So I am fighting the issues I've had since I first started driving BB cars, intake leaks. Right now oil is getting sucked into the intake and smoking out the back - bad news. I am running the steel valley gasket straight to the heads, with a fel pro gasket between that and my alumnium intake manifold.

I am thinking, the factory ONLY used the valley pan gasket, nd I've never tried it that way. Should I? And if so, should I use any RTV?

I figure if everything else I've tried hasn't worked, might as well do what the factory found tried and true

I don't like the paper gaskets.....at all and will never use again.

And against popular opinion, I do indeed use a small bead of RTV at the ports on both sides of the pan.

many different opinions on this. The paper gaskets are too thick & they aren't cut perfect enough to suit me. My preference is to use very light amt of #2 permatex in the tube on both side of the valley pan. No problems yet. RTV would work the same but get the right kind of RTV that is gasoline resistant.

i spray copper head gasket spray on both sides just around ports, have reused valley pan 4 times like this with no leaks on race car. also used disc brake pad spray also that red liquid rubber. if still wont seal check intake for warpage

I've done several w/o paper. Use some good sealer in the coners like mentioned and you'll be fine. I usually paint both sides of the pan w/ Indian Head gasket sealer.

You don't need the paper gaskets, just the valley pan. I coat the port flanges of the valley pan with copper spray on both sides, and put a bead of grey RTV on the front and back valley pan hold-downs and a small blob at the corners. No RTV around the ports or anywhere except the front/back valley pan hold-downs. No vacuum or oil leaks for me. One thing I did have to do was take some sandpaper and sand all the dried on crud off both the flanges on the heads and on the intake.

Ive installed them dry for over 40 years.I just use a little RTV in the 4 corners where they meet the head and a slight bit under the hold downs are.Never use RTV on the intake ports its trouble waiting to happen.Rocky

If you use RTV, use very little. Just enough to seal any imperfections.

We've always done it without but have known others who have used it without any problems....


EDIT: I need to learn how to spell.....