I just replaced the thermostat. I made sure the thermostat and its seal were correctly positioned and properly seated before I installed the housing and tightened down the bolts. I drove it ten miles home and checked it, and it's wet on the bottom of the housing. The mating surfaces are flush and tight with no gap. Is it normal for it to get a little wet at first?

 

Update: so it's actually not wet at the thermostat housing, but rather it seems to be coming from the lower hose where it joins the thermostat housing. Time for new hoses and clamps?

 

The hose aluminum end fitting can be encrusted w/ a buildup of water minerals and interfere w/ reseating when hose is removed. You can use a small wire cable as a flexible file to remove the crusty buildup.

New hose may be indicated, depending on age/brand. OEM hoses are a cut above aftermarket hoses.

good luck

 

By wire cable, do you mean like a cable tie or something like that?

 

I think he means wire brush...

 

Wire brush or sand paper works well for that. Very good advice that's something alot of us overlook is that crust on the inlets.

 

I meant a small diameter twisted wire cable. It will remove the crusty deposits. A brush will bet some but access to all sides is usually impossible. The wire allows you to rotate the contact surface to access difficult position. However, a good brush may still be necessary.

good luck