Might as well close this thread. Finally finished with the job, started right up after priming the fuel and she runs great. Heck of a way to spend a month of on-again, off-again time all to replace a oil leaking head gasket. From henceforth, any future oil leaks will receive the King's pardon.

A few lessons learned that may be of value to others:

1. This forum offers a wealth of information for anyone contemplating this job. Research, and do your homework before you start.

2. A few tools make your life easier and are worth the investment. Get yourself a timing chain guide-pin removal tool, a Triple square head bolt socket (MB style preferably) and the appropriate (Tab or Splined) prechamber lock ring tool. The rest of the tools needed are fairly common affair. These three make the job go easier and more securely at critical points.

3. Determine and plan the scope of your work appropriately. There are too many possible, "while you are at it" items that can scope creep real quick, will add time, and cost to the project. I ordered and had all my parts before tackling the job, based on my scope.

4. Cleanliness and patience will serve you well. Take you time, nothing is super challenging, but sequence and care matter, so do it right the first time, read the FSM and your notes and reread and then proceed.

The #14 head, showed a crack between valves on cyl #6, this was the only cracking that either the machinist or I could find. Oddly enough, it crack right from the outer edge of each valve seat to the other valve seat, but did not go beyond that. Both valve seats were perfectly intact and there was no penetration into either valve pocket. Effectively the crack was there, but had not breached anything. Just a matter of time before it would have become an issue. So in the end, my #14 head lasted 287K miles with no major failure. Probably would have lasted longer if left unmolested. How long? Who knows. I had already planned to swap in the #17 as soon as the original came off for any reason.

Contemplating having the crack welded on the #14 and store it for emergency back-up. My machinist also commented that the head was in remarkably good shape otherwise and thought the repair weld would hold. Has anyone actually had there #14 or even newer heads successfully repaired?

__________________
Stable Mates:
1987 300TD 310K mi (Hans)
2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee OM642 165k mi (Benzrokee)