The #3 cover is NOT for looks! New, it's a rubber coated gasket with a steel core, as it ages the plastic hardens and cracks. It is there as a backup against the valve cover seals leaking oil to prevent it from draining down there. It's also there to keep out debris (fine dirt and sand) from getting in where you cannot reach it to clean it out when you go to pull the spark plugs... sand and other grit in the cylinder is.... anyone? anyone?..... BAD!
Jebus... the shit people decide is "just there for looks" is amazing... the whole engine bay looks like a cluttered disaster and you think they're worried about a galley which you can't see unless the ENTIRE intake has been removed? Are you f@#$ing serious?
Oh, and the #3 IS the gasket for those 4 plugs.
The gasket for the throttle body (the factory one) is a multilayer steel gasket and you bet your tooshy it's reusable. The paper ones may be reused, but I recommend a very light spray gasket dressing if you're intent on reusing them.
That's it. I quit. Have fun misleading each other... Here's one more good one about the #3 which hasn't been mentioned: "It's useless and you'll get some weight reduction from removing it." HAH!!! That's an old favorite.
<walks off grumbling and looking for that damned bottle of xanax>
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