Just popped it in and am worried I messed it up

 

Here is the pic

 

What did you use to get it into place? Cause it shouldn't look like that. The entire gasket should fit down into the exhaust port, not along the side.

 

Looks fine to me, it is sitting flush and square. When you torque the head pipe it will seat the rest of the way and crush a bit to seal...

 

It's good. Put in the header and torque to specification. It will crush in just right.

 

I just used my hands. Wasnt easy...however, I have to redo it haha. Had a pain in the *** getting the headers on and messed one of them up.

Any recommendations on getting the gasket in properly and easier than the dealer saying to freeze it?

 

It looks to me from your pic your using a oem like HD tapered header gasket. My own preference is the high performance SE or like, square edged header gasket especially with new pipes. The tapered gaskets can crush out slightly interrupting exhaust flow. The SE gasket will not. Don't have the part number in front of me. Install is simple. The SE just pushes in with your fingers.

 

Thanks Taggs, Unfortunately the exhaust I am putting on says to only use the OEM cone style

 

After f*** one set up trying to put them in by hand, went to my small parts boxes to see what I could find.

Found a 2 inch diameter washer, 6 inch threaded lamp rod, secured the washer on the end of the lamp rod with a nut on each side (they came with the rod) and used that like a seal installer.

Just gently applied even pressure while wiggling it a bit and they went right in.

(BTW, as suggested by many on the forum, I froze all 4 gaskets before attempting to install them)

 

The head pipe flange will determine gasket type, not personal preference...