The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Cracked thermostat housing

I'm new at this, have a 230 engine and the lower stat housing is cracked where the temp. sending goes. Question...Should I be looking at only 230 engine or there other engine model with the same housing...Thanks...Have a GREAT DAY...

250's and 292's should be same.

Mugsy the heat is getting to you down there in. 230 and 250s are the same. The 292 has an extra port for the bypass hose. The story is that with the bypass hose the head tends to overheat, not a problem the 230 and 250.
Larry
68 C20 327/465 daily driver
63 C20 292/420 Camper truck
65 C10 ? /powerglide Custom Cab AC,PB,PS,$flashe
70 C10 250/3spd org/Gauge dash,Wood bed,4Sale$1300

194, 230 and 250 should all be the same. 250 is the most plentiful of the three.

Aaah, what do I know? I am but a poor aircraft mechanic. Coulda swore my buddy's Nova w/ 250 was the same. Unless someone installed a 292 and he was told it was the original 250. Hmmm, time to check the numbers. My P.O. said it was a 230 and after changing the oil pan gasket, I discovered I had a 292.
I'd never heard that before about the bypass hose making the head overheat. So, have a lot of people gotten rid of the bypass?

Hey now!!! I've had this EXACT problem, not 6 months ago on my 230!!! 250 and 292's are direct bolt-ins... I used one that has 2 threaded ports on the right side (looking at the engine from the front) I used one to mount the sensor for the cooling fan and the other to mount the sensor for the temperature guage... I also found a couple that have 3 ports. The salvage yards are chock full of older inline 6 GM motors so I scavanged a few... you know, to keep as spares... so go get a couple... get the water necks while you're there... always good to have... GOOD LUCK!!!
P.s. JB WELD "WILL" hold to get you out of a pinch, until you procure a replacement. Super clean and lightly sand the area where the crack is and apply JB liberally and let set for a day... It held for 3 days before it started to leak... by then I found a replacement!

Thanks for the info, Pete. Around here the yards don't have many sixes left in them.

To get the JB Weld to work as a long-term fix, you need to open up the crack from end to end. This cleans the metal and allows the JBW to fill the crack, giving you a good seal. But a different housing, if available, is a better solution.

I put an electric fan on my '48 with a 235 in it, and I needed a thermostat housing that fit the motor but had a threaded hole that would fit the fan thermostatic switch. I went to NAPA, got out the picture book, looked for a housing that looked the same and then matched up the gaskets.

A thermo housing for a 350 for a van fit perfectly. I don't recall for sure, but I think it was a '78-80 G30 that fit the bill.

I'll bet you can find one that way, if you can't find another motor with one that fits.

Why not take the thing down somewhere and have a welder heliarc it? It wouldn't cost much. Then a little grinding and sanding and you won't even see the repair.

Thanks to all for the info..the 292 housing worked out great, with the extra port was able to keep the warning light sending unit and install the new temp gage....