what intake gaskets to use-on my new to me 2000 454 vortec??

[stage1scott]

As most of you know, I bought a used chevy truck for a shop truck.

( http://www.bangshift.com/forum/showthread.php/28073-Stage1Scott-has-a-new-Big-Block!)

It is leaking coolant at the right front corner of the intake, externally. On the FE ford recently finished for my Fairlane prject, intake gasket quality is very subjective, with some brands gauranteeing failure soon after installation. What about this 454 Vortec? I would normally just go over to my GM dealer and get thiers, but "theirs" are already leaking-although 11 years and 91k after being installed. What do the masses here on BS say? There are a lot of you far more familiar than I with this beast, speak up!

[Stich496]

"thiers" failed because of dexacool..
are u planning on this lasting another 11 years without having to pull the heads and need new gaskets anyways?

[stage1scott]

"thiers" failed because of dexacool..
are u planning on this lasting another 11 years without having to pull the heads and need new gaskets anyways?

welllll-see here is the reason for the post-I primarily own and work on german cars-so-I have little knowledge of dexcool and your above question only leaves me with more questions. A quick google showsThe internet is full of information about dexcool, indicating I should stay away from it. As I just acquired this truck, I have no idea what has been done in the last 9 years so I am looking to my BS brotherhood for direction. more info please

[Stich496]

dexacool is g.m. coolant (really texaco long life coolant) and it after awhile eats things..
it's not all the coolants fault.. in the marine world they add a iod to under the cap that will get eatten first as the coolant gets voltage.. iirc the part that hanges from the cap is iron ore.. anyways..
loose the dexacool and use green coolant after you get all the old stuff out.. (flush with water a few times)
replace the gaskets with g.m. and you'll be fine till it needs a valve job..

[stage1scott]

now we're talkin-so I had a look inside the rad and it is definitely orange-when I picked this thing up from the autction, it required a half gallon of water in the rad, havent really dirven it much, 20 miles maybe, so I will go ahead and flush it with water a couple of times and drive it in between before the gasket job-I read on another forum the dirvers side valve cover has to come off and the fel pro kit includes that gasket-at this point and mileage I am thing both vcgs while it is apart.

[SpiderGearsMan]

dexcool did nothing - the bolts loosen up

[hpa-bodies]

Spidey is right. I tightened the bolts on my 99 454 and it sealed up the leak. You dont have to pull the valve cover if you do the intake. The gm gaskets are the way to go. Only suggestion I have is to mark the distributor and put it back exactly how it came out or your gonna get a cam sensor out of sink code.