Crack Head, Looking for some advice....... Options

[John]

I am of the opinion that I have 2 cracked cylinder heads but am looking for advice....

I have a basically stock 2.0L engine (euro pistons & cylinders done 12 years ago or so), and have been noticing what sounds like an exhaust leak but only when the engine is hot (after driving at highway speeds for about an hour). After the car sits for an hour or so and is started back up, there is no more exhaust leak sound.

The exhaust leak seems to be coming from the drivers side so I am assuming that the driver side cylinder head may be cracked.

I have had the heat exchanger off numerous times and tried many times to seal it up better, but the last several times, I have not noticed any black leak marks on the copper gaskets. (So I am past thinking it is a leak between the head and the heat exchanger.)

One strange note: About 10 years ago, I had a similar occurance and I had a spare head so I had new valves and seats installed in it and I put that one on. I don't drive the car very often so I don't put that many miles on it over time.

Is it common for 2.0 cylinder heads (driver side) to develop cracks?
Can they be detected and repaired?
Who does a good job at finding and repairing them?

Do spark plugs sometimes leak when hot? (Come to think of it I haven't checked them in a while....)

Any and all advice/suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

[John]

Well i put my compression tester on my engine tonight and got some numbers.

I first did it cold

All plugs out, throttle wide open:

#1 155PSI
#2 157 PSI
#3 152 PSI
#4 155 PSI

My gauge has marks every 5 PSI, so the ones in between are guesstimates.

Warm but no exhaust leak sound yet (After running about 10 minutes with finger tight plugs).

#1 160PSI
#2 162PSI
#3 160PSI
#4 160PSI

I think the numbers are all very very good. The engine probably only has 5000-6000 on it since I rebuilt it 12 years ago.

I'm still looking through my parts trying to locate a stock set of heat exchanger tubes (heat boxes are probably gone).

I may also try cutting the stainless ears off and lowering them about 1/4" to space them a little further away from the heads and checking for cracks while I'm at it.