coolant temp sensor leaking. can i replace the 0-ring?

[fordbluefamily]

Put that oring in boiling hot water for a minute. I would leave it on the sensor and just hold the connector out of the water. The heat will make it squeeze in better.

 

[PowerJunkie]

I said eff it and bought the whole new $20 unit, comes with the o-ring on it. It's an almost press fit but went right in, took 30 seconds, close the hood and forget about it. The difference between what I was trying to use (obviously wrong) and the correct one is notably different. I just got unlucky. No matter, all done. Next time, Teflon tape it is.

 

[PowerJunkie]

Fordbluefamily, that doesn't make any sense to me. Freeze yes, boiling water why?

 

[fordbluefamily]

Rubber gets soft with temperature. If it were metal I would freeze it.

 

[Lukas2009]

Got my new sensor today and measured the o-ring:

Outer diameter: 13.5 mm
Inner diameter: 8.5 mm
Thickness: 2.5 mm

Fits perfect into the new thermostat housing.

So I think that the o-rings from home depot which were suggested by mdisalvo will also fit, because in the result they have nearly the same size (as described on the package):

Outer diameter 9/16" (14.29 mm)
Inner diameter: 3/8" (9.53 mm)
Thickness: 3/32" (2.39 mm)

 

[edwx]

Just replaced my housing also, and the o-ring on the old sensor was totally flat, but it still fit the old housing ok. The new housing o-ring hole must be a slightly different size (larger,) because I dropped in the old sensor and it was really loose at the top and bottom of the sensor hole. So I put a new o-ring on the old sensor, and it fit's the bottom kinda snug, but is still a little wiggly at the top. Doesn't leak as far as I can tell so far. I also had purchased a new sensor, but it was too tight to push in and get the clip on, so I reverted to the old sensor with the new o-ring. Still a work in progress, checking for leaks. I might use a little tape at the top and bottom of the sensor to get it to fit better.

 

[PowerJunkie]

2 years later and it's leaking again. I posted here just over 2 years ago I replaced the whole sensor because every o- ring I tried was too big in diameter to fit back in the housing. So, after just replacing the radiator cause it started leaking and the thermostat gasket, I discovered that the sensor was leaking AGAIN. My wife is off to the auto parts store for a whole new sensor. Not messing with o-rings again.

New sensor with o-ring complete. Not messing around with o-rings that don't work any more.