What is this and why would it be there?

RustyRatRod said

Probably covering a crack in the intake valley through to the water jacket. Pretty common on some of them in colder climates.

Click to expand...

Look at the machining on the opposite bank. Think it had a roller cam at one point...And has bad core shift, and that JB goo is covering where they punched water jackets on the other side??