hi all, i have a 1968 Buick Skylark Custom. 350 4bbl and 2 speed auto. i have just freshened up the engine with new rings and bearings and a small comp cam (268) new water pump, new thermostat (180) new 1 core radiator (plastic tank model from Rock Auto) new 16lb recovery type radiator cap and overflow bottle installed. block was hot tanked- water jackets were full of scale. engine runs the stock fixed fan and has the shroud installed.
engine performs great and temp sits on 185 while cruising. stopped at lights the temp will come up to 200 but as soon as im on the move it goes back down to 185. i have only just installed the mechanical temp gauge after the engine rebuild (only had the light before) so am unsure if this is normal behaviour for buick engines?
have checked the engine/ radiator with my heat gun after a run to warm up the engine, engine idling in park, temp gauge reading 195-200 and right on the thermostat housing its reading 204-213, pointing at the gauge sender its right on 195 (so gauge seems to be accurate) radiator inlet 198, radiator outlet, i forgot to write this down, but think it was 164 so am definitely getting flow through the radiator.
have checked the timing -comp cams recommended 16deg initial, have backed off to 12 but no change to the temp.
also the trans isnt great - next thing on the job list, but it runs through a separate trans cooler so shouldn't be an issue of transferring heat.
am wondering if the new radiator i purchased just isnt up to the job? does 160 ish sound like enough temperature differential to keep the engine cool?
read on another thread (455 overheating) that someone recommended drilling a 1/4 inch hole in the thermostat and to fill the radiator with the engine running to eliminate air bubbles? is this an issue with 350's also?
thanks in advance.
Orange
engine performs great and temp sits on 185 while cruising. stopped at lights the temp will come up to 200 but as soon as im on the move it goes back down to 185. i have only just installed the mechanical temp gauge after the engine rebuild (only had the light before) so am unsure if this is normal behaviour for buick engines?
have checked the engine/ radiator with my heat gun after a run to warm up the engine, engine idling in park, temp gauge reading 195-200 and right on the thermostat housing its reading 204-213, pointing at the gauge sender its right on 195 (so gauge seems to be accurate) radiator inlet 198, radiator outlet, i forgot to write this down, but think it was 164 so am definitely getting flow through the radiator.
have checked the timing -comp cams recommended 16deg initial, have backed off to 12 but no change to the temp.
also the trans isnt great - next thing on the job list, but it runs through a separate trans cooler so shouldn't be an issue of transferring heat.
am wondering if the new radiator i purchased just isnt up to the job? does 160 ish sound like enough temperature differential to keep the engine cool?
read on another thread (455 overheating) that someone recommended drilling a 1/4 inch hole in the thermostat and to fill the radiator with the engine running to eliminate air bubbles? is this an issue with 350's also?
thanks in advance.
Orange