You might think about Stant "SuperStat". Heavy duty construction and is supposed to keep tighter control of temp.

Jay should be the same SOHC 3.5 but I cant garantee it. My castings were G7S4FR.

I've examined the so called "superstat" looks pretty wimpy compared to the OEM...

The OEM on the bottom and aftermarket on top (german made "moto-rad") the Superstat looked even wimpier than the motorad...

The OEM does look very robust. The "Superstat" is heavier than the standard Stant but certainly doesn't look that beefy.

Stant says:

"The power element of SuperStat« is comparable to those used in heavy-duty trucks. Its actuator piston is larger in diameter than the standard thermostat and competitive product. This larger piston delivers 1 1/2 times the power of our standard thermostat and almost 2 1/2 times as much power as the competition for enhanced durability and longer life."

"The opening spring of the Stant SuperStat« thermostat is designed with a load that is 50% stronger than our standard reverse poppet thermostat. This heavy-duty spring helps return the thermostat to the closed position and prevent cold running, even under the most adverse conditions. Features and Benefits"

"Upgrades over OE equivalent thermostats offer more efficient temperature control resulting in faster warm-ups, better fuel economy, and longer engine life."

"Limited lifetime warranty."

I've never had any Stant fail. Not sure of the cost difference of OEM and Stant. I've also never tested the so-called better temp control over standard.

Sounds compelling, I'll stick with the OEM though.

Scraped the deck with a razor blade for many hours..

I'm always curious why folks don't just pull the block out of the car? Seems like it would be easier to work on. I'm not criticizing how you're doing it- I just don't understand.

Boat's in the garage, no way to pull boat in and out of garage without the Montero..No hoist, no engine stand..Sure I could borrow or buy all that, but no place to put it. Doing a headgasket in the driveway is not Ideal, but you gotta do what you gotta do. So yea short answer, equipment and space.

New head surface. Very smooth. Should seal well with new gaskets.

Nice work Justice.

John B.

Pushing ahead..