WTB - Thermostat Hsg for Raceline Water Rail

[11Budlite]

I just located the intermittent small coolant leak I've had in my Birkin. It looked like it was leaking between the cap and the thermostat hsg but after I removed the cap and checked the ID of the thermostat hsg closely I see a very fine crack in the hsg. I can get one from the UK but prefer to find one local if possible. I might try to rout out the crack and fix with JBWeld but prefer to keep it as a spare. The same part was used on x-flow, BDR, and the Zetec Raceline water rail applications if I remember correctly. It looks like this:

[rzempel]

I just installed one, and recall seeing a Ford trademark and a number cast into it--"818F-8260-AC." Maybe a Ford dealer can cross reference that number for you, or find another generic Ford housing as replacement. You might even find one with the hose connection on the front, where it belongs, instead of the side.

 

Add--the cast number might be "81BF-8250-AC" The 8/B and 6/5 digits are a bit faint on mine.

 

**update--under magnification and in better light, the number looks to be 81BF-8250-AC. The prefix and suffix don't match Ford numbering conventions, but the 8250 does indicate a thermostat housing. So, a bit more research may be in order to match the casting number with a part number.

Edited October 19, 2011 by rzempel

[MHKflyer52]

One solution would be to have it welded up or you could go to this site and use their product to do it yourself as this dose work and is fairly easy to do.

I usually do not recommend to many thing but this dose work especially with aluminum parts.

Here is the link: http://www.muggyweld.com/?view=aluminum

[11Budlite]

Thanks guys! Randall you are correct, the Ford casting number is 81BF-8250-AC on mine as well. I ended up fixing mine for the time being. I routed out the crack on the inside about .040" and roughed up the ID of the hsg. I cut a piece of mesh to fit the ID where it was cracked and bonded it to the hsg with the JBWeld. Let it sit overnight and in the morning smoothed it out a little with a die grinder and sanding drum. There's still plenty of room on the ID for the cap to function properly. Put it all back together and took it for a spirited drive and so far it's holding up fine. We'll see how long it lasts!

 

Martin - I'll check that stuff out, but for now I wanted to get it back on the road quickly to take advantage of the nice weather we have.

 

"You might even find one with the hose connection on the front, where it belongs, instead of the side." - It looks like the Ford Fiesta thermo hsg would accomplish this. It has the outlet towards the front when installed on the Raceline water rail, and has a boss for the fan switch. You would have to incorporate the radiator cap into one of the remote housings that go in the upper hose. Looks like this: