Engine is pretty much together. Two gasket and one multiple choice sealant question:

Have the Fel-pro kit

1. Timing cover gasket. I used the blue thin one, did not notice the kit had a black thicker one. The timing cover was filed flat prior to install and block was perfectly flat/smooth. Should I leave just the blue gasket, or switch to the black, or use both? Rather swap it now, even if it means pulling the oil pan.

2. Intake gaskets. With the heads bolted up and torqued, intake-to-head gaskets in place, the gap between the manifold and block is .180 front/.190 rear. The cork gaskets are .190 front and .200 rear. With sealant and the intake (Edelbrock alloy) torqued will this be enough crush to seal properly? Or should I get my shop to machine the intake side to drop to a lower clearance? If so, what is recommended gap?

3. Sealant. I have Permatex 2B Form-a-gasket non-hardening, RTV Ultra Blue and RTV Ultra Copper. I used 2B on the timing cover, blue on the oil pan.
a. Which is best for the intake/head water jacket passages? Both sides of gasket or not? Blue?
b. Intake front/rear cork seals? Blue or copper?
c. For the valve covers was going to use 2B.
d. Should I use any sealant on the exhaust? I know they used no gasket at all from the factory, but will likely use the ones from the Fel-pro kit. Some Copper on them?

Last few items are making oil restrictors, install intake, install pushrods, install rockers and adjust, exh headers, carb abd distributor... think that'll about do it. Hopefully done next weekend. Then debate taking it to a dyno for break in or letting it wait a little while until the body is back from paint and breaking it in in the car....

It was a fun weekend project, so far so good.

Thanks to all who have helped me learn about this process. Just hope it goes "vrooom" and not "bang/clunk/screeeeetch" when it does finally fire up!

Everyone has one, here's mine:

Timing Cover: thin gasket and the slightest amount of Permatex "Right Stuff" on each side. Can't stress enough how little too use.

Intake to head: I don't use anything. The good Fel Pro blue gaskets (NOT Print-O-Seals) are rigid enough to stay in place and the surface allows the intake to slide into place. These gaskets are highly engineered and should work flawlessly if mating surfaces are square.

Front and rear of intake: Right Stuff only, no cork at all. Practice on the bench to get the volume you need to fill the gap. I've run a 2nd bead on top of the first before. Make sure there is enough to seal the corners without oozing inward and restricting the oil returns in the heads. Drop the intake in place with the sealant wet (tacks up very quickly) and run the bolts in just to ensure everything is square and seated. Have a couple beers or wait until morning and torque it down.

I use nothing on my cork valve cover gaskets. If the head surface is clean and dry, it will naturally adhere after a few heat cycles. A VERY thin film of oil before dropping the cover on is a good idea so the cork doesn't pull off with the cover. On a new build, you may be pulling the covers a couple times after break-in, which is good. It makes sure the cork isn't stuck to the cover, and the re-install allows the compression of the cork to be taken up. If they are not over torqued, you should never need any goo. Most people crank them down too tight.

I have headers, so I use gaskets. Stock iron should not need a gasket if they are flat.

1. Use what you got.

2. I never use anything but cork gaskets. I use weatherstrip adhesive, and put the cork end gaskets onto the block. With weatherstrip adhesive, they will never bulge out or move in any way. IMO, it looks 10X better than a big old glob of sealant ran across the block. I'm very picky when it comes to how a fresh engine looks, and I've never seen one yet that impressed me. After the cork is in place, I put on just the thinnest layer of RTV onto the end gaskets...thin like a piece of paper. I then put a little dab into each corner where the end gasket meets the side gasket. I also smear a very thin layer around each water port on the side gaskets....both sides.

One thing to check before you do any of this, mock up the intake, and look down each intake port. See how the port aligns with the port in the head. If they don't line up, you'll need to do some machining to make it fit.

Once the intake is in place and torqued down, the differences that you measured will go away.

3. I just use black RTV on everything and I've never had a problem. I use extremely small layers, so that it doesn't glob up and push out everywhere.

just a footnote on the intake install. Drop in the distributor before torquing down the intake for that last little tweak to make sure your dizz is lined up properly with the hole in the intake.

every intake i've ever put on has used different length bolts

Make sure you have ALL the oil plugs in. It will ruin your day if you forget one. Just now have my 416 almost back together and ready for dyno run #2. Left the plug out that goes behind the cam gear, and not awhole lot of oil pressure. It does not hurt to double check.