[mrnickleye]

I was thinking (usually too much), and am always anal-izing everything, so what about this......

The coolant flows out the back of the head and goes to the heater control valve. When the valve is open (always except when the A/C is set to 65*) the coolant flows thru the heater core, then on to the water pump intake side.

So...if the A/C is set to 65*, and coolant is stopped from "flowing", does this increase the heat on the rear of the head???????

My VSV for the auto operation of my heater coolant valve is missing, so I have always just put the vacuum hose to the valve to get heater operation.
In the summer I have always unplugged the vacuum hose and capped it off, so the A/C would be a few degrees cooler (no hot water in the heater core).

Now I wonder if I should leave the coolant flowing to the heater core to help keep the head cooler.?????

Also...my head gasket, and many others people's I've read here about, blew around the #6 cyl. Perhaps this is the "hot spot" problem in these heads.