3.4 Cylinder Head Dowel Pin are They Needed??

getting ready to put the head on and one of the locating(dowel)pins stuck in the old head....only have one in the block..are these really needed??

the gasket is obviously cut to fit the dowels and i am concerend about a leak

The dowel "rings" keep the head "centered" over the bores. It's a good idea to have them. I've seen heads successfully installed without them. Pioneer offers them in a "set" of 4, part number 839006. Dorman Products may offer them as "singles".

Jim