In general I agree about replacing the head, but the later ones were not that bad. If you've got a 5, think long and hard about whether or not you want to replace it with a new one...

Lor, your crack issue _could_ be related to the "dowel pin syndrome" . ESPECIALLY since the head was shaved. That pin is located on the exhaust side of the #4 cylinder. If the head was sitting on the pin, well... you know the rest!

In any event, before torquing the head down, I would recommend putting some "plasti-gage" in the relief on the head, where the dowel pin sits, and place the head on the block _without_ a head gasket. Put a feeler gauge between the head and block near the dowel pin to make sure it's seated. Remove the head and check the plasti-gage to be certain you have clearance. Remember that without the head gasket, if you have clearance on the pin, you will surely have clearance with the gasket installed.