They don't look particularly cork-based from the photo, so I'm assuming silicone? It gives nothing away in the (very limited) 'product details'. Or maybe it's because I'm viewing on my phone?
They look like cork and shredded black stuff to me. It’s not a uniform cork colour, or is that just me scruteneering it?
I can image the oil strainer gaskets will be better than just the brown paper ones, as the Elrings are made of a slightly thicker darker material.
Until you over tighten the nuts and deform the plate. The thin ones don't allow that. Swings and roundabouts.
I feel that that grey stuff is porous and it seeps oil while proper gasket paper ( the brown stuff ) comes in a wide range of thicknesses, and is more oil proof. You can buy both kinds of gasket material and choose a thickness to suit, if you dont mind some DIY.
IME if you have trouble with a leaking sump plate the answer is to buy a new plate as the cause, again just my experience, is that someone over tightened the nuts against the sandwich of those thick gaskets and dented it at each hole. Once that's happened you are forced to carry on over tightening the nuts to crush new thick gaskets to match you damaged plate, try and beat the dents out or replace the plate. If you have the OG plate without the drain plug I'd get one with a drain plug so that when you've successfully sealed it, you can leave it alone. There's no need to change the strainer every few thousand miles.
Exactly what I did when I first had the van and thought a nice thick cork oil strainer gasket must be better! Paper style for the win after that early mistake
Yes, I will only clean the strainer out, after the initial 500 mile run in period. Havnt had much chance to mess about with it lately. Got about another 200 miles to do. I have the plate with the drain bolt in from the old engine as the donor never had the drain plug. Hasn’t leaked so far, with new gaskets, and copper washers.
