The graining you saw was probably because the person that did it used multiple beads (back and forth over it) and it set up a little in between.
I used the all metal factory intake gaskets with a thin film of red rtv around all the ports and water jackets, and then one solid bead on the front and rear about 3/8 thick and I don't have even so much as a damp spot anywhere, (And you don't see any rtv anywhere) it looks like there isn't a seal between the block and the intake.
I got the intake gaskets in place on the heads and then dropped the intake on as fast as I could after the rtv went on the front and rear.
Then I tightened in a cross pattern about a half turn at a time on the bolts until it was down tight.
They (whoever they are) say you are not supposed to use the metal intake gaskets with aluminum intakes, but it worked just fine.
No oil leaks, no vacuum leaks, no coolant leaks, but I have a ton of experience using rtv and know how it acts in different circumstances.
That was a dang good call on the intake bolt heads and threads Dave, because if you don't do that you WILL have puddles around the bolts.
I also cut the locating tab off the head gaskets where the heads, block and intake all meet to keep it from possibly interfering with the seal.
