For those still interested in this topic, I went to the garage yesterday and saw a 1.8T with manual gearbox stripped down similar to my own. The mechanic, who was very helpful, showed me the crankshaft turning freely with no bother. I phoned Haynes Technical Helpline this morning and asked them why they advised in their manuals that the crankshaft is difficult if not impossible to move after the head is removed. Their reply is that the block warps when the bolts are removed and the solution is, as feared, to temporarily re-fit the head. So here goes, I'll let you know how I get on
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