[POWERSTROKE]

Since we ALL are looking for better ways to service common things on our trucks, I replaced the thermostat and square cross section sealing ring on the thermostat housing around 100,000 miles. Fast forward about twelve years and 175,000 miles and I buy a new thermostat to trouble-shoot an over heating problem. The new thermostat now has the sealing ring molded to the flange so the separate seal ring is no longer needed. When I replaced the water pump at 137,800 miles the factory OEM rebuilt water pump included the new molded o-ring sealing gasket. No cut paper, or cork, or whatever material gaskets anymore. Engine is a '96 7.3L Powerstroke. The engine is very immune to leaks.

Best thing I ever found was the rubber encapsulated stamped steel valve cover gaskets for small block Ford engines. Yes, more expensive than the old cork gaskets, but the new gaskets are reusable almost indefinitely, where cork, the decaying bark of a tree, normally starts leaking immediately.