Intake Manifold Gasket

[Roko]

Replacing the intake manifold gasket on my 1973 Challenger 318 engine.   I'm keeping car all original so the cast iron 2 barrel intake in going back on.  Fel-Pro makes two types of gaskets,  Fel-Pro 1213 which is a composite material or Fel-Pro MS90009 which is all steel material.  My question is which is the better gasket should I use?

[Chryco Psycho]

If you are using the factory intake the steel one will be good .
if you are using an aftermarket alum intake  would use the composite gasket

[Scooter]

Whichever you decide to go with don't forget to put a bead of RTV around the water jackets. Many people (myself included)prefer a good size bead RTV instead of the front and rear pieces as well. 

GL

[MOPAR MITCH]

Roko -- Use the MS 90009 steel set.. that is the equivalent to the OE design.

The 1213 is intended for aftermarket aluminum intakes... it's fiber will conform better to irregularities common with aluminum manifolds; also the 1213 gaskets do not have the required center exhaust cross-over open to heat the manifold for cold running conditions (although, the opening could be scribed and cut open on the 1213 fiber gaskets if desired)..

I'm a former Fel-Pro long-time aftermarket engineer... and can answer any questions you have about gaskets.

You'll want to use just a small dab of RTV at the four corners of the intake gaskets and the front/rear end seals where they intersect.  Make certain that you clean all the bolt threads using a die and run a tap into the cylinder head's threadings so to make the clamp load as frictionless as possible (light oil on the threads).  The raised port embossings on the metal gaskets do the sealing at all of the port openings - if you want, at the front/rear water ports, you could add a slight coating of RTV around those ports, but don't be excessive or else some of the RTV could enter inside the water ports and cause restrictions where they should be free-flowing (water passages, thermostat, etc).