Looks like you got your problem resolved, wanted to add one last little thing I didn't see anyone mention. On stamped steel covers, I've always taken a pair of ball peen hammers, place the ball side on the bolt hole from the back side while supporting the edge of the cover on a bench or block of wood and hit the hammer with your other hammer. Not super hard, just enough to push & flatten the mounting surface where it gets dimpled from tightening up the bolts. Can be a little awkward holding everything at first but you'll figure it out. Then I always just use RTV, let it skim over and go to town.

 

If you look at the original OEM gasket, you'll see that it's just the same as a double layer of felpro gaskets, you can separate it into two pieces. At least mine was.