Hi I'm new to the list but  have done over a dozen of the head gasket replacements and you should use the green o-rings and glue headgaskits on both sides, whats important is that you make sure that none of the head nuts bottom out ( when i do this job i replace 2 or 3 heads nuts because they jamb up, but torque is proper.,but head is not really  pulled down and allows head gasket to leak or blow) I'm not an expert just 35 years of experience.
just a thought.      D. Ranoel
wayout <wayout@IX.NETCOM.COM> wrote: Hello all!

I am replacing a head gasket right now and am about to reinstall.
My gasket kit was short 1 "O-ring gasket " (Bentley Page 15.22).
Desperate to not lose more time waiting for a replacement, I talked to a local VW mechanic who hadnt worked on a wasserboxer in a long time, but said that he couldnt remember the O_Ring, just the flat metal ring.
It is clearly there in the bentley, and says "always replace".

On the other hand, I tore down a blown 1.9 that I had lying around today, and there were no O-Ring gaskets installed in there, and that van had NO water leaks at all.

Questions:

1. Do I really need the O-Ring gasket?

2. Opinions on whether to put sealant on both sides of the new head gasket... The 1.9 that I took apart today only had sealant on the head side, not on the case side. (Again, that engine had no leaks)

Thanks Alot,

Jason L.
85GL 2.1