Howdo.
So, a week further down the line, and where are we? Well, it would appear that the so-called overheating/blown headgasket problem was all the creation of yours truly, as since I re-instated the original thermostat things have returned to something approaching normal. By that I mean that the system is no longer pressurising, nor is it venting unexpectedly; it does read hot on the gauge, though, but I am sure that this is a problem that has it's roots in the electrical, rather than cooling, system. I'm still waiting for the replacement instrument binnacle so will just have to play things by ear for now.
This, by the way, is a snap showing the comparative heights of the two 'stats:-
On a slightly different subject, the car had been consuming vast quantities of motion lotion while at the same time emitting a great deal of black smoke; as you may recall it is running 360 GLT injection gear (with the injectors inserted into the original 'E' manifold) so in an effort to sort this problem I whizzed down to Llanybydder to see Simon at Gwalia Garage, a sort of local 360 gugu; he whacked a probe up the exhaust and set things up a bit more scientifically. I had started things off by squirting half a can of carb cleaner down the air flow meter which removed a v. large amount of black 'stuff', he then reduced the CO from a mind-boggling 4.5% to a more manageable 2%, also leaning-off the mixture when revs got over 2k; the car certainly drives more smoothly, particularly when cold, however it is too soon, yet, to work out consumption figures - suffice it to say, any improvement on the 15-20 mpg I was achieving round town will be v. welcome!
Today I intend to take the car on a trip longer than seven miles - fifty mile round trip to Blaenporth (nr Cardigan) to visit the Outlaws - wish me luck!
C.A.