I noticed the exhaust manifold was touching my oil dipstick and it burned a hole right through the tube... I had it welded up but the dipstick tube snakes right through the exhaust manifold and still touches... Should I wrap it in header wrap? I'm having no luck bending it out of the way...

 

I'd be more inclined it to think it rusted at that point rather than melted. I don't think the exhaust temp gets up to the 2500 degrees required to melt steel...unless it's aluminum which will melt around 1160. Besides that if the exhaust headers are iron then the melting temperature is about about 2000+. It's my understanding the the operating temperature of exhaust headers are in the 500-1000 degree range with the 1000 being high performance engines.

 

Yeah, it was a little rusty at the point of contact. Do you think it's alright if the disptick touches the exhaust manifold?

 

I think most of the heat transferred from the exhaust manifold would dissipate before it gets to the oil but I'd stick a piece of asbestos cloth between them assuming it's not covering a hole. If there is a hole then roll a small piece of thin metal around the dipstick then the asbestos or some other type of heat shield....more of a backyard fix for now. Keep an eye on it..you don't want to have pieces of rust and metal falling into your oil pan.