Thanks for the description: Forewarned is Forearmed.
One of my Escorts had 190,000 miles on it when I pulled it off (to put in new piston rings), and the head went back on with nothing more than knurled valve guides & new valve stem seals. The other Escort, a 94, cost me $550, since it had already swallowed that #4 inlet valve seat, having 91,000 miles on it. I wondered if the 20 year old driver was a factor. Both of the engines are 1.9L. Maybe I should grab onto a spare head and get new valve seats in it, of whatever the 'improved' type is.