Sealing Coolant Flange

[Bailes1992]

Just looking for some thoughts on this. Had to remove a coolant flange when removing glow plugs from out VW T5 over the weekend.

The flange sits flush to the block, held in by 3N° M6 screws with a small sheet metal gasket in between. A replacement gasket is £26, so looking at my options.

Option 1 - Reuse the old gasket, maybe add a couple of newton metres to the torque spec for extra 'squish'.
Option 2 - Reuse the old gasket with a thin smear of RTV on both sides.
Option 3 - Just use RTV.
Option 4 - Stop being cheap and just buy the new gasket (I'd rather not though).

 

[Japanese]

Option 4 - Stop being cheap and just buy the new gasket

Here you go.

 

[Bailes1992]

Here you go.

I agree entirely. £26 for a thin bit of metal gasket is really bothering me though.

 

[Astro14]

I agree entirely. £26 for a thin bit of metal gasket is really bothering me though.

Not as much as the leak, and having to go back in to fix it again, will bother you.

 

[Lubener]

Option 4 , buy a new gasket if you want to do it right and do it once. I would never reuse a gasket in the cooling system.

 

[zzyzzx]

Is using RTV on the coolant flange side only an option? At least that way if you have to redo it, it's going to be easier to clean that part off. I would just use RTV if you don't want to buy a gasket and don't mind the extra work next time. From the picture it kind of looks like it's in a hard to reach spot.

 

[Trav]

Steel gaskets like this one sometimes need to be reused for various reasons. During the unmentionable virus I had to reuse one on a VW 1.9 TDI simply because I couldn't get one at any price locally although one was available 90 miles away at a dealer.
Do not use RTV but do use a thin coat of Hylomar M on both sides of the gasket and use the original torque spec, it will 100% not leak.

 

[Bailes1992]

Apart from @Trav, you've all disappointed me and guilted me into ordering a new gasket. Where's your sense of adventure guys?

I phoned my local VW dealer and they had the part in stock for £9.96. Don't always assume online is cheaper!

 

[dogememe]

Apart from @Trav, you've all disappointed me and guilted me into ordering a new gasket. Where's your sense of adventure guys?

I phoned my local VW dealer and they had the part in stock for £9.96. Don't always assume online is cheaper!

I'm glad you found the right solution

And parts stores aren't always cheaper than the dealer. Usually they are cheaper, yes, but once in a while you find a part that the dealer wants less money for. Always good to shop around, and don't get complacent... just because X item was cheaper at place Y doesn't mean Z item will be too.

 

[Trav]

Apart from @Trav, you've all disappointed me and guilted me into ordering a new gasket. Where's your sense of adventure guys?

I phoned my local VW dealer and they had the part in stock for £9.96. Don't always assume online is cheaper!

Glad you found one at a decent price. I run into this all the time with these Euro parts places that charge much more in some cases that a local dealer will charge for an OE part. I buy from Trodo, Autodoc a lot.

 

[RooflessVW]

Steel gaskets like this one sometimes need to be reused for various reasons. During the unmentionable virus I had to reuse one on a VW 1.9 TDI simply because I couldn't get one at any price locally although one was available 90 miles away at a dealer.
Do not use RTV but do use a thin coat of Hylomar M on both sides of the gasket and use the original torque spec, it will 100% not leak.

Same here but I'd use Indian Head

 

[Fabulous50s]

Permatex makes a specific RTV for cooling systems. Id lightly coat both sides of a stamped metal gasket and move on with life.

 

[Carmudgeon]

I've used Hylomar on a seeping thermostat housing, despite having a new gasket. Like that it's non-setting, non-hardening.

Should be easier to procure in the land where it's from, as well.

 

[Trav]

Same here but I'd use Indian Head

Indian Head was my go to for many years for paper gaskets until I found Hylomar and have not used shellac since, Hylomar is amazing stuff. The M is best for all around use, it has better imperfection filling abilities than the thinner AF which is arguably better for thin paper gaskets.

 

[Exhaustgases]

I used hylomar once for that and it leaked, just wanted to test it. It failed.