Residual coolant pressure in the morning: Nope. None. Zero. Zilch. Nada.

Fast Starting Recipe: Good compression, proper pump timing, proper cam timing, proper valve clearances, good injectors, no fuel column leak-down, good battery & starter. (And a properly operating glow plug system for cold starts.)

Engatwork: I would pull the head now to alleviate any potential further degradation of the components, i.e., head cracking or cylinder liner corrosion (per my situation). I delayed the inevitable and it (most likely) was the cause of the extensive head cracking & subsequent additional expense.

By the way, I was told that some very *small* (less than 5 mm?) cracks are allowable/acceptable in specific areas on the cast iron heads, provided that the head is properly pressure tested and is OK.

RTH