[TR] Overheating issue

[Randall]

> The car is running
> really well.

Sorry, I must have misunderstood.  I thought you had a problem that you were
asking our help with.  To me, overheating is not "running really well".

When he "checked the timing", did he check all the aspects of timing that I
mentioned before?  They aren't usually included, and are extra work.  A
"pro" won't do that unless you specifically ask, or are paying them to
troubleshoot the problem (sometimes not even then).

Also, anyone can make a mistake.  That includes mechanics old enough to have
been in business for 40+ years.

If I seem a bit sour, it's because I paid a lot of money just 6 months ago
to have the Chevy V8 in my "hauler" rebuilt.  The mechanic is a good guy, I
have a lot of respect for him; and he's been in business at the same place
for a long time.  His grandfather founded the shop some 70 years ago!

But I've already had the car back to him 3 times to fix little things (like
the bolt that fell out of the fan belt tensioner and an intermittent
misfire).  

Then last Friday, on my way up to Blackhawk Farms to watch the Kastner Cup
races, it suddenly erupted in steam.  Evidently the engine rebuilder (not my
mechanic) got some bad new parts and the teeth stripped on the water pump
drive in only about 5000 miles.  So I missed the race and had to rent a car
to get my Dad back home.  Now I'm still waiting for them to call and tell me
it's back together.  Last time we added it up, over $2000 in parts & labor
(not to mention hotel room and rental car).  If I have at least a little bit
of luck left; the heads didn't warp from overheating and the swarf from the
destroyed gear teeth all got caught by the magnet, screen and filter instead
of winding up in the bearings.  Yeah, right.

My point being, it pays to double-check things when there is a problem.
Don't just assume that anyone (including yourself or your 60 year old
mechanic) did it right, or that new parts are good.

Purely a side comment, working on that LT1 V8 sure does make me appreciate
how simple TR motors are to work on!  On the LT1, the radiator has to come
out just to change the freaking ignition rotor!  (Main reason I took it to
Jeff instead of doing it myself.)

-- Randall