400 cooling and oil pressure issue

Its taboo but if the radiator doesn't do it a flex fan will.

 

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Cliff

 

Thanks Larry. I will be working and reading up on your timing adjustments and trying to get the vacuum advance back on. I wish I had some knowledgeable buick guys around this side of the state that maybe could give me a hand at getting this all straightened out

 

Well now that summer is over I was able to get the car out on a couple warm to hot days. I’m still having a cooling issue. I think the idol air solenoid helped it brought my rpm up a bit which increased my oil pressure at idol. Now as far as my cooling issue. I bought a very nice big 2 row radiator with 1.25” tubing. I have the correct shroud, fan, and brand new clutch. I flushed all the old stuff till I saw clear out of the block and heater core. After some fitment issues I finally got everything together. When running the air conditioning on an 80 degree day I got stopped by a 5 minute train. I watched my temp gauge just creep up all the way starting at 180 which is my normal temp on a cooler day raise to just shy of 220. I was really hoping this radiator would do the trick. I really do not want to have an electric fan set up but I don’t know if that will be the only thing that will solve this issue??
Larry I know you have mentioned many times timing. I personally do not feel comfortable adjusting it myself unless someone can walk me through it. I know you wanted some number with the vacuum advance hooked up? I have a hose running off of it now just laying on the manifold for appearance. If I was to figure out where on the carb it gets put on at will this only effect the timing while it’s connected to give you the numbers at what ever rpm that you said is needed? Once I disconnect it, it will have not changed anything correct? It’s starting to get cool now so I wouldn’t be able to give a good temp reading on a hot day but maybe it would give you an idea if the timing is causing me to run hot.
The car from the little I got to drive it since I got everything all hooked up seems to run at a good temp while moving down the road. I wish I had a Buick guy near by that could give me a hand with working out the bugs here. Thanks

 

I have one of those newer sears ones that are digital that tell the rpm. I think the way it works I press the button up while the light is on till it I hit my mark.

 

Just hook the timing gun up and check the timing with the vacuum advance disconnected. You should see the timing mark (line) line up with the numbers located on the driver's side of the timing cover. You may have to clean it or mark it with a white marker or white-out to make it easily seen.

 

Last time I hooked it up at idol was 800-820rpm and it was 17.4 for timing. When my idol dropped with the a/c I believe it was 16 on the timing gun.
Larry you said 2500 with the vacuum advance hooked up you would like to know what it is reading correct?

 

Ok this is what I got fellas. 2340rpm and 68 in the timing WITH the vacuum advanced hooked up.
Also at idol as soon as I hooked it up my idol jumped to 1150-1200rpm at idol NO throttle at 53.9 lining up at the 0 mark.
What do you guys think?
Again I’m trying to get the bottom of why my car runs so hot on a 80+ degree day at idol. Thanks

 

I have the original distributor recurved with msd set up.
Part number 1111335
Date code 9f16

 

Maybe I’m using it wrong? I pushed the button to advance it starts at 0. Then you manually press the number up while the light is going while I aimed it at the 0 on the harmonic balancer until that line lined up with the light line. It took me to 67-68 to get the lines to line up at 2340rpm

 

Ahhh. I’m kinda lost. I get what you are saying for the most part. So in your opinion it needs to come down a bit? Or I am not reading it correctly with the gun I have. Sorry. If I lived near you I’d throw it on a trailer and just pay you to get this straightened out. The guy I had build the motor I think has used up all his expertise which are mostly with Chevy.
When I did my initial reading with no vacuum advance hooked up at idol I did the same steps with the timing gun I have

 

None.