80tq: Opinions wanted

[Mike Robinson]

My initial thought was head gasket too.  But it looks like you guys already
covered that.  Usually, when a gasket goes, it goes completely and won't be
intermittent.

Another option you might think about is in your turbo itself.  I'll admit I
know very little about your hybrid T3/T4 monster's construction.  I have
seen K26's glowing after street use though.  By the laws of physics, your
increased pressure of 20 psi is obviously going to make things "very" hot.
Could it be possible that the turbo itself has a small enough crack between
the water cooling and oil cooling chambers that there is some cross over
under extreme heat when the metal is expanding?

It is obviously some sort of a over-heating problem somewhere because it
only happens after a few laps on the track.  I don't think you could
replicate those conditions on the roadway.  The turbo is the only place I
can think of that gets much hotter during track use than other engine
components.  On the track there are no stop lights or cruises to cool the
turbo; you are always on boost.

This is just a thought though.  What is the new 2.3L you speak of?

-Mike R