Quote Originally Posted by bps02gtp View Post
you can tell by looking at the end seal of the LIM gasket that its either old and shot
The end seal only seals the lifter valley (oil splash areas) from leaking out and or causing a vacuum leak into the crankcase. I'm unsure how that helps you tell if your gaskets are shot. Please explain

The way I tell if the gaskets are in need of replacement are to look at where the LIM meets the head. If the gasket isn't an aluminum one, then it'll need to be replaced at some point.