well my intake is leaking like a ......... what brand gasket do i want, stock or felpro or other, and while intake is off is there anything else i should attend to, and any hints would be great thanks

 

You need to find an online guide to repairing the intake manifold leak. There are several online procedures that work. Look at Brent Franker's "how to" guides, the database avaialble at Project TransAM, or "install university".

It isn't the gaskets that develop the leak, although they will need to be replaced when you R&R the manifold to fix the leak. Stock GM gaskets are fine. They go between the intake and the heads.

But the "leak" typically develops at the rear of the intake, where the seal between the bottom of the manifold and the top of the block is provided by a bead of high temperature RTV. The front is similar, just doesn't leak as often, but it does leak.

Cleaning the parts well, applying the correct bead of the correct RTV material, sliding the manifold down on some dowels to keep it from shifting as it hits the bead, proper torquing and water sealing of the bolts, allowing the RTV to set for 24 hours before starting the engine, and retorquing the bolts after a week or so of use are all important factors in preventing the leak from coming back.

 

Hey injuneer which rtv sealant works the best for the intake i was told to use the high temp gold but i have also heard GM uses just black rtv...any input would be great......

 

Permatex ultra black rtv, is whats supposed to be used for the intake.

 

I just did mine (twice), the Permatex Ultra Gray worked better for me than the Copper.

I think one key is to clean the area where the head meets the block in the back corner of lifter galley on the (passenger side) and get some of the sealant down where the head meets the block. A little fillet on the top of the head gasket and some more on the bottom side where the head gasket meets the block. After I did the fix the first time I still had a very small seep in this spot, running the sealant about 1" down the top and bottm of the head gasket cured it for me.

It's not a real tough job, but it sucks to have to do it more than once. Good luck!

 

What a lot of guys do also is dipple the rails on the front and rear of the block. They use a punch and dimple it...some guys make a grove in it ....and others make hash marks in it just to make some extra grip or to make a wall for the RTV.
I'm gonnna go with the dimpling.