Thanks to everyone for their advice on freshening up my cylinder head. I wish I could say I've got to the point where I can actually make use of it, but I've hit a snag removing the head. I cut my teeth on a NA headgasket job last year, so figured the turbo one would be a little trickier, but not by much. Everything unbolted like a charm, and I opted to go with the technique in the FAQ to leave the turbo and exhaust manifold in place, and maneuver the head towards the intake side, presumably slipping the exhaust studs out through the manifold. Looked good on paper, but I can't for the life of me get the head out! Even with a lot of jiggling from side to side, I still get stuck on those studs, and now I'm worried that I'm scraping up the head on those two raised points on the block.

Has anyone actually been successful with this technique, other than the person who put it in the FAQ? I'd like to avoid removing the turbo, since this is an on-the-street job and it looks almost impossible to do anyway, without the resources of a real garage at hand. Can I detach the turbo from the exhaust manifold and lift up the head with the manifold attached, or is the manifold still bolted to the block somehow? Is there any flexibility in the coolant/oil lines on the turbo so I can jack it up with the exhaust pipe slightly, possibly easing removal?

Any insights greatly apprectiated!