To all listers that responded with their very thought provoking messages
about my overheating issues:
This is an update about what I have been doing today to try to
tackle this problem. I removed the head this morning to get a look at
the gasket and the bottom of the head surface. The results from the
machine shop are that 3 intake valves are leaking, but there are no
cracks in the head. The head surface also needed to be resurfaced, but
the guy behind the counter that called me to inform me of the condition
of the head could not tell me why. This I will find out when I pick up
the head in an hour and a half. Using my limited knowledge, the gasket
did not look like it was leaking anywhere. It was a regular Payen
gasket (not copper). There was a little carbon on the number 1 and 4
pistons. The recessed area of the head around the valves had a white
deposit like the engine was running lean and the guy at the counter
thought the engine had more than the 2500 miles that were on it when he
first looked at it.
I went to APT and talked to Jack (David is on 2 week vacation)
about this and asked what he had for water pumps. APT stocks
Rover/Unipart aluminum water pumps with CAST impellers. These are high
capacity pumps. I bought one. While I don't expect this water pump to
be the miracle cure to my overheating problem. I believe I am heading
in the right direction. I also bought a nice head gasket while I was
there that had no manufacturer's name on it, but it said "Warning
Contains Asbestos", sounded good to me. Jack also mentioned a copper
gasket that they carried that all the A series racers ask for. It has
something stamped on it like HH44 (probably wrong). Because the last
gasket was a Payen (non-copper) I did not think it was necessary. I
also mentioned to Jack that maybe the distributor was the problem. Jack
said to take the cap off and rotate the rotor by hand in the direction
of rotation. If it moved about 10 degrees and snapped back into
position, the weight system is more than likely working OK. It did.
Jack also mentioned I should set the static timing to "0" instead of the
5 degrees BTDC that I have it at now. One step at a time, but certainly
another cheap thing to try.
I will put this all together tonight and hit the freeway again
tomorrow for a test drive. The air temperature here in San Bernardino
is hovering around 100F the last few days and tomorrow is supposed to be
more of the same. I'm hoping I solve this before this hot weather
changes.
I also talked at length to Peter C. over the phone today and he
seemed to think the 3 row radiator core may be detrimental to airflow
through the radiator. Someone else on the list mentioned this yesterday
also. This may be the next step. More updates tomorrow.
Mike MacLean Supercharged and Thermally Challenged 60 Sprite
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