I'm halfway through replacing the thermostat on my 2007 TDV8 3.6L.
When I took the old one out the seal was just mangled up -someone has been at it before I think !
So I've got the new one and am unsure if the seal fits around the thermostat or does it go fully behind or fully in front ?

The seal has a nice grove around it and so it fits snugly around the stat - it looks right like this but....
Bolting the stat cover back onto the stat housing is not going to plan. The cover doesn't want to sit flush against the housing - you can use the bolts to nip it up but I'm having to use (what I think is) too much force to get the cover and housing to mate nicely. Being plastic I don't want to apply too much force as we know where that will end up !

I know its wrong - as it leaks like a sieve when i top up the coolant (engine off)

Am I missing something

Thanks