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Re: It's the head gasket

To: Adam Bradley <ambradley@yahoo.com>,
Subject: Re: It's the head gasket
From: Ronnie Day <ronday@home.com>
Date: Fri, 08 Jun 2001 18:58:18 -0500
> Well, after flushing and burping and still overheating, I'm pretty sure
> it's the head gasket.  The car actually runs cool enough if it just
> idles, but once it gets up to speed and under load it heats up too
> quickly.
> 
> I noticed that the water level in the overflow tank keeps rising and it
> is covered with a frothy white foam.  I assume this is from the air in
> the system pushing the water out and some of the air rising to the top
> (the foam).  If I'm mistaken about this, please let me know.  Otherwise
> the parts are going to be ordered soon, the electric fan is staying on,
> and the head's coming off and going into a machine shop.

It could be the head gasket. In fact the "white foam" sounds like oil in the
water. Air bubbles just dissipate, doesn't any kind of residue. Have you run
a compression check? Can't hurt, but then you can have a leaking head gasket
that's not into a cylinder.

Regarding the timing, if it's off it could cause over heating above idle,
too. Set the points first and then set the timing. Does it still overheat?
Changing the point gap or the dwell changes the timing. That's why you set
the points first, then do the timing.

Like I said before, be methodical, do one thing at at time. Don't jump to
"obvious" conclusions. Verify suspicions by testing. Trust me it'll cost you
less in the end.

HTH, Ron

Ronnie Day
ronday@home.com
Dallas/Ft. Worth
'71 510 2-dr (Prepared Class Autocrosser)
'73 510 2-dr (Street Toy)

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