I've read a couple of places where people say you don't need the turkey tray gasket with an aluminum manifold, standard gaskets are enough. It seems to be cheap insurance. I am a novice, but I'm hoping to do my BB intake only once (LOL ). Is there a reason to leave the tray out out?

 

the steel doesn't seal well on the aluminum. I don't use the rubber end pieces either.
you will get 50/50 answer on those end pieces. The best intake gasket I have found for BBO
is from Victor reinz 95014SG. What ever ones you use be sure to put a little sealant
around the water ports on the ends of the heads. I use a 1/4 bead of the Ultra Black RTV
Adhesive Sealant for the end pieces.

 

I've always used the turkey tray with Edelbrock manifolds(three times)...no leaks. Used gaskets once...leaked. The end pieces are a waste, never used them.

 

Really? It sealed pretty well on the aluminum W-30, W31, A4,and A5 factory intakes. It has also sealed just fine on every aftermarket aluminum intake I've ever installed in the last 35 years.

 

i always used the turkey tray with no problems. i always test fit and tweek on it if need be to make sure it will stay in the alinement holes good. i also quit using the rubber end seals and use RTV black. it is not that hard to have a good seal with or without the rubber but i leave them out now.

 

I retract my statement, its more of a personal preference, continue on

 

I never use the turkey tray or the rubber end peices.........Not going on 35 years tho.........Two metals that dont go good toghter,After awhile(a long while?) I have had a intake and a turkey fuse toghter and it sucked *** to reuse the corroded intake again along with cleaning it up,Gaskets are cheaper than the tray but not reusable...I think.............Clear as mud now right?

 

The metal tray is not reusable either. I suspect the reason why most people claim to have problems with the stock gasket is because they DID try to reuse it. The gasket seals by deforming the bead around each port. Once the beads are deformed, they do not reseal.

 

Turkey tray on my 425. No problems at all.