Cork gasket material for heater pipe to water pump?

[Fiat88]

Would you guys use cork gasket material for that application? Its a little thick. I made one because my old paper gasket was kind of beat up as I reused it twice. I always used water Pump & thermostat gasket rtv sealer with the paper and it seemed to work. With the cork I used some black RTV.

[So Cal Mark]

a thick soft gasket will cause the ears on the pipe to warp more than usual, especially when you over tighten it

[Fiat88]

Good point Mark didn't think about that! Will find some thin gasket material and redo that. That pipe is a pain to get off because of the support bracket under the manifold but at least I didn't fill the coolong system yet.

[Kent124]

FWIW, I've had good luck with gasket material from Advanced Automotive. Probably $5 for a sheet that will last you a lifetime.

[Fiat88]

Made a new gasket out of some borrowed cardboard from a cheerios cereal box and smeared some water pump & thermostat rtv around it. Should be fine now.

[Fiat88]

Wasn't fine actually...leaking at the flange. Damn heater pipe!

[JammerX19]

Wasn't fine actually...leaking at the flange. Damn heater pipe!

Mine ran great for a year with just blue permatex. Would have been longer but I decided to replace the water pump along with the radiator, timing belt and hoses.

[Fiat88]

Maybe I didn't apply the RTV right this time to the flange. I sort of smeared a coating on both sides of the gasket. I think last time I did it by placing a bead like the package says and it didn't leak.. Guess I messed up, I'm telling you I'm becoming a pro draining and refilling the system, this will be my 3rd time this month haha.

[JammerX19]

Maybe I didn't apply the RTV right this time to the flange. I sort of smeared a coating on both sides of the gasket. I think last time I did it by placing a bead like the package says and it didn't leak.. Guess I messed up, I'm telling you I'm becoming a pro draining and refilling the system, this will be my 3rd time this month haha.

I just traced a line of the blue stuff around the main opening and two more around the bolt holes. She ran dry as a bone.

[vandor]

Wasn't fine actually...leaking at the flange. Damn heater pipe!

Make the flange flat with a rat-tail file.

[Fiat88]

Used a file to clean it up before I installed it. The mating surfaces were kind of pitted.

[Fiat88]

Got the pipe off again and checked to see how warped the ears were by mocking it up against the water pump part. Ears are bent like you guys said, plus the support bracket was bent a little. Fixed the bracket but still need to fix ears.