I like to use at least one paper gasket per bank, even with iron heads, and I will have the intake cut so I don't have to butcher a perfectly good intake by filing the bolt holes.

When you were able to get a feeler blade in was this with a gasket or no gasket ... if a gasket which the paper or the valley pan and has the valley pan embossing already been crushed, It's a little confusing?

running up my post count some more .