way too many variables that cause or contribute to overheating... but if everything is right with the cooling system & tune of the engine/carb, these cars should not be overheating like some guys have, they didnt overheat from the factory in any states or climates from california to florida. even with much higher HP the factory cooling systems should & do support that.
also, the water pump to divider plate clearance trick is a good idea if/when youre in there, but the factory didnt do this & many/most stock engines had pretty big gaps there with no issues of overheating. i had a mild built 455 as a daily driver & daily abused it in hot summer temps, never knew about the divider plate trick back then & never had any issues with overheating... even with a very dirty & repaired radiator leaks that shut off at least a few of the rows. some members on here run higher HP & openly admit they dont clearance the water pump & dont have any cooling issues... in AZ temps! so its a good idea to do that but its not always required for a pontiac to run at decent temps.
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