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I have the same exact symptoms going on. I also used an IR themometer with the same results. I have an aluminum radiator with electric fans, checked the water pump clearances, etc.
I bought a new water pump (PWP381) from cardone that's supposed to have an improved impeller. I was gonna install it tonight but, looks like I better check my timing instead. What's funny about mine is it ran cool for the first 75 miles or so then overheated. It now will overheat while idling or driving only a mile or so. The distributor is tight so I know it didn't move. I will check it this evening. |
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I have an HEI also. Even at idle the vac advance is pulling too much? My car will overheat just idling. I thought I set my initial timing at 12 degrees but, never check what the advance was doing. I wonder if the vac advances we have are faulty? Going out to look at mine now.
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I truely think the hei With the vacuum hooked up just advances way to fast for the motor. Try unhooking the vacuum lines and plugging the vacuum ports then set your timing around 14-16 degrees advanced. Rev it to around 2500-3000 rpms and you should be at max advance. Shouldn't go past 36 degrees advance.
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Well.... I thought I had the vac advance problem. I had about 8 degrees initial and when plugging vac advance in it looked like it went to over 40 degrees advanced at idle! I have an adjustable vac advance canister so I backed it all the way out. I adjusted my initial to about 12-13 and adjusted the vac advance to add another 12 or so. After that I adjusted my air/fuel and idle on my carb. Done all this in 5-10 minutes while keeping an eye on my temp. It still crept up to 230 in that short period of time :(. I borrowed a hydrocarbon tested from a friend tonight to test my coolant. Afraid I have the head gasket issue. Makes sense because my setup ran for hours three or 4 times but, since I drove it for an hour and it got hot it overheats within 5-10 minutes idling. Even faster while driving...
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Sorry to hear , I hope though now you can get it fixed & have no more problems once it gets fixed. None of us ever like to hear of any of us having any problems with our toys but at least now it has a possible end. If there is any thing we can help with in the future drop a line & some one here will be glad to help.
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Karl :usflag: |
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Splain this to me again? By "crossover" do you mean the timing cover return fitting? The stock way my '72 is set up is as follows; the passenger side head has a fitting at the rear that feeds the heater core, the heater core then sends the water to the return fitting on the timing cover. The driver side head has no external water flow. To bypass the heater core I run a heater hose from the rear of the passenger side head to the timing cover return. Karl :usflag: |
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Well, I ran the numbers on my engine and I have a 68 firebird 350 instead of a 389 like I was told when buying it. It does have hooker headers, edelbrock intake/carb, and runs very torquey so it seems to have been built a little more than stock. Guess it's worth keeping and giving to my dad. If a fresh 455 was easy to find at a good price I might would through it in instead.
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Now the plot thickens. If it IS a 350 and not a 389, then you very well may have a head gasket issue. 326/350 head gaskets are becoming harder to find. Most are NOS and older style or extremely expensive Corteco's. Made in Germany. The 350 will have issues if they used the Fel Pro 8518. It is too big for the bores and it creates a lip at the top of the combustion chamber. If you find out that this is the case you may have to change them... Here is a post with the pictures..:) HTH, Dave http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...5&postcount=43 |
Thanks for the info Dave! The search is on..
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I apologize for being a bit thick headed here but I still don't get this part...... Are you actually plumbing the heater feed into the "intake" as in intake manifold water crossover? Or do you mean the flow goes into the "intake" on the timing cover/pump housing? May be that a picture would help me here...:confused: I have a '72 model so it may be the difference in the design of the timing cover/pump housing for the '68 is hurting my small brain :D I don't know for sure that routing this one way or the other is affecting the temps but every little hindrance to proper cooling system function will add up..... Anyway, if you could post a picture of this I would appreciate it. I'm constantly trying to learn here. Karl :usflag: |
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After extensive research and calls today it looks like my options are custom copper gaskets which are over $200/pair or SCE Gaskets carry a part #19472 with a bore diameter of 4.125" compared to the Felpro 8518PT 4.30" which autoparts try to sell you for the 350-455 engines. The SCE's are about $46 each and they claim they're far better than the Felpro's. What do you guys think? The std bore for the pontiac 350 is about 3.8".
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Read more: http://www.highperformancepontiac.co...#ixzz27QcxG9Tt I found it online at Autozone for $20.99ea. Karl :usflag: |
Thanks Karl! Is the track still open in Eunice? I used to race my Nova there when I was in High School. I'm from Lake Charles originally.
Brent |
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Karl :usflag: |
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