Intake Manifolg Gasket Kinked

I am in the process of cleaning the intake on my Golf. The PO had purchased all the parts for the job and left them to me. I just now noticed that there is a kink in the intake manifold gasket, looks like it got bent somehow. Is this OK to use / will it get straightened out when i tighten it, or should I purchase a new one?

I really dont see what it would hurt to flatten it out and run it. Its a metal gasket. I also do not understand why people replace them. Once again, its metal. Its either good or its not.

Well I have the new gasket so why not use it. The reason to replace it is there must be a point where those raised/stamped surfaces will no longer have enough flex to them to seal.
But thinking about it, the raised parts are around each of the ports, and the kink does not affect those in my case.

najel said:

But thinking about it, the raised parts are around each of the ports, and the kink does not affect those in my case.

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In that case I'd feel comfortable using it. It's not a job you want to do again because of a gasket leak.

I would flatten it out on the bench so you get easy alignment

Hmmm? My intake gasket was paper and $3.
Cheers ��

I doubt that one could have the absolute certainty with this bent one that one could have with an unbent one, in which case just buy a new one and never have to second guess yourself. It's not like they're all the expensive. This is a labor job, don't go cheap.

if it's metal, as long as it's not creased you will be fine, if it's paper, of which is really rare, you can just throw it on, if you are still worried about it you can iron the paper gasket with high steam to flatten it out.