thermostat gasket

[mikeinaustin]

i purchased a new thermostat for my 2002 v8 tundra. however, i forgot to purchase the gasket and all the toyota dealers are closed fri-sun for the holiday.

so i was wondering if it was ok to forget the toyota factory gasket and instead apply some permatex stuff (water pump and thermostat rtv silicone gasket or perhaps sensor safe high-temp rtv silicone gasket). what are your thoughts on this? what are your experiences?

i wonder if this will work, because according to the haynes manual, the "gasket" is actually a grooved sealing ring that fits around the edge of the thermostat....so i'm not sure any permatex product would work.

[sr5mike]

I would not try to replace the O ring with a RVT. Most O rings can be bought at stores like Napa.

[desert4x4]

Originally Posted by mikeinaustin

i purchased a new thermostat for my 2002 v8 tundra. however, i forgot to purchase the gasket and all the toyota dealers are closed fri-sun for the holiday.

so i was wondering if it was ok to forget the toyota factory gasket and instead apply some permatex stuff (water pump and thermostat rtv silicone gasket or perhaps sensor safe high-temp rtv silicone gasket). what are your thoughts on this? what are your experiences?

i wonder if this will work, because according to the haynes manual, the "gasket" is actually a grooved sealing ring that fits around the edge of the thermostat....so i'm not sure any permatex product would work.

IIRC, when I changed the hoses and thermostat on my 2001 4.7 V8, the thermostat gasket was kind of a round O ring. It might be possible to take the old one to a parts store that might be open and match it up. As I remember (it was a few years ago) it wasn't a very difficult job. Good luck!

[hdtech]

Is the old one broken? If it isn't all dried out/cracked. Clean it with IPA and then a little armor-all. It should get you "over the hump" until the stores are open. Just be careful getting it out.

I also checked Autozone and they have a Felpro for 6.99 in your area.

AutoZone.com | Vehicle Selection | Year

[HOGWILD]

Conicelli Parts Center
X2 WAIT!!They have them for less than 4 dollars so why would you change one without having all the parts required? if ya did just use old one or wait till ya get the correct one which i would strongly suggest Overheating a 4.7L would not be a wise thing to let happen! Head gaskets are costly and labor is a PITB plus expensive if ya can't DIY! I would strongly suggest using a torque wrench during install and yea i know most people think they are not required but i am not most people i am a retired Auto Tech 12 Years & USAF Aircraft Tech Retired 20 years, so no excuse for not using the required stuff for a proper installation unless you wanta spend more money fixing a broken part because ya did the job wrong!