Dead cylinder on new engine ( what in the he// happened? )

These heads have been in the family since 1975 and they were on the original 340 ( and still are ) they came on. To my knowledge they have ever been cut.
I did not use the end gaskets, I used rtv on the ends.
Well then You installed the intake the way I do without the end seals. Crackedback I think may be on to the solution. I hope the thicker gaskets do the trick.