Use oil pump gasket or not?

[zhandfull]

When I pulled apart this 273 motor it had no oil pump gasket. I'm pretty sure it had never been apart since it had a stock bore and rope rear main seal.

New oil pump has a gasket should I use it or just reinstall without?

At work one of our Ford 460 trucks doesn't use exhaust gaskets it's just a metal on metal machine finish and doesn't leak a bit. So I'm thinking the oil pump may be the same on these small blocks.

 

[oldkimmer]

...........I never use the gasket, afterall the factory never used it...........kim..........

 

[crackedback]

Never use them on SB, just another failure point.

Both mating surface smooth and flat, good to go.

 

[Slappy]

Didnt use one in mine either