Exhaust leak and oil dipstick... Questions.

I bought a used set of headrs from ebay, they were mac shorty unequal lengths.. I thought it was a good deal... Hahahha.. First time I tried to put them on, I couldn't get three bolts in... One on the drivers side and two on the passengers side.. I said f**k it and left it like that for a few weeks, I realize that this was not the best thing to do, and I might have warped my heads..

It was dumb, no need to tell me that now. So, the begining of this week I started pulling them out and elongating the holes... So they look more like an oval instead of a circle... This worked with putting the bolts in, and I got all 16 in. I tightened them down, connected the stock H pipe, and noticed the large exhaust leak from the passenger's side was gone.. However, I still heard a small leak coming from the drivers side.. So, I tried to tighten the connection from the header to the H-pipe, drove it around again, and I still have an exhaust leak.

Today I went out and bought new gaskets... Which I should have done in the begining, I had been using the ones that came off... My friend and I removed the headers, and he put his side back on with the new gasket... The gaskets came with the donut gaskets that go between the H pipe and the header, but they didn't seem to fit right, they pushed the header too far forward for any bolts to go in.

I was about to put mine back on, when I noticed the oil dipstick had come loose, I tried to put it back in, but I can't... How exactly do you put the dipstick in? How long into the pan does it go? I can't tell if I broke it, or it just fell out..

When I got the new gaskets, I tried to line them up to the header and it seems like the header is bent because the holes don't line up with the gasket.... Should I just throw these away and get a brand new set? Could I have warped my heads? Should I just chop my hands off and never work on a car again? After at least 20+ hours trying to get these headers on right it's just a little frustrating, if you know what I mean.

Sorry this is so bloody long and boring, but I thought I'd just say everything I could think of so you didn't have to ask questions...

86 GT Hatch, 5.0, heads are stock to my knowledge. Thanks in advance.

You did not warp your heads don't worry.

Now you have MAC headers which have individual flange ports. I'm not a fan of these because the header itself will actually warp with heat and not allow your bolt holes to line up, such as you found out.

When I had MAC headers I too elongated the bolt holes and also used a pry bar to get the holes to line up with the heads, what a pain in the ass it was.

As far as the donut exhaust gasket, it's not need at all. Ford uses a ball and socket type exhaust system on the Mustang, so no gaskets are needed excpet for the header to head one only.

Your oil dipstick bolts to the drivers header on the 4th bolt from the front I believe it is. It's just a matter of putting the hanger on the flange and bolting it in.

So, perhaps it would be easier and better to get a type of header that uses a flange like bbk or jba...

any advice on the dipstick? Thanks for your help HiFlow, it's appreciated.

I like the bbk lt's. The dipstick on my truck did the same thing, it will just push right back down into the hole it cam out of. It will sit right there and be fine, no worries. Bets to bolt it in though, that way when you check your oil you dont have to hold the dipstick tube to pull the dipstick out.

Well, the thing is, it won't go back into the hole, like it broke off, but when I look at the end of the stick (the part that goes in the block) it is smooth, it doesn't look like it broke off... If I could have just plugged it back in, I would have happily done it :)

Thanks for the advice though..

Get a flash light and look to see if there is a sleeve down there at the dipstick hole the dipstick is pressed into...so that it doesnt come out.

There does seem to be a sleeve of some sort, but I just can't manage to get the dipstick in, or the sleeve out...

MAC headers not having a one-piece flange is a pain in the butt. But nothing a lil patience and muscle can't overcome. As far as what HIFlow said is pretty on the money. The dipstick tube should go in wit a little tapping check to see if there is some crud in the hole of the oil pan causeing it not to go in.

Should be a hole in the block and not the pan, I beleive.