It had been a pretty good year for my B and I
Then it happened
Dead B in the middle of the freeway?? unheard of
One AAA tow truck later it is now dead B in the middle of the garage
Specifics: 1979 MGB 68,000 miles California polution new exhaust and
catalytic clean rebuilt carb running along very well. Daily commuter.
Symptomology
I was going up a steep hill when I started smelling atomized
coolant. As I crested the hill (about another 3-400 ft.) the
engine coughed a couple of times so I pulled it into the median
and shut it down.
Got it home and went through my normal diagnostic process and was
left with the suspicion (normal for the symptoms) that I had blown
a head gasket. Very carefully replaced the head gasket and torqued
head to factory service manual spec.
Started engine.. Sounded ok but once it warmed up I started getting steam
in the thermostat housing and into the coolant return hose.
Current suspucion: Possible bad water pump?? My rationale is that if the
water pump is not pressurizing the system well enough the engine
can be turning a limited coolant flow to steam and that additional
pressure stops what flow there was. There does not appear to be
much flow when I open the filler in the top of the thermostat housing
before it turns to steam.
Have I missed something? Am I on the right track?
I looked at everything I could see with a flashlight and mirror when I had
the head off. I could not see or feel any cracks in the head or cylinders.
There is no coolant in the oil and vice-a-versa.
I have run the engine with the garden hose pumping water through it and
it runs without a glitch. I have flushed water through in both directions
with said garden hose and appear to be getting an acceptable flow through
the system that way. I did this because I thought the radiator or somewhere
in the block or head could be flow restricted.
Any help, pointers, questions etc will be greatly appreciated either
to the group or by email direct.
Thanks a Lot
Don Adams
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