what happens if you use sealer/RTV around the water ports?

 

It's liable to leak around an intake port. If the heads and the intake manifold are flat, no sealer is necessary, just the gasket. If they're not flat, they need to be repaired/replaced. When the engine was originally assembled, no sealer was used, and it shouldn't need it now.

 

There is very slight pitting around the coolant ports. Thought a thin bead of RTV would be a little insurance. What started it is that my Haynes manual suggests it LOL.

 

Why does that not surprise me? If you need help with an oil change, they're not too bad, beyond that, forget it, they're worthless.