Still don't understand why you would disturb the cylinder head?
I phrased that badly. I meant the gaskets where the exhaust headers go into the cylinder head.
It was actually the *second* set of header gaskets arrived today, I'd paid extra for 1st class delivery, but the seller sent them by 2nd class post! At least he gave me a refund... (the first ones I ordered still haven't appeared)
After a lot of faff and hassle (involving a bradawl, thin screwdriver and a hammer!) I got the old header gaskets out, but then trying to get all of the new ones to stay in at the same time, even with Copper Slip to "stick" them in place, was seriously frustrating, however, eventually I got them into place and managed to get the headers into place too.
I'd taken the bolts off holding the cat pipe in place and, fortunately, there was indeed enough movement to allow me to line up the bottom of the cat pipe with the end of the exhaust that comes from the headers.
Unfortunately, after even more swearing and cursing, I simply could *not* get the one into the other and, since the lower edge of the cat pipe gasket was now seriously mangled, I pulled it out and decided to try the second replacment one I'd bought.
Except, by this time, I'd almost run out of the tiny pot of Copper Slip, so had to go up to Halfrauds to get some more (£7.99 for a bloody big tub that will probably last me about 20 years...)
So what I'm going to do tomorrow is put the new gasket on the end of the pipe from the headers and *then* put the whole thing into the cat pipe which, I think, will be easier.
Fingers crossed...!