Oil Pan gasket Failure

[marco454v8]

Hi Guys,
I've been chasing an oil leak for a while now-it's near the damper as it throws the stuff everywhere.
I thought front crank seal, but this motor hasn't even done 3000 miles.
Anyway, got underneath, started looking closer, and I see a little piece of blue gasket poking out the front of the oil pan, so I dropped the pan.
This is what I found. I've only removed the pan once with this 're-usable' gasket, but the material has already gone brittle.
Anybody else seen this?

Thanks, Mark

[FWB]

yeah i've seen it........only with those blue gaskets though.

i like to use the felpro rubber on the pan, a light smear of permatex #2 both sides, i'm a little old school so the new fangled sealers haven't trickled down to me yet