For the double gasket job I brushed RTV on them and glued them together, waited until they dried and then put them on. I did do the RTV on the China rails and around the water ports as well. I think the biggest problem is simply that the bolts were bottoming out against the side of the bolt hole on the intake manifold. It couldn't travel downwards far enough to get a good squish because it's locked up against the side of the bolt. Being that I have .120 thick at each gasket now, I've got .125 gasket material at work that I can custom cut my own from, between that and relieving the bolt holes I'll have it right as rain by this weekend.