OK. Confirmed it is not the EI dizzy by using a point distributor, but man
does this engine like the bigger advance curve! ( I also figured out it is
not a smog dizzy). I have to run it at about 17 degrees initial, but even
with 36 total it is not knocking, which surprises me cause the motor is 11.7
to one compression. I had my EI dizzy recurved to 30 degrees total to avoid
detonation... guess I will have to rethink that! What is cool is I can
actually hear the ignition from the Jacobs inside that little cap. That thing
sparks! (don't think the Jacobs is the problem in either dizzy, as I have run
the car without the Jacobs in the system and is still misses).
So, here's the next question. The only thing I can think of now to explain
what is going on (ha!) is a possible blown head gasket. I am not losing
coolant that I can tell, the water pump seems to be working fine (I reached
inside to try and see if the vain was just spinning on the shaft, but it is
not as far as I can tell), the rad is a 3 core hi-flow and nearly new, the
electric fan works fine and is pulling in the right direction, I have
confirmed the temp with an outside thermometer, it runs hot at lower rpms (up
to 220 degrees) even with a 160 thermostat (tested, as were the two 180s I
tried), the hoses are not collapsing, the cap is a12-15lb. Now, the car does
not overheat per se, it just runs hot... much hotter than it did at Shasta
last year in 90 degree weather going 90 mph up the Mountain (180 degrees at
the most last year). Here's the deal: Compression is 200lbs in all 4
cylinders; no water in the oil or vise versa. The car actually runs cooler at
sustained high rpms than it does just tooling around. I hear that there is a
good chemical tester I can get at the auto parts store and I will likely do
this before I pull the head. I will also take the rad to a shop and see what
they say. Has anyone else ever had a blown head gasket that did not show up
in any other way?
Needless to say, Barbie will not be attending Shasta. I know I know, I could
come in the Celica, but I don't think I can justify the expense when the
Roadster is ailing. Captain Canada will simply have to rescue some other
drunk damsel...
Greg Burrows
67 2000
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