[jr_ss]

When you pull the valves, throw them in a drill and spin it. If the valve faces moves or deviates up and down or at all, the valve is bent. If you have a drill press and a dial indicator you can check for run out on them. Even grinding the valve will tell you if it's bent. I'd check valves before doing any type of lapping.

To remove a piston, the head has to come back off. You cannot remove a posing with the crank in the way and all pistons come out the top, not the bottom. Much more work to pull from bottom.