1974 258 Head Gasket replacement

Thought it was the fan shroud (had newer radiator when bought) very pourly done.  So i pulled the radiator and fixed the shroud.  Still over heats.

replaced the leaky tstat housing and new thermostat.

new water pump(old one looks pretty new)

Ive have been down this track before with a 258 I had that was a bit quirky, if you have the thermostatic fan hub on the engine fan check that it hasnt siezed or has gone real stiff , it should spin freely but with reasonable friction, I have done several head gaskets on these donks over the years, I always have the head skimmed regardless, new head bolts regardless and I use lots and lots of copper spray on both sides of the head gasket, bubbles in the radiator cap neck is head gasket, its compression leaking into the cooling system, no easy fix, however my last cherokee failed me out in the bush I had no option and drove her 7 kilometers bone dry and this is testament to these engines, it got me to a servo station where I filled the system after jerrying up a hose that had blown, it eventually decided to fill the radiator with oil, I had the head gasket done but it did it again, I summised the head had cracks somewhere so I pulled a fairly common Aussie repair and that was to stick a bottle of liquid laundry soap into the radiator this dissolved the oil I flused it out and fill with clean water then added two bottles of a product called chemi weld into it, that motor was still going 3 years later when the T-5 box finally hand grenaded, there may be a similar product available in the USA.

I rented a block tester and it did not turn yellow.  So i drained the antifreeze that was 40/60 and just water bubbles like crazy.

So I have decided to pull the head.  In two weeks i will have it tested.

engine

all the plugs look clean 6 to 1