Well I finally charged up the (well flat) "new" battery, and the XK started fairly easily. drove her out into the sun and opened the bonnet prior to doing the test to see if there were exhaust gasses in the coolent. Before the engine had time to heat up, I opened the radiator cap to check for pressure and the water shot out!!
Doom, gloom and despair! My worst fears realised! I think I kind-of knew this would happen anyway, which is why I left the car for so long without doing anything.
So it looks very much like there is something warped/twisted/ cracked or blown, so its head off time yet again!
Before anyone asks, did I get the head crack tested when I refitted the skimmed head after the head gasket blew?
No I didn't and of couse regret it now. Couple of hundred quid down the line and still no drivable car, am I peed off? You bet I am!
BUT, I have a plan, I want to move forward and do not want a repeat of what has just happened, so............
Instead of taking the head off yet again and chucking more money at it, with who knows what results, I will go another route.
I have never been a fan of a three bearing crank engine anyway, so my plan is to find a 1300 engine ( by all accounts they have more than just three crank bearings) and get it rebuilt, fit a new clutch at the same time then do a one for one engine swap.
That way, I think is the best way to avoid more nausea in the long run.
So, if anyone out there knows of, or has a Spit 1300 engine available, please let me know. The sooner I get my hands on one, the sooner I can sort this unfortunate mess out
(Obviously a re-built or performance 1300 engine would be an advantage, but a re-buildable one will do)
So come on you guys, dig deep in the back of your man-caves and see if you can help me out!
At least I now have a positive plan to move forward, and this has helped me get over the initial despair of this morning!
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