Custom Exhaust Installation Struggle Options

[wysri9]

Hi guys

I am hoping to tap in to some experience with custom exhaust installations. I have what I believe to be a GT Racing "European Racing Headers" equal length exhaust system for my 2.23L Type IV build.

The headers themselves are flanged and connect with short exhaust stubs which connect with the internal oval preparation in the cylinder heads with the copper ring seal. Two of these stubs sit between pushrod tubes (cylinders 1 and 4) and two sit to one side of the two pushrod tubes (2 and 3). I have two problems possibly related. Firstly I have interference between the stubs and a pushrod tube (exhaust in both cases) on cylinders 1 and 4. This has resulted in oil leaks from the tube seals due to the seal being pushed to one side.

Investigating the leaks and trying to figure where I went wrong I now realise that there are two sorts of stubs - one where the connections on the stub are perpendicular to each other and one were there is a slight angle. Ill try to show that in a picture.

So question is what am I doing wrong? Do I need to modify the stubs to give me the clearance I need, or does some trick of installation get around the issue? Do the "misaligned" stubs belong in certain positions?

Any relevant comments very much welcomed! I have been (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif) doing this for days now........its starting to hurt (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)