Header gasket not head gasket. A blown head gasket would be far more serious.

The header gasket lies between the header and head. Look for smoke there. Crawl under the front end and look for smoke all along the length of the exhaust system, particularly near the engine.

Prior to doing the smoke test, check for cracks or holes in the header, cat, and exhaust pipes.

 

he's the local auto parts guy, not a mechanic

get the vehicle diagnosed by the right people for the right diagnosis.

 

When I had the a cracked manifold, I could smell exhaust fumes in the engine compartment. It easy to spot a cracked manifold, just remove the heat shield near the cylinder head.

 

You are talking about a cracked EXHAUST manifold right? because I can smell exhaust fumes... This is not going to hurt anything by driving is it?

I had an appointment at a shop thoday but I think I am going to cancel... for some reason I feel they are trying to rip me off. When I went in and the guy listened to it his comments were "hopefully the bolts don't break and it won't be too expensive for you". That just kind of threw up a red flag

 

Exhaust leaks are usually readily found by having an assistant stop up the tailpipe with a rag and hold it in place while the engine idles. With the outlet blocked, pressure in the exhaust system will increase to the point where you can hear, see, and feel exhaust hissing out of any leaks.

 

An exhaust leak in the header would generally cause the engine to run rich (low gas mileage), and may also destroy the cat ($$$).