Right....im going to sniff test/compression test the car tomorrow,

Fresh ZVH conversion covered 1500 miles
Set up at Power Engineering last month (186bhp and 196lbft)
Fresh top end build with valve stems, lifters and kent cvh35 cam
Standard 1.8 bottom end
Ferriday engineering decomp plate
New MSD 82c thermostat
Genuine Ford headgasket

Power Engineering told me the cars running 15psi (my poverty spec TIM gauges tell me 13)

The car is getting hot lately, to the point its expanding pipes/splitting them/popping them off

Most of the time the temp is ok but in traffic it gets hot every now and then, and even the other day it just randomly overheated although the car wasnt near the red.

Now i know it sounds like headgasket, which i will test tomorrow, if nothing shows i will change the thermostat (fans work, systems bled etc etc) and go from there....

Reason for the post is has anyone else had simular symptoms before i take the head off and find a crack between the valves....

took the plugs out and it looks like its running lean (chalky white) but surely if its just been set up this shouldnt be the case?!

Any help appreciated,

Thanks Adam.