Thermostat Housing FIPG vs Gasket

Toyota uses only FIPG here but Felpro sells a gasket. Anyone have any experience with this gasket?

 

On first Gen Tacoma OEM FIPG failed leading me to buying a water pump as I thought it was coming from weep hole. Instaled new water pump and FIPG only and about a year later FIPG failed again. Reinstalled original OEM pump and used both FIPG and Gasket that came with second pump and no more issues. I just applied very thin layer of blue gasket maker to both sides of gasket.

 

Bro I used freight o harbor red. Zero issues

 

Flex seal (as seen on TV). Because….why not?​

 

Crazy thing is it’s not leaking but I have to remove it to access front and rear water crossover pipes where those gaskets are leaking.

 

I don’t remember that when I did mine

 

Leaking here

 

When I did the timing belt on my truck there was a paper gasket on the thermostat housing. It showed no signs of leaking.

I've also seen folks polish the groove and install a Buna-N or Vitron 2-034 o-ring with some silicone grease in place of FIPG with good luck. If you buy a new thermostat housing from Toyota it comes with an o-ring like material already in the groove. I might give the o-ring a try in a couple of years when my Land Cruiser needs the t-belt done again.... if I remember.

That said, I have used Permatex Anaerobic Gasket Maker five times on the 2UZ thermostat housings without a leak.