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Anyways, I would always do the reroute. Just makes the cooling system work so much better. And, yes, revert to an earlier headgasket if you have an unmolested OEM 2001+ 1.8.
I have an '02 the s/c I got the car from had a '94 engine in a '90 chassis. But yes I will put a(nother) new head gasket from an 99-00.