[vettestr]

John,
I know you are very capable to replace intake gaskets. I have also replaced a ton of them and have been taught a few tricks over the years. They are simple things like taking a center punch lightly across the block surface about every 1/8 inch apart where the end gaskets are placed. I also do this on the mating surface of the intake manifold. Just randomly punching across the surface will leave a surface that grabs the gasket too reduce tendancy to be squeezed out. The sealant makes the gasket slipery to agrivate things even more. I have better luck with just RTV replacing the cork or rubber gaskets here but only if applied in 3 stages to allow/adjust for shrinkage of a finished 1/4 inch thick line of RTV. This light surface prep will not hurt the block or manifold for future gasket replacements and so on even on a rare or charished manifold if done properly you have little to loose trying this. There is a ritual I follow in addition but would make for a long thread. I am local to you so give me a call at 602 402 8504 if you want to hear my tricks, you can pick and choose the ones that make sense to you. You will beat this so hang in there. Jeff C