My 292 is at the machine shop. The block has been bored, decks milled and the mains align honed. I should have it back in a week or so and will begin assembly.   It's been years since I worked on a Y Block engine.  I always remembered them to have leaky real seals.  My engine had a rope seal when I disassembled it.  This seems like ancient technology to me.  I have read many Internet articles on installing a neoprene seal.  Sounds similar to all the big blocks I have worked on.   Do the new seals leak?  Why would anyone install a rope seal in 2018?