headers install tips

[samurai pizza cats]

ok so i am doing my first solo head gasket job, head came off and new gasket is in. i reattached the head to the specific torque and in the right order but now i cant seem to get the headers to line up right, they are too far back and when i pull them up(towards the grill) they move upward(towards the hood) and wont align right. they are stock headers. is there any top pro tips you guys have? or is it just me being a and not man handling them enough?

[Holland]

OP your name always amuses me.

[samurai pizza cats]

y thnk u gud sir ^-^

[jlevie]

Disconnect the headers from the down pipes and you'll find that this becomes easy.

While the head was off I hope you had it checked for flatness and surfaced. In my eperience, a used head always has some warp and needs at least a light (0.005") cut.

[samurai pizza cats]

i really didnt want to disconnect them but i guess i have no choice. AND no i didnt get it checked. i haz no monies. but i will in like a month or so, so ill do it then. i just wanted to get familiar with the process and such this time. but thanks for the inpuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut

[MR 325]

Next time disconnect the manifolds at the downpipes and remove the head with manifolds still attached. I like to do it this way.

[Jparkr]

^ that is the only easy way to do it.

OP do you mean headers or stock exhaust manifolds?
Real headers can be a bitch sometimes but the stocks are nice and easy if you leave them on the head and disconnect the down pipe like mentioned above.