I just installed SLP headers using Mr. Gasket Copperseal gaskets. I placed them with the mr. gasket logo facing out which put the raised part of the crush area facing the headers. You need to put the raised part facing the block. The ports on the headers where large enough that they didn't overlap with the crush area on the bottom and caused a very slight exhaust leak. There was no audible ticking and only the tiniest amount of soot visible from the outside. I would never have realized this had i not broken a header bolt resnugging them up (which i got out by the way). This was an incredible blessing in disguise. I don't have it back together yet but i'm assuming that this is going to fix the very minor stumble i had at part throttle, all rpms. Exhaust leaks let air in when that cylinder isn't firing due to the venturi/scavenging effect, causing the O2 sensors to get bad readings so that should be my stumble.

Hopefully i'll have it back together monday, i'm using felpros this time because their only 12 bucks at autozone(if they're the right one). The Mr. Gasket ones would have worked fine if i had installed them the right direction with the raised part towards the block. I know in theory i should be able to reuse a copper gasket, but i'm going to get new ones because i'm afraid that where the port overlapped the crush zone it has left a tiny crease which will leak.

It's not on the road yet, but i'm pretty confident and not angry with my car anymore.

-Brent

 

Wow. I just installed these same gaskets and the instructions said the logo goes out.
I guess I will see if I have an exhaust leak or not.