installing intake manifold gaskets

[chevy art]

putting a different intake my engine(sbc), big afr heads so i needed the felpro 1267 gaskets (1.38 2.28 and .120 thick) these gaskets dont have the embossed(raised blue) sealer on them, so i am not sure if i need to seal them with a silicone or other type of sealer. could someone please advise me as to what type of sealant i should use(if any) and whether to put it on just the water jackets or on both the intake and water ports, and if it should go on both sides of gaskets or on only one specific side.. im using a hi temp silicone on the front and rear rails instead of the supplied cork gaskets(is this right). is there any other little tricks to use to get a real good seal. not used to working with silicone sealers so i have to get it right thanks art in NY

[rp930]

I would use Right Stuff on the water passages and in place of the cork seals. The rest should be fine without sealant.

[engineguyBill]

Art,
Use some sealant around the water ports ONLY, but NOT silicon or RTV seal!! I use CopperCoat gasket sealant (brushed on) around the water ports, which will also help keep the gaskets in place while you install the intake manifold. Make sure that all the sealing surfaces are CLEAN, STRAIGHT and DRY before installation. For the china wall, peen the area on the block and manifold in several places with a sharp center punch, then put a bead of silicon seal across this area. Use silicon only in this area, NOT the rubber or cork seals that come in the gasket package.