Well it was the head gasket. The fan circuit was so corroded, it cant have worked for at least 3-4 years. the engine obviously ran hot a few times and poped the gasket. Also the thermostat was dead.

it began the 5th day i had it, i left it running for 15 mins when i went to my mums to show the my new toy, and the rad blew a hole.

turns out pistons 3 and 4 were blowing into the cooling system/ pressurising the tank and rad.

anyway my mate is a ford technitian, and grew up on yb's in his apprentiship, so knew the engines well.

we had the head skimmed and pressure tested for 2 days. as he was scared it may have a crack. but after an xray as well, all turned out fine.

new standard rad, fan switch, cometic group a head gasket, bolts, rocker gasket, thermostat. now it runs sweet as a nut. all the engines my mate has ever built up feel so bullet proof, he really knows his stuff.

the car is still hunting slightly when warm, iscv is working fine so i have this down to tps switch or it may just be it needs a good tune up. but im getting there. i also want to get a new lambada/hego sensor. just to be happy.

its good to finally drive it, as it costs me £200 a month insurance and tax just sitting there.

oh yeh, i went there a few years back, lots of mk1+2 parts and cortina bits mostly. hum i may pay a visit if i have time.

thing is with south end, you just do laps with all the 17 year olds in their saxos, and if you move on to basildon later, unless you parked up eating a mcd's or racing illegally on the business estate with scoobies then theres no point.

was thinking something smaller like the rsoc local size. but somwhere neutral, where the emphasis in on the car, not in a pub drinking beer. ie like my mates carpark gang.

think the biggest problem it the thuggery immage fords have. i bought my escos cos ive always dremt of one, i love the look and the pedigree of it, i didnt buy it to do burnouts and got 120mph down the dual carrigeway!