I have an 86.5 928
Roger sent me a large fat O Ring for the outer cover, and a smaller rubberized inner seal that feels like it has a hard metal inner structure, and looks like its meant to be pushed into place.

I have only a round ring/piece of metal inside behind the thermostat that looks like it is pressed into place into the housing. No rubberized coating on that at all. I would need to go after that piece with a dremmel cut off wheel to get it out. No rubberized coating on this at all.

Looks to me like the rubberized ring replaces that part. Is this an updated rubberized coating on the new part, or has the original rubberized coating on the one coming out of the car, just fallen apart and weathered away after 26 years?

 

i know some style housings DO NOT have that inner seal. i know mine did not. pictures would help, before you start cutting things.

 

The 86 does. In fact, 4.7 and higher displacements all have this.
The OP makes perfect description of it.
Pry the old metal free. Replace that inner seal with the new rubber-covered metal press-in one that Roger sent to you.

 

Yes on old seals the rubber perishes and exposes metal ring - yours must be very old!

Carefully push thin screwdriver blade between seal and housing so you can deform ring inwards a bit, then grab with long nosed pincers.

 

Yea, the rubber wears out and the metal inside can even rust away. Use a pick to bend it, the metal is malleable, then pry it out with needle nose pliers. No dremmel required. When I changed mine, I didn't even know it was there.

 

OK Thanks
The metal ring was soft and did pry out easily.
The new rubber coated part did press in easily.