive everything is great. Made a run to the dump later that day the temp started to climb a little but it settled down and was fine.
Yesterday I drive to work, go to the store at lunch, go to my kids football game no problems. Come home from the game and something smells funny, I pop the hood and the dadgum t-stat housing is leaking again!
I guess my question is could the housing itself be bad? Should I try a regular gasket instead of RTV? Or is there something else I might be missing that is causing this. Sorry for the long post just wanted to get all the info in case it helps.
TL;DR Overheated, replaced thermostat, resealed twice, keeps leaking, driving me crazy.
I got fed up and took it to a shop to make sure I didn't do something wrong and have them give it a once over for any other issues. They did a pressure test and everything was fine, but they said the heater core was clogged. I decline to have them replace at $900 and figure I can do it myself. When I get it home from the shop the t-stat housing is leaking again! I do some more research on it and I'm pretty sure I didn't tighten the bolts evenly and hope it just needs to be resealed. I end up having my neighbor help who is a self taught mechanic, he's usually super busy that's why I didn't ask him before.
We get it done this past weekend, new heater core, t-stat housing resealed. Once we get the main part of the dash in place we fire it up to make sure everything is working. Air and heat perfect, doesn't run hot, no leaks. It's a little over 90 degrees so we let it run with the a/c on while we finish putting all the trim pieces back together on the dash and whatnot. After sitting there running 30-45 minutes, no issues take it for a little drive everything is great. Made a run to the dump later that day the temp started to climb a little but it settled down and was fine.
Yesterday I drive to work, go to the store at lunch, go to my kids football game no problems. Come home from the game and something smells funny, I pop the hood and the dadgum t-stat housing is leaking again!
I guess my question is could the housing itself be bad? Should I try a regular gasket instead of RTV? Or is there something else I might be missing that is causing this. Sorry for the long post just wanted to get all the info in case it helps.
TL;DR Overheated, replaced thermostat, resealed twice, keeps leaking, driving me crazy.