How to proceed with flawed gasket seating?

MikeO

MikeO

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The thermostat gasket seat is pocked. Please advise. Thanks
Oops, I just held the gasket up and now see that is not the seat. Thanks anyway.
(My 1st water pump, thermostat job)

Gasket.jpeg
 
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Ensure the recessed area where the thermostat seats is thoroughly clean with no debris in the seating surface.
Thoroughly clean the gasket mating surfaces of the thermostat housing and block mating surface.
When installing the thermostat ensure the thermostat stays in the recessed area on the head.
Ensure the thermostat housing is not warped and does not have any cracks.
IF all of this does not work; then apply a thin film of RTV.
 
CharlesHS said:
Ensure the recessed area where the thermostat seats is thoroughly clean with no debris in the seating surface.
Thoroughly clean the gasket mating surfaces of the thermostat housing and block mating surface.
When installing the thermostat ensure the thermostat stays in the recessed area on the head.
Ensure the thermostat housing is not warped and does not have any cracks.
IF all of this does not work; then apply a thin film of RTV.
Click to expand...
X2 but I'd replace a bad cooling system gasket before I'd use RTV there. Even the factory avoids the use of RTV on the cooling system even though they used RTV elsewhere like on the differential covers.
 
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CharlesHS said:
Ensure the recessed area where the thermostat seats is thoroughly clean with no debris in the seating surface.
Thoroughly clean the gasket mating surfaces of the thermostat housing and block mating surface.
When installing the thermostat ensure the thermostat stays in the recessed area on the head.
Ensure the thermostat housing is not warped and does not have any cracks.
IF all of this does not work; then apply a thin film of RTV.
Click to expand...

Apply a thin film of RTV on the head before the gasket or instead of the gasket?
 
MikeO said:
Apply a thin film of RTV on the head before the gasket or instead of the gasket?
Click to expand...

The Felpro gasket is what I generally use which has a gasket sealant impregnated with a sticky surface on the other side for adhering to the thermostat housing.
RTV should be used as a last resort where a thin film would be applied to both surfaces after the mating surfaces are thoroughly cleaned.
 
diggerwolf said:
I had a similar issue.

The fix was an OEM thermostat and gasket, and The Right Stuff Gasket Maker.
Click to expand...
RTV simply isn't needed with the gaskets used in the cooling system, not even the factory uses RTV there. Years ago my thermostat stuck closed on the trail and after removing it and scraping the old gasket's remnants off, I cut a replacement gasket out of a cardboard MRE box and installed it without even considering adding RTV. It was leak-free for the several months it took me to get around to replacing it with an actual gasket.
 
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I tried like hell to just get a gasket to work.

On round 4...with a new thermostat housing...lots of block sanding on the block...rtv only... loosely tightened the bolts to get some engagement and compression...waited 24 hours and did final torque.

I think if I used Right Stuff I could have done it quicker.

-Mac
 
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Gasket will only work if the mating surfaces are near perfect. Mine weren't, neither is the OP's. I'd use permatex #2 myself, but YMMV and all that.
 
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