Help Needed - Engine won't start

[royster]

You shouldn't do anything to the valves unless you replace rings, too: the extra pressure on the top end will stress the old rings to break.

One trick I heard from BradMPH (wait...I think it was Brady H) was to set a thick piece of glass on your workbench, and place 220 sandpaper on the glass. Tape it so it's flat and won't move. Move the head back and forth, periodically checking your progress. Of course, don't slide the head over tape, just tape two long sides. The glass (1/4") offers a fairly true surface to do this on. The forum experts might disagree, but I'd be willing to do this, myself. In fact, I shoulda, but didn't. I got away unscathed, so far.