And to answer the above question about head temp- its hard to tell- head feels same temp BUT if I start it cold and let it warm up while idling in the driveway the passenger side exhaust manifold gets alot hotter than the drivers side.

I can touch the manifold for a second and when I pull my finger away it starts to burn still- On the drivers side I cant hold my finger on it, but if I just touch it for a second like on the pass side, my finger doesnt burn- just can tell its hot.

Any other ideas? Im thinking of pulling the head this weekend and inspecting everything- Anyone think its NOT a good idea?