thanks guys...that is certainly not the best news of the day, but I thank you for chiming in.

now, for the diagnostics and troubleshooting....am I on the right track with what to look for [see above] or is the diagnosis solid enough to start pulling the head and look inside to see what the damage is?

and, if I need to pull the head, is Haynes Manual good enough for a guide or should I try to come up with a shop manual?

maybe someone here has already described the procedure in some detail?

thanks all...

tom

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1980 280 GE
1969 280 SL