Please bear with me on some of these questions I'm not exactly the most mechanically inclined person which explains why I went to a one stop shop. I was hoping to ask you a few short questions. I had my engine which is the original 400 rebuilt 8+ years ago with maybe putting on 2000 miles since then. It was punched out to a 430, forged pistons, all machine works was done with some slight upgrades. I did a high volume ta oil pump and I run scheffers 20-50w with about 12-14psi at idol when warm at 180. I did go to a reputable shop but like most the person that did the machine work, put it together, and installed it plus tuned it doesn't not specialize in Buick's. 2 things I guess I should have address when it was built are I have a slight tick on the front of the drivers side of the engine. It does go away once the car is completely warmed up. When cold it's even more noticeable. I did replace the rockers/shafts when I had the engineer rebuilt with a reconditioned set from ta performance. My engine guy says the tick is from not being able to adjust the rockers and if I go to rollers that would solve that issue. The last thing is during the hot season here my engine runs a little warmer then I'd like. On a 70 degree day it runs 180 no problem. On a 80+ day it will creep up when I'm stopped or at idol. When I take off and get moving the temperature will drop. I'd like to put in an aftermarket aluminum radiator. Any suggestions on brands would be appreciated. I don't know if this matters but I would like to hook up the factory ac in the car back up so I'm not sure if that requires any other upgrading. Thanks mike
US radiator makes one that looks stock. If your ticking is just the left side you may have an oil feed issue associated with the cam bearings. With your oil pressure, do you have a booster plate? Do you know what your mains and rods clearances are?
I do not know the exact specs. I was able to dig up some of my machine work and oil pump purchase info
It looks that I do have a booster plate. As far as the clearances I did a good job at logging all the parts that were used and installed but a bad job on exact specs
Looks like you got the good bearings and all the oil pump. When you assembled it did you check pump end play and the gear clearance? This makes a bid difference on the oil pressure. Did you recently have a pressure change?
Mike, The ticking may be a lazy valve lifter, it may be slow to 'pump up'. I say this because you mentioned it is noticeable when its cold, and then goes away. If it is an issue with the valve stem heights being un-even (Rocker arms on shafts require valve stem heights to be uniform), you can solve the problem with adjustable push rods much cheaper than converting to roller lifters. Changing a noisy lifter means pulling the intake manifold. I have gone the adjustable pushrod route and can refer you to the right people to make them if you need it, Given that the sound goes away or is much less noticeable when warm, points to a lifter. Your oil pressure at idle sounds about right, think in terms of 10psi per 1000rpm, unless it's got a high-pressure relief spring in the oil pump. 10-14 psi at idle is fine for a newish motor. Temperature wise, unless it's nudging 220 or 230 on a hot afternoon, I'd make sure the existing radiator is clean, and fan clutch and water pump are good before dropping $$$ on an aluminum radiator. Especially if you are in Milwaukee. Here in Texas a summer day is much different than a summer day there, and we don't get too excited unless a motor is running over 220 with a good copper radiator, fan clutch/water pump.
At first I saw high volume oil pump which is an old school band aid for a worn timing cover. The HV pump uses bigger gears and puts an increased load on the front of the cam, the timing chain, gears, and front cam bearing. No one uses them much anymore because new timing covers are available. Then I looked at your documents and saw you have a stock oil pump and booster plate. That should be fine as long as the gear end clearance was set correctly. What concerns me is the use of 20/50 oil. There is no reason for that if the clearances inside the engine and oil pump are correct. Thicker oil was another band aid used for other problems with clearances. Oil for the driver's side lifter galley is supplied from the passenger side lifter galley across the front cam bearing. If the driver's side lifters are noisy, that can indicate a problem with the front cam bearing. the HV pumps were famous for loading the front cam bearing pounding bearing material into the feed hole, and restricting oil to the driver's side galley. Using thick oil and revving the engine excessively before the oil warms up can put similar loads on the front of the cam. It might still be just a sticky lifter though. Just noticed you have the TA back grooved cam bearing so you are probably fine. I would check the end clearance in the oil pump and try to use thinner oil.
Ignition timing at idle can have a huge effect on coolant temperatures in stop and go traffic in hot weather. If your initial timing is relatively retarded 5* or there abouts, that can cause the temperature creep you describe. You want to run 12* or more initial timing, but that will mean adjusting your mechanical advance lower so you don't over advance at higher RPM. You can also hook your vacuum advance to manifold vacuum to boost idle timing at closed throttle. That will help.
Thank you very much for the replies. What would be a safe oil to switch to since I've been running the scheffers 20-50 synthetic from day one? I may need to take it in if I can get a clear enough weekend here and see if he can check the clearances and if it is a lifter issue. I wanted to ask you guys first since I know I will get the best answers for trouble shooting a buick engine given all the years of experience/knowledge most of you have. If he does need to tear apart things would it be better to buy adjustable push rods and rockers? I don't race the thing or beat on it. Actually I rarely drive it. I just want everything to be right when I do want to drive it thanks mike as far as the temps I've never seen it past 220 but I assumed that was not normal given it usually operates around 180. I thought 210-220 was a bad thing
If the clearances are correct, you really shouldn't need anything more than 10W/30. I would try 10W/40 and see what you idle pressures are fully warm. To get the oil as hot as it will get, you have to drive the car, preferably on the highway for 20 minutes or so. then see what the in gear idle pressure is. Oil is cooled by the coolant, so the hotter the coolant, the hotter the oil gets. The hotter the oil gets, the more it thins out, and the more it thins out, the lower the pressure will go. For a driver that never sees the high side of 4500 RPM, 210 is fine, but if you want to rev it past that, good oil pressure is essential, so you want to keep it cooler, 190-200 at most. Synthetic is good, it stands up to heat better. Adjustable push rods are all you need.
It’s been a long time since I’ve been on the forum so forgive me if I could simplify it. Larry the wizard I’m still in need of your expertise if you could still help me figure out my tune issue (I know it’s been a couple of years) I could really use the help. I’m back at it again. This is where I am at. I have someone helping adjust the timing and carb. If you remember from where I last left off I was way to far advanced. The numbers are in this thread. I still have all the same set up and this is so far where we have gotten. Stock distributor (unknown what I have for springs) we brought the initial timing from stupid high to 20 degrees at about 800-850 rpm. Ran it and now when I get into the throttle it’s pinging. That’s with NO vacuum advance hooked up. Richened the carb up still pinging on heavy throttle. Hooked the vacuum advance up at 20 degrees initial timing and the car won’t move out the driveway. It doesn’t like the vacuum advance at all. Remember at 2340 rpm I was like at 68 degrees on a stock distributor. The car had nothing on the top end, slow increasing heating issues, as well as hot starts. So far with the tune I’m at now the car still runs hot. Now I have pinging when semi hard acceleration. Can you give me any help plead on what Else I could do. I was supposed to have a schedule appointment 2x last year with a forum member which I will not discuss to pay for his shop time and expertise but he is giving me the run around.
So tell me what kind of timing light you use, standard or dial back? What you need to do is set the maximum timing (without vacuum advance). First, I need to know what type of timing light you have. Also, if you could tell me what part number distributor you are using, or if you are using an aftermarket electronic distributor?
A newer digital craftsman timing light. Stock distributor part number I believe 11135. It’s the stock date coded distributor. I have a Holley 800 with a little bit bigger jets. As far as I can remember I’ve never had a vacuum advance which we thought could be contributing to my over heating as well the timing being way to far out. If I remember correctly you told me it could not have any more then 34 degrees.
OK, so you have 1111335 distributor. First make sure your point dwell is set to 30*. Then adjust your initial timing to 0*. Then take it for a ride and see how it feels. That 1111335 distributor has 30-34* of mechanical advance so setting the initial timing to anything above 0* means you might over advance at higher RPM. Connect your vacuum advance to manifold vacuum AFTER you set the initial timing to 0*.
The 400 has a 1/2" suction side oil galley feeding the oil pump,this should be opened up to min. 9/16",and 5/8" at the oil pick up tube,and the oil pick up tube which is 1/2" changed to a 5/8" pick up tube. a HV pump and 50wt oil or standard pump with 50wt oil is putting too much side loading on the front cam bearing and distributor gear. good chance front bearing has been wiped and oil is slow or not getting to driver side lifters and eventually rockers,thus causing ticking noises. If ,as you say, your not going to rev it or race it, yeah right, you could get by without enlarging the holes, correct clearances and a booster plate will be satisfactory up to 4500rpm, if you start leaning on it, ie 5000rpm your taking chances with #7 and 8 rod bearings. Buick realized this and in 1971 started making these improvements at the factory, I do these mods on all 69 and 70 engines I rebuild.
Is it possible to do the oil modification with out pulling the engine? I just want this thing right after all these years and money that I threw at it to still have a engine that I’m worried will not hold together. Especially considering When I bought the car about 13 years ago that I wanted a numbers car but ended up buying at the worse time with inflation and just thinking it needed a rear main seal I ended up with a full out rebuild plus more. I spared no expense the first time around but I let the guys that “knew” how to wrench do all the work which was my fault for not finding a reputable buick builder which I’ve yet to come across
No, opening up the suction galley is something you do before the block gets cleaned during a rebuild. You can change the pick up, but that is no where near as effective. If your front cam bearing is wiped, you'll need to pull the cam at minimum.
I've done it, its a task though. You need a 11" drill bit, and some smaller ones of less length to gradually increase size. You need to do this so when you go to 9/16" the drill bit stays straight to the pick up tube. This galley is isolated so the residue can be be kept out of the engine.Ideally its easier out of the car.
Today if the rain doesn’t come I should be working on the car. I was told before I do anything else pull the #1 plug out make sure it’s on it’s compression stroke and to check for top dead center on that piston and look where the 0 lines up with before any More adjustments. If it is where it’s supposed to be we are going to try and back the timing off from 20 to 16 degrees. Any other input I can try for today. I only get little bits of time to work on the car between my schedule.
If I can’t figure out how to solve my tuning issue and it gets Beyond the resources I have here would you be willing to work on the car if I can get it down to you?
