I have a question concerning the front and rear exhaust manifold bolts. Reading the Q and A here reminded me of the fact that the bolts screw into water jackets. I can't quite remember if I sealed the studs before installing them ( Its been 5 years since the assembly and installation of the engine). My question is, Do I go ahead and pull the manifolds, removed and seal the studs, or fire up the engine and hope for the best?

My plan was just to pull them. But in another thread here it was implied that if one is using the OEM shouldered stud sealant shouldn't be needed.

Thanks for any help.