I didn't observe any of the issues you mentioned and I check regularly with this car. I completely restored it (interior, exterior, engine, etc) and although most of my family wants this car (and quite a few neighbors), they can't have it.

Some of the water passways on the head gasket were blocked. I saw no evidence of a blown gasket. But may some blockages were just enough???

The machine shop technician looked at the head and saw nothing immediately wrong. But, they will deck it correctly, do a valve job, etc.

the Block looked fine. Each cylinder looked great. NO scoring in the cylinder walls, no lip at top. Not even much carbon on top of the pistons.

I'm going to take the turbo and get it rebuilt while it is off the car. The bearings are tight, but since it's off I might as well.

On thing I noticed, is that my older radiator is much thicker than the new one from IPD. I might just take it to my friendly neighborhood radiator shop and get it checked out. I prefer to use the three core vs the two core radiator.

So lets see:

1. Timing was spot on. All timing marks lined up perfectly and when running was at 12 degrees BTC.
2. New thermostat Mahler
3. New temperature sending units (both)
4. Gauge checked ok
5. New radiator
6. New fan and fan clutch
7. New water pump
8. New timing belt
9. Compression test, cylinder #2 was 115 psi. not close to the other cylinders
10. Spark plug for #2 cylinder was much cleaner than the others
11. Slight (you had to really be looking for it to see it) milky film on the oil filler cap and also where the flame trap device hose connection was.

This would have been stupidly expensive if I didn't do the work myself.

So, I'm hoping that the head gasket water ways were just clogged enough to cause this.


I'll let you know in a week or so.

Thanks,