Ok, so by now I have asked wayyyy too many questions, but better to ask than do something really stupid!!!

While I am replacing the head gaskets, should I attempt to clean the lifter valley or leave it alone... I am afraid of making too much debris and having something get screwed up because of it..

Thanks again!!

I'd leave it alone. Too hard to get the stuff up out of there, more chance of just knocking it down into the pan and it blocking the oil pump screen.

Put it back together; and run a quart of ATF in the oil for your next couple of oil changes. That stuff will eat about everything out of there.

I've used a shop vac to clean my lifter valley, it does a better job than going in there with a rag and smearing it all around.

Ditto. My luck I'd knock a chunk off to get caught and cause problems lol