[mchell]

Originally Posted by General Z

Update:

I haven't degreed the cam, but I did do a few other things.

1. I changed the total timing to 32 instead of the 36 I had it at.

2. I pulled the 180 balanced thermostat that was in it and instead used a standard thermostat with the guts ripped out of it, so it's just a restrictor disc.

3. I removed my 13 lb. thermocap and put a new 16 lb standard cap on the radiator.

4. I added a bottle of purple ice.

I have 16 inches of vacuum at the lowest idle I can get. I like the car a lot better with the vacuum advance on manifold vacuum. I didn't have the time to do a compression test.

I went for a long drive. Prior to this, the engine was only broken in and had about 10 miles on it. While driving on normal roads and on the freeway, the car ran at 190. Heck, on the freeway, it was down to 180. I drove about 30 miles. When I got off the freeway, I kept an eye on the coolant temp. It never went over 202. I even pulled over and sat in one spot idling, with the car in gear and it never went over 202. I put my foot into it a few times and I like the cam better than I initially did. I still say my 99 Z28 would kill this car though.

That being said, the ambient temps were 15-20 degrees colder than they were the other day, so I won't go so far as to say anything is fixed.

I'm probably still going to find someone local with a cam degree kit and the experience with it to help me degree the cam.

You lined your cam up dot to dot?.......what makes you think it's the cam causing your issues?.... Put plenty in without degreeing and never had an issue....degreed plenty and have not found one I've had to adjust yet....must be lucky I guess

New engine?......drive it some.... You might be surprised to find temps ease up a bit