[DeTomaso] One Pantera that IS making it to Reno

Mike Thomas mbefthomas at comcast.net
Sun Jun 7 19:35:26 EDT 2009


Well, thanks to all of you out there who have spent the last couple of days
offering suggestions and busting my chops to take a look at my potential
head gasket issue!

I didn't want to wave the flag until I was pretty sure.  Just yesterday
morning (they let me know you were gone . . . , oops, sorry), I went out to
the garage, pulled the valve cover, rockers and checked the head for torque.
With the TR set for 105 lbs,  only had three bolts that would give me
anything.  That done, the rockers and valve cover went back on.  I ran her
up to full temp and when both fans were going: fluid.  I went for e 10 mile
drive and romped on it a couple of times: no fluid.

Today, still dealing with a wandering amp gage, I took the alternator in for
a check (toast!), replaced that and the voltage regulator, started her up,
ran to full temp with both fans going: no fluid.  Went for about a 20 mile
drive with rompage: no fluid.

Huzzah!  Looks like 6328 will be going to Reno after all.  Now I know what
guys are talking about when they say they've been thrashing to the last
minute to get ready.

I'm thinking that what may have happened was that, since I had just refilled
the car with coolant, and it was not fully burped, that I may have had a
pocket of air at that back corner of the head that got super-heated when I
first ran the engine, and it forced some fluid to escape.

Thanks again.  6328, ET and I will see you in Reno!
Mike Thomas





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