AN MD80 CREW; IN DEP CLB FROM MMZT; EXPERIENCED A TAIL COMPARTMENT OVERHEAT WARNING; RETURNED TO MMZT.

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DEPART SID AT XA26 FOR SAN AND WHILE CLBING THROUGH 20500 FT; WE HAD A TAIL COMPARTMENT OVERHEAT LIGHT ILLUMINATE. WE DID THE MEMORY ITEMS AND RAN THE QRH CHKLIST; DSCNT AND APCH CHKLISTS. THE LIGHT WENT OUT AS THE R THROTTLE WAS RETARDED. WE RETURNED TO SID AND WROTE THE ITEM UP IN THE MAINT LOGBOOK. THE STATION MGR WANTED TO LEAVE THE PAX ON THE ACFT. I TOLD HIM THAT WE HAD A HOT BLEED AIR LEAK SOMEWHERE IN THE TAIL COMPARTMENT AND THAT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE; WHICH WAS MY CALL. HE OFF-LOADED THE PAX. THE MECH AND I WORKED TOGETHER AND HE FOUND HOT AIR LEAKING OUT OF THE R PACKS -- SECONDARY HEAT EXCHANGER. IN LOOKING INTO THE LOGBOOK AND TALKING TO MAINT CTL; WE FOUND THAT A CREW HAD EXPERIENCED A TAIL COMPARTMENT OVERHEAT ABOUT 1 WK PREVIOUS. THIS ACFT HAD BEEN TOWED FROM THE HANGAR; AND WAS 2 HRS LATE; WHEN 2 PREVIOUS ACFT FOR THE FLT OUT OF SEA WERE PULLED DUE TO MAINT PROBS. HOW CAN A PROB THIS SERIOUS REOCCUR 1 WK LATER? WHAT CORRECTIVE ACTIONS WHERE TAKEN AND WHAT CORRECTIVE ACTIONS SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED? AS THE AIRLINE INCREASES FLT HRS/DAY ON ACFT; ARE THEY RETAINING OR HIRING EXPERIENCED MECHS TO GET THE WORK ON THE ACFT DONE? ALSO IN QUESTION IS THE CPR CULTURE AND ATTITUDE TOWARDS THIS PROCESS.