My V4 was also a '71, bought new (yes, that suggests my advanced age). Slightly off warranty the head gasket was replaced by dealer. For next 2+ years, engine would not heat up fully when cold out. Dealer couldn't find anything; nor did replacing the thermostat do any good, then about $4.00 if you did it yourself. My poorly conceived remedy was to block airflow with piece of cardboard in front of radiator.

One day while agonizing over this problem I peered into thermostat "orifice" with flashlight, and noticed that where manual showed a port into the block there was some solid material with the consistency of thin metal. The genius mechanic at the dealer had not noticed that the port hadn't been punched out of the gasket! I performed the requisite surgery with hammer and screw driver. Problem solved and engine ran perfectly for several 10k miles more. From the diagram it appeared that one side of engine had no circulating coolant,and other side was over cooled. Presumably conduction between the two sides saved the engine.

Guess they don't make them like they used to ... hmmm... reminds me of the time when fan belt broke and all I had was ... oh never mind...

posted by 63.214.10...

• Oil everyware but in the car (long), ckpaden, Wed, 19 Dec 2001 22:00:50
  • Just picked up the car, ckpaden, Thu, 20 Dec 2001 22:10:01
    • your story is the main reason I DIY the oil change nm, MJM , Thu, 20 Dec 2001 22:17:38
      • sorry, melded several posts, no offense nm, MJM , Fri, 21 Dec 2001 08:47:50
    • Re: Just picked up the car, Nicholas , Thu, 20 Dec 2001 22:17:15
      • Re: Just picked up the car, ckpaden, Thu, 20 Dec 2001 22:29:02
        • I wouldn't expect lack of oil to show immediate damage, MJM , Fri, 21 Dec 2001 10:56:05
          • Re: I wouldn't expect lack of oil to show immediate damage, ckpaden, Fri, 21 Dec 2001 12:25:13
  • Probably no damage done BTW, xq, Thu, 20 Dec 2001 19:17:23
    • Another tangentially related storey about 96 v4, Kevin S, Thu, 20 Dec 2001 20:06:44 <-- Viewing This Message
  • Re: Oil everyware but in the car, Ryan , Thu, 20 Dec 2001 13:11:41
  • Re: Oil everyware but in the car (long), xq, Wed, 19 Dec 2001 22:23:10
    • That was it!, ckpaden, Wed, 19 Dec 2001 22:36:23
      • Re: That was it!, xq, Wed, 19 Dec 2001 22:58:52
        • Re: That was it!, xq, Wed, 19 Dec 2001 23:06:10
          • Re: That was it!, Nicholas , Thu, 20 Dec 2001 00:00:55
            • No it was a 2.3 Areo engine. Lots of power!, ckpaden, Thu, 20 Dec 2001 22:19:33
            • What I used to see was that you'd get a double gasket.., bazil burns, Thu, 20 Dec 2001 00:42:54
              • Happened to me once, though I caught it..., Scott R., Thu, 20 Dec 2001 08:23:07

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