TRD cat-back install problems

Hey y’all, getting right into it, I would like some input as I am about to disassemble my TRD cat-back and reinstall with a new gasket, bolts and springs.

I installed the cat-back with a new gasket and bolts two days ago, the springs looked fine, 100,000 miles on em, probably should’ve replaced to begin with; however, that’s not the issue as hand. Somehow I managed to strip the original bolts and inside the welded nuts on the y pipe receiving flange. Don’t ask me how, I simply screwed up. Anywho, I tapped out the nuts, reinstalled with new bolts and used additional nuts to hold everything in place. After tightening everything back down I noticed there was water dripping from the gasket, tightened up some more, it stopped, the next day on a cold start, it started dripping again, tightened again, and it stopped again. At this point the leak is a barely noticeable film of fluid that is observable at the edges of the gasket (not enough to drip), only on cold starts and by operating temp is not observable at all.

So instead of playing this game, I am going to disassemble, install with a new gasket, new springs (already have new bolts) only this time I plan to apply copper rtv to where the gasket meets the exhaust manifold pipe.
What do y’all think? Any suggestions on applying the copper rtv? If the copper rtv is a bad idea what would you recommend?
This is my setup presently, when I reinstall everything I will include a locking washer.​

 

Sorry for resurrecting an old post, but did you ever get this resolved? I'm about to do the same thing. From your picture, it looks like the gasket may be installed backwards or be incorrect? I thought the two flanges should be closer together.