380 Head Gasket Issue

[davidbrady]

After letting this gasket issue sink into the old noggin for a bit, let me throw out something else M380 owners might investigate. I don't know the cooling setup on the M380's ISL so if owners wish to educate me I'd appreciate it. I'd focus on what's causing the overheating. I'd look at the supply line from the radiator to the water pump inlet. My LXi had a short section of hose that joined the coolant radiator return pipe to the water pump inlet. Guess what was inside that silicon elbow? A steel spring. Turns out BB was concerned about water pump suction collapsing that section of hose, and if that were to occur it'd be a very bad thing, effectively halting the flow of coolant thru the engine. The suction increases with coolant flow rate, so you can imagine an engine revving to 2500+ rpm and the increase in coolant flow rate and the consequent pressure drop at the pump inlet. Food for thought.