Which of these two manifold gaskets is the proper one for my 1990 GTA 5.7 TPI? They are both Felpro, but the bottom one is much harder than the top one. My main concern is the EGR port, the bottom one is the one I put on the car after I did my cam swap and it appears to have been leaking around that port. I have had vacuum issues ever since the cam install, and there was black exhaust powder on the gasket around the EGR ports.

 

The lower one may be a lot harder it it was already installed and baked in the engine. Gasket design changes frequently. The "proper" gasket is the one that seals, allows proper flow, and doesn't deteriorate. I can't tell by a photo, so that call is your's alone.

 

The silver piece in the center port was my may concern, the bottom one does not have it. If the hole in the silver piece is all I need in that area rather than the open port, then I believe that one will give me a better seal. (around the EGR port anyway)

 

i used the top gasket on my 87 gta with no problems at all.

i thought they made the gasket with the metal port just so it would seal and not be prone to leak like your old one.

 

The top one is the regular "performance" SBC intake gasket for stock size ports, 1204, with the exhaust restrictor (comes in the box with the gasket, for use in some applications but not others) installed. That's the "right" one for your car. The restrictor itself isn't a big deal one way or the other, and has nothing to do with sealing, as such. Look closely and you'll see that it's actually 2 pieces, with 2 little tabs in the center of the hole holding them together.

You could also use the MS90314, which is the standard stock replacement one; also "right" for your car.

Either gasket should fit and work and seal fine. If it leaked there, most likely the bolts weren't tight enough, or you have a waroed or otherwise damaged part.