installing a chevy 400 intake manifold?

[78olds_ponce]

i have a late 70s early 80s chevy 400 sbc... i wanted to knw if i should put gasket maker on the front and back skinny sides of the block or what do i do ?thanks for any help

 

[blk74nova]

The gasket maker is the way I do it. I have never had good luck with the rubber seals that come in the kits. When I got the gaskets for a set of vortec heads, it came with a small tube of gasketmaker for the end seals.

 

[billyjack]

I know you'll get a lot of responses from sealant proponents, and they're certainly not wrong. I've done a bunch using the rubber gaskets without issue. I always glue the end seals down with gasket cement or weatherstrip cement and bury the end seal/gasket joint in silicone. IMO, using only sealant for the end rails is a more delicate operation for the unexperienced. One process that is almost an invitation to failure IMO is using a silicone-based sealant in combination with rubber. Those two materials just don't seem to like each other.

Bill