Run Stand or Engine Dyno

Also, I have brand new polished headers from TTI. you are not supposed to have them on for a cam or engine break-in . Something about turning them brown if they aren't properly heat cycled first. This is something else I want to avoid. I don't want to put the engine in the car with my exhaust manifolds for break in then take them off and put the headers on.
Not sure what to tell you other than that's what you have to do if you do in fact heed those warnings. Sure it's a pain but it's better than yanking the motor out to re-ring it or ruining your expensive new headers.

I know the feeling, I tend to heed those types of cover-your-*** warnings and do whatever I can to prevent failure before installation. You can check stuff until you're blue in the face but at some point you just have to take the leap and trust it's going to be alright and possibly have to do some extra work to ensure things are done properly.