Intake gasket question
Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2026 11:22 am
Rather than perpetually bugging Worf, questions and observations on the world of intake questions.
My only experience has been with the S3, in which I’m assuming has the most problem with warping of the runner base because of its design.
Which may or may not be why 85-86 32v had the metal factory gaskets with raised rubber inserts?
In my S3, I replaced the metal gaskets initially with paper at my first top end refresh.
I believe I dressed them with drei bond. I do remember finding that the number 7-8 cylinder had pushed the gasket around and created a vacuum leak several years later.
With plans to supercharge anyway, I got new metal gaskets.
Chasing my boost leak in the here and now, I’m 97% percent sure I have located it — at the 7-8 cylinder area again.
Pulling that runner off, I can appreciate slight warping when mated to a flat surface.
I hit the bottom with rattle can, and meticulously sanded base.
I have 1.6 and 1.8 neoprene gasket material here.
I was going to dress that with rtv or drei bond and use it to fill any residual space with the rubber material.
My concern becomes, will this soft material just get pushed out by boost? If corrected, the system will have about 10psi. Which isn’t crazy high but tends to be sustained during track use.
Should I incorporate the metal gasket as well?
Like sandwiched metal gasket to block and rubber gasket to runner with drei bond dressing?
Any factory rubber profile on the metal gaskets has long been compressed into a flat surface.
Any advantage to a hybrid like that?
My only experience has been with the S3, in which I’m assuming has the most problem with warping of the runner base because of its design.
Which may or may not be why 85-86 32v had the metal factory gaskets with raised rubber inserts?
In my S3, I replaced the metal gaskets initially with paper at my first top end refresh.
I believe I dressed them with drei bond. I do remember finding that the number 7-8 cylinder had pushed the gasket around and created a vacuum leak several years later.
With plans to supercharge anyway, I got new metal gaskets.
Chasing my boost leak in the here and now, I’m 97% percent sure I have located it — at the 7-8 cylinder area again.
Pulling that runner off, I can appreciate slight warping when mated to a flat surface.
I hit the bottom with rattle can, and meticulously sanded base.
I have 1.6 and 1.8 neoprene gasket material here.
I was going to dress that with rtv or drei bond and use it to fill any residual space with the rubber material.
My concern becomes, will this soft material just get pushed out by boost? If corrected, the system will have about 10psi. Which isn’t crazy high but tends to be sustained during track use.
Should I incorporate the metal gasket as well?
Like sandwiched metal gasket to block and rubber gasket to runner with drei bond dressing?
Any factory rubber profile on the metal gaskets has long been compressed into a flat surface.
Any advantage to a hybrid like that?
