[DeTomaso] need advice before I cry

[Justin Greisberg]

i am getting toward final stages of my restoration -- spent lots of time and money getting engine together, and ran it for first time a month ago.  ran fine, thermostat opened, and I think I got all air out of system.

 

Today ran it for second time, getting ready to take maiden voyage around neighborhood.  Temp gauge in dash climbs gradually up to 190, then keeps going.  I have a second temp sensor hooked up to EFI system in thermostat upper pipe, and that reads 160, so I figure must be air in block still and run it a little more.  Dash gauge temp goes steadily up to 260 (end of reading), and temp sensor in upper pipe remains at 180.  car runs fine, and I wonder if dash gauge is no good (but it worked fine on maiden run few weeks ago).

 

Then steam comes out valve breather cap and water starts leaking out head gasket just a little, so I shut off.  

 

The upper thermostat pipe got hot, the expansion tank got hot but did not pressurize and the radiator did not get hot.  All new everything.  

 

What the heck happened?  Only thing I can figure is that my new moto rad fail safe cleveland thermostat (not windsor) which opened fine last month, did not open, and engine cooked itself.  I have these nice CHI aluminum heads (mucho Dollars) and now I pray they survived.

 

Any freakin thoughts what is wrong here?  

 

I have a third temp sensor in the water pump itself, and that also read 160-180 the whole time!  But I have heard that sensors in the pump are not reliable because of the turbulence there.  

 

Justin
 		 	   		  
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