that's commonly done [after the rubbers were put on] to prevent the outside of the casting from developing surface rust sitting on the shelf, won't be any inside - I'd install as is, never had any problem

Bill


Moved over to the Passing Lane

"When we tug a single thing in nature we find it attached to the rest of the world" John Muir
"When we tug a single thing on an old truck, we find it falls off" me
Some TF series details & TF heater pics & Rust-a-holics Unanimous parking lot