Job complete. I replaced the water pump ( ended up using a gasket from the Land Rover dealer. Replaced all hoses, 180 t-stat. Running temp now 185-188 down from 215. Only casualty was nipple on bottom of reservoir tank. Brass nipple drilled and screwed with red permatex until I order a new reservoir. So far no leaks. I used a razor blade on hand scraper. No way in hell anything less would clear old gasket. It was really really baked on there. Not sure why the scanner lit up a warning, did that on first crank start up after replacing coolant.

 

Good on ya, Mate

 

Thanks!

 

Avoiding the use of metal scrapers is sound advice. Scratching is one problem, and another is rounding the edges, as with scotchbrite pads, steel wool, or emery paper, due to uneven application of pressure. The mating surfaces can become domed.

Special purpose gasket removers tend to consist of dichloromethane, the same stuff in paint stripper. It is effective, but just horribly nasty stuff, and using it isn't like waving a magic wand. I am simply not willing to use it.

I will use Perchloroethylene -- the chlorinated brake parts cleaner. This stuff is more effective on tough residue than the "non-chlorinated" solvents (which I also use).

A heat gun also works good to remove gaskets without damaging sealing surfaces.

I write it one more time. I greatly prefer o-rings to flat gaskets for water pumps, oil pans, valve covers, and thermostat housings. Flat gaskets are for heads, and exhaust manifolds (I'm not sure there's only one answer for intake manifolds).

 

Depending on your point of view on the age-old throttle body heater debate you can also just plug the reservoir nipple hole with an appropriately-sized screw wrapped with Teflon plumbers' tape. The line feeds only the TBH. That's how I addressed mine when the nipple broke off mine a couple of years ago. I did eventually buy a new reservoir off eBay but I'm convinced that the plugged reservoir would have worked just fine indefinitely.

 

You guys are using the wrong water pump gasket! Slap one of these on any vehicle and it'll be good for years n years lol.

 

Using a flat sanding block helps to prevent unevenness when using paper/cloth type abrasives.

Tried that on the rock hard read sealant on D2. Gasket peeled from still rock hard sealant. Suspect that red stuff was something LR used to slap/cement those gaskets onto the timing covers days/months/years prior to engine assembly. If it crosses my path in the future the paint stripper will be tried.

If a leaks should appear after all our expert procedures we can always depend on a can of snake sealant.
Sealants : Permatex® Spray Sealant Leak Repair

One I got is too large/small for some and fits others just right.
......

 

So in the end, I found out how to feel "less robbed" by the dealer. Went to pick up the short radiator hose from radiator to t-stat. Forgot to order it. Picked it up, how much? $65! Auto Zone and O'Reilly had nada. Ok, let's talk gasket while I am there. Looked more solid than my paper gasket. How much? $25!

Ended up buying both, find a NAPA on the way home. Got the hose for $7. Dealer hose going back. Kept the $25 gasket, even though it was robbery- just not as much as the $65 hose. The price of needing parts asap.