Quote Originally Posted by aahx2011 View Post
Since I have had this leak I have gone through three sets of intake gaskets and each time they did not even come with the rubber china wall gaskets at all. They came with a small tube of black rtv silicone. It is hard for me to use silicone at all, I was always taught that if it has a gasket do not use silicone as that is what the gasket is for. And I have seen what using to much silicone can do to an engine especially when it is used to excess.
Being a GM technician for too many years, I have to agree. Use the silicone. Not any silicone, but use the Ultra Black. Of the hundreds of intakes I have done on small blocks, I've only had one come back due to a oil leak. I always put a 1/4 inch bead down for the "China wall". Now are you sure it's the intake? Most blocks have a oil port in the rear along with the dist which can also leak. I have seen a few people forget to plug the oil port or not have the gasket on the dist.

On the few where the "China wall" fell into the block, GM released a Technical Bulliten years ago for how to keep that from happening. Basically you use a punch to create small indents to keep the "China wall" from falling in. I've only used that one time, and I really don't think it was needed. The customer asked for it.