Gasket sealers?

[mtgibby]

My engine (289 R2) was rebuilt a few years ago and has never been run. I received it from the previous owner assembled, except for the ancillaries. I pulled the intake manifold off to give access to larger bolt holes to pick up the engine during the engine/transmission dial-in procedure. The metal (crush?) gaskets had some light surface rust and were a bit tacky, so I bought new gaskets.

My question is, do I need to use any liquid (silicone?) sealer on the intake or exhaust manifold gaskets? I have seen this type so sealer used on tv shows about rebuilding engines. Do I need to use it on the paper gaskets, like the oil filter mount?

What about surface prep before assembly? Any advice?

[JWL1940]

My experience with the embossed steel shim gaskets like used for the intake manifold is that they do not require any sealer or cement. The surfaces must be clean and straight. The exception is embossed steel shim head gaskets. A copper-based spray sealer is recommended by many for these. For paper and cork gaskets, I like to use the 3M Trim Cement. I cement the gasket to the piece that is to be removed from the engine (e.g., oil pan, rocker arm covers) and then apply a light coating of grease on the surface that goes against the engine. In this way the gasket comes off with the piece and scraping and cleaning of the harder to reach engine surfaces is avoided. Plus, the grease on the gasket will allow some movement during assembly without damaging the gasket. Others probably have different experiences and suggestions. Thanks.

(o{}o)