Questions about installing a valley pan

It's been quite some time since I have installed a valley pan so I could use some advice. First, what is the best sealant to use around the ports? I have Parmatex Ultra Black gasket maker, Permatex Form-a-gasket and 3M gasket adhesive on-hand. Would any of these be suitable or should I get something else? Second, the pan came with gaskets. Are the gaskets provided in the event your heads have been shaved as I don't recall ever using gaskets with a pan in the past? Thanks in advance.

I use red spray permatex. rtv just on the ends on the block.

As far as gaskets, normally used when intake is shaved. But best way to know if you need the gaskets is to put the intake on and see how well the ports align. Do it with and without the gaskets.

I like to glue the paper to the pan on both sides with Gasgacinch. little rtv on the ends

I don't use any sealer around the ports, just on the ends

Same here. I trial fit the intake without the valley pan gasket to make sure the manifold to head angles are the same (Check top and bottom of ports with feeler gauge or shim.) with no gasket the intake should sit a bit low with the bolt hole alignment.
With the valley tray gasket, uncompressed, the bolt holes should be close to just slightly high. Often if the block or heads have been milled and the intake side of the heads not milled to match, the intake will set too high and may need to be milled to fit correctly.

If I remember correctly the thin paper gaskets that come with fel pro 1214 and 1215 were basically the same as those advised in a very old Chrysler TSB
for 440 6 pack vehicles with aluminum intakes. I believe the reduced torque spec of the aluminum intake caused a leak here
and there which the paper gaskets helped repair.

I like to use all 4 paper gaskets when it doesn't goof up the fit. I Copper coat or High Tack the paper gaskets to the pan.
Any good RTV on the end rails/an extra blob in each corner because they tend to "sweat" out of the corners.

If you're addicted to intake manifold swaps or want to make it a little easier to service, you can apply a light coat of oil or white grease with your finger
to the intake flange, so that it doesn't stick to the gasket. I've done that since the '80s and it has worked well.

If there's no space for the paper gaskets, then I usually just use copper coat on both sides.

Using the thin paper gaskets on the tray is the best way I've found to do it once and never have a sealing or vacuum leak issue.
Usually .015 thick is perfect, glued to the tray.
Any paper gasket gets a thin coat of something that'll release cleanly, like a thin wheel-bearing grease or Pam depending on where it is.
Blob of clear RTV at corners, a smear of non-hardening sealer along the china walls, install, clean excess, paint, done.

Other than greasing up the paper for reuse, I do exactly the same thing. There are times, like when it's an iron head and a iron intake that were uncut, I just glue up the end rails and nothing else with that combo.

All good information on all the above posts
I do try to use the paper gaskets on the head side when I can't use both of them so it prevents oil from being sucked up into the ports I do also use Gasket Cinch to seal the gaskets, especially on the inside of the ports sides

Never in 50 years used sealer around ports.Even years ago using used pans never used it.Use some RTV on the ends and thats it.My 440 now aluminm heads and intake been together for 20 years no problems.My son ran the same with iron heads for 15 years.Rocky

Well, ive never used anything besides the valley pan, Then this weekend i take off the stock iron intake to install my new Holley Street dominator intake and have a vacuum leak from hell on both sides of the intake! I used some good sealant around the ports and a new fel-pro valley pan, but it wont idle because of the vacuum leak..so, not sure what to do now..Ive never had this happen, but this is my first aluminum intake..Before was always the big heavy stock intake..any advice? Heads have never been milled.

When installing a manifold for the first time on any engine I always lay the manifold in place and center side to side then use a feeler gauge at the top and bottom of the head flange to see if there’s a gap. I usually find that when things are correct you can’t get a .002” gauge between the manifold and head.

A thin paper gasket on the valley pan should correct minor angle variations.

I do recall hearing of using plastigauge too.

If you are like me you don't want to take the intake off.But if you want it right, take it off. The problem is probably your new intake. Do what 'transman' said. After you take the intake off clean all surfaces completely. Set the intake on without the valley pan or any gaskets. Square it up the best you can and check with feeler gages for gaps. You may have to take your intake to a machine shop and have it trued up. Make sure you take the machine shop good info. Mark the intake where the largest gaps are and where it touches. That way he will know how much and where to cut it.
But if gaps are not over about .010 just use the gaskets that come with the valley pan. And put a sealer on the ends. Hope this helps you.

I used avation sealer around the ports on just the steel shim and rtv on the corners with a little wipe front and bank. When I ate a lifter on break in and had to pull the intake it was so nice after being a smallblock guy. No water in it and the pan came off really easily. I had the valley open in like 20 mins, wiped down the tray, scraped the rtv, and re-used it. Worked like a charm.

I did check the fit with one two or no paper and none fit best.