When I lifted my truck, I had to get the crossover pipe extended to clear the front drive shaft. When they threw the crossover back on, they didn't replace the flange gaskets on the collector end of the exhaust manifolds. Incidently, I now have and exhaust leak coming from the turbo side of the collector/crossover joint. I removed the crossover, purchased new gaskets and am ready to install, except I can't get the old ones out. Are they welded in, pressed, brazed, or machined in on the OEM manifolded? Should they just pop out or do I need to pry or cut them out (ie Dremel)? Any help would be appreciated......

There's a steel ring in the center and the outside is copper braid covered in asbestos of something similiar. stick a long screwdriver in and pop it out.

well im sittin out here with my laptop and i got half the gasket off. the wire mesh material came off but the ring is still in. im assuming the ring needs to come out too....right?????

The new one will have it's own ring so, yes.