On the hairdresser's I'm in the process of changing the cambelt and waterpump.
So far the strip-down has gone OK.
It keeps nagging at me that the expansion tank was empty after I'd drained the coolant - could have siphoned off and I'm kicking myself for not checking the level before I started. I've had to top it up a few times this year.
We did a fairly long run on Sunday (to Brands for a clubbie meet - so much fun and 2CVs plus Smart racing a real hoot!) and there was an appreciable amount of condensation coming out of the exhaust as we left (quite a warm day, though fairly damp after overnight rain).
Engines done c.100k miles but has had a fairly hard life in my 5 years of ownership. Car's a 1.6 91 Mk1 s/c Eunos.
So what do you think?
Whip the head off whilst it's stripped down or am I being paranoid?
All suggestions gratefully received.
Cheers, Pewe10

Have you done a compression test?

Yes, a few weeks ago and all good. Did it as I was concerned about visible smoke on start-up.
Put it down to it a) it standing & b) runs rich as no I/cooler.
Guess I'm answering my own question 🙁
Cheers, Pewe10

Head gasket failure is not common on these, but what you describe sounds like coolant getting into the combustion chamber.
My 92 v spec has done nearly twice that mileage and survived loosing a lot of coolant when the heater hose perished once on a long journey. Had to keep stopping every few miles to top ot up all the way home.

If you have a friendly MoT man, get him to sniff inside the header tank with the co tester, see if any combustion gases are present.

Just doing a bit of research it's possible the Idle Speed Control Valve (ISC) could be leaking and letting water into the inlet side. Probably too late to test that now the strip down's complete - guess I'll only find out when it's all back together.
Cheers, Pewe10

watch the bolts on the icv,they are long, thin and made of cheese