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water gaskets
Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 10:19 am
by sidsmith
Hi all, I have noticed a bit of water coming from my thermostat cover, not a lot but I want to change the gasket. What I want to know is, can I use a cereal packet cardboard for the gasket or would I have to travel 9 miles to the moggy place to get a proper one, ( about 70p for one ) would it be reliable and would it last. Also could there be an alternative product.
I will be at the classic on sunday, so will have to go round the auto jumble and see what they have anyway.
cheers. sid
Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 11:22 am
by bmcecosse
The gasket is so cheap - postage will be less than travelling 9 miles and 9 back! So just ask them to post. You could use cardboard - but it's quite fiddly - I would pay the £1. You may find the stat cover is very difficult to get off - so right now - unscrew the 3 nuts and run some release oil down the studs to try to 'unstick' the steel studs from the aluminium casing. It's quite common for these studs to snap - and sometimes the only way forward is to smash the aluminium casing ! Although sometimes a good blast with a gas blowtorch is enough to free the cover from the studs. Whatever you do - try to NOT snap the studs off flush with the head surface!
Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 9:17 am
by eastona
I usually make my own out of cardboard. Yes, cereal packets are OK. Mainly because I can't be bothered to go and buy a new gasket. I use frosties, but I presume any packet will do
.
I happened to have a head set lying around when I did my last thermostat and used a cork gasket.
. Pure luxury!
The car runs so much better now it has a cork gasket.
As BMC says, be careful of broken studs and make sure the mating surfaces are clean, it'll be fine.
Andrew