I removed the stock header, nevertheless - on the oem unequal length header, it's just a matter of removing the mid header connection and some heatshields which isn't a big deal.

When doing the OIL pickup - here's what I would recommend, note: on the GR, you don't remove the oil pickup tube

1) Drain Oil
2) Unbolt Pitch Stop
3) Unbolt the two top support brackets for the radiator
4) Unbolt motor mounts from cross member
5) Unbolt header Heat Shields and header cross-connect pipe
6) Raise it the engine till the motor mounts studs are above the cross member then screw on the nuts, lower the engine so that the studs will be slightly slotted in, and the nut holding the engine raised.
7) Unbolt the oil pan (even the back 4 are easy to get to)
8) You have to PRY the OIL pan (with a pry bar) in a specific section to get that side to have a gap then run the spudder around to break the seal. Pull it out at an angle and away from the pickup tube.
9) Clean the mating surfaces on both the plan and the block with the spudder
10) Remove the Oil Pickup and install new one (note, make sure the existing rubber gasket is removed, and the new pickup has it)
11) Add two M6 X 1.0 studs onto the existing pan bolt holes in the block (opposite sides) which you'll use as a guide (just finger tighten em)
12) Make sure the two O-Rings in the pickup tube are there, OIL them
13) Apply sealant to the oil pan, and guide it back in to the studs, make sure the pickup tube is inserted into the pan.
14) Put a couple of oil pan bolts in, remove the stud, and bolt it all around.

Rest is easy peasy.. Hardest thing is prying the OIL pan (gotta do it slow motion for me - if you bent the lip slightly on the OIL Pan, you can easily bend it back in place with an adjustable wrench which won't mar the OIL pan mating surface), and cleaning that mating surface which took me a REALLY long time. I tried using denatured alcohol, brake cleaner on a rag to clean it and that OEM sealant is one tough **** and is resistant to solvents. Only way I can get it off was with the spudder. If you value time, more than money - I say just buy a new OIL pan (less than 100$) before you tackle the work (Part Number #11109AA151 - 92$ shipped at SubaruPartsHeadQuarters.com).

This is the section where I pry'd (note: just as an example, gotta make sure its not bolted anymore).



When I'm saying spudder, talking about these set of prying tools which are made of REALLY HARD (fiber reinforced) plastic that I use to scrape without marring the mating surface.


4 PC Non-Marring Scraping Tool

For the RTV, I used PERMATEX High Temp Red RTV Silicone from the local AUTOZONE which is meant for Oil Pans and Diffs. Some local peeps also use PERMATEX Ultra Grey (Rigid high-Torque) which sounds to me like a biatch to remove just like the OEM stuff.

Lessons learned? Next time, I would rather buy the TIGWERKS OIL PICKUP from the vendors (some of them sell it for 109$ during a special), lots of locals run em much better than OEM pickup for about 50$ less, and use that saved money to buy a new OIL pan instead to save some time.