Valve Job update

I finally made time to remove the head Sunday. After putting up a 5-hour fight, when I got to the last step, the head popped off like a champagne cork.
Which brings up the first question...the gasket momentarily stuck to the head, then dropped with a metallic clank onto the block. I was expecting a workout with the scraper to clean the head. It looks like I can clean it with carb cleaner on a rag. Something does not square with the accounts I have read here, but having not done this before I cannot identify what it is.

At least the job required a minimal contribution of blood and only around $100 in educational expense.

This is the result of the distriutor bracket being stuck. None of my pullers had small enough arms to get behind it. I tried to pry it out with a screwdriver. Big mistake. Cracked the orange plastic piece that sits behind the rotor and seals the distrubutor cap.

In the end I used a rubber mallet from the rear of the timing chain cover to try to loosen the bracket. It broke off one of the bracket arms. I went ahead and broke the other two and disassembeled.

In retrospect, if I face this situation again, I will take a Dremel and cut the rotor bracket off. The orange plastic piece is $60. It will require taping off the opening below the bracket to keep metal filings out.

The other problem was with the fan bolts. They will not budge. On the bench with a 100 ft/lb impact wrench.
I pulled the radiator to ensure I could get the center bolt out to avoid a disaster.
This done, I decided to rinse the radiator once more upside down to make doubly sure there was no citric acid residue from the prior weekend's flush.

I recognized the transmission cooler fittings, but without analyzing, thought they carried water. I rinsed those out with fresh water. Realized my mistake when I saw a pink drip under one of the disconnected hoses.

Question:
If I take the suction pump I bought to remove some excess trans fluid and force a couple of quarts of ATF thru the trans cooler fitings on the radiator, will this get any remaining water out?

Here is a pic of the head...