Cardboard / compound gasket for inlet/exhaus manifold (TD)

TB2 · Post by **TB2** » Wed Aug 17, 2011 5:51 pm

Hello everyone,

finally my spare parts arrived from the supplier. However the gasket they sent me for the inlet and exhaust manifolds are made of some sort of metal-coated cardboard material. It's rather soft. Mat had told me a while ago that the gaskets for turbos he saw were all made of metal, just like the one I removed from the engine. Is it okay to use the cardboard gasket?

Thanks!

JayW · Post by **JayW** » Thu Aug 18, 2011 10:44 am

They've been made from laminated asbestos for many other makes for years, however i'm not too convinced by sticking one on a turbo due to the additional pressure?

Mat's of course right that they're always metal and the kit i saw at the factors at the weekend also contained a metal one.

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Thu Aug 18, 2011 11:20 am

JayW wrote:Mat's of course right

I think I should print this out and show it to Lana!

Back to the gasket - if you're really struggling to find one locally I have successfully re-used the metal one when I changed the head on mine a couple of years ago. Not ideal but I gave it a thin smear of copper grease to aid sealing and there have been no leaks for the past 30k miles. I guess it depends of what the condition is of the one you've removed.

TB2 · Post by **TB2** » Thu Aug 18, 2011 9:01 pm

Mhh, I was impatient today and went on ahead putting it in place before reading your posts. I simply hope it will be fine since it has been sold to me for this engine. I've waited enough on parts, I would like to see the car back on the road...

Thanks anyway, I'll report how it went with the gasket.

The head is back on, hoses reconnected, still need to put the belt back on and tighten the injectors. 130 NM?! My torque wrench only goes to 100. Yet another thing to buy or is it okay to just make it 'really tight'?