Bob, if you do end up pulling the head, here's a tip that will make re-installing it easier. Get yourself a two foot length of 1/2" threaded rod. Cut it into four pieces that are 6" long. Use your cut-off wheel to cut a slot into one end of each of the pieces.
Lay the new head gasket against the top of the block and get it all lined up. (I use spray on copper head gasket sealer on both sides of the gasket, but that's me. It comes in an aerosol can.) Once the gasket is lined up, screw one of the 6" lengths of threaded rod into each of the four corner head bolt holes. Install the rods finger tight and with the slotted ends facing up.
Use the rods as guides to drop the new head into position. The head will drop right into position sliding over the rods, and the rods keep the gasket from shifting. Leave the rods in place while you start threading all fourteen of the head bolts except the corner ones. Once those fourteen are started, pull the the rods and start the four corner bolts.
The reason that you cut a slot into the top of the rods is so that you can remove them with a large screwdriver just in case you need a little help.
Once you make a set of these rods, set them aside so that you have them any time you need to swap a head.
Matt
