My Buick is slow. Need to know why.

[BMR]

I will have to round all that stuff up. I have never owned and cam degreeing tools.

The pistons were in the trunk of the car when I got it. Hanging on factory rods. When I went through the motor the machinist wanted to bore it because of some rust stains in #6 so we used these pistons. They have pretty deep dishes, but we did not cc them, and the part number on them was useless. Could not find anything on the internet about them.

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

Yes. What Bison said lol. Though I like your approach. Try a new gauge as well. But if your valvetrain checks out, then it's not your converter that's causing the heat issue. I'd get that looked at. If everythings doing what its supposed to be doing, you shouldn't see 210 degrees. I know all about the whole "hotter is better for power" bullshit but when I first got my car and it had the stock rad in it, I would get heat soak after the first hour of racing, and my car would noticeably lay down after that. Think of the minimum hp differential it takes to physically feel it in the butt dyno... I'd go to autozone and get the F body radiator. With just a hundred dollar rad and a few gallons of distilled water, your temps will decrease big time. And if you're going to go to a looser converter, do an external trans cooler. They're cheap as well.

 

[BMR]

It already has an external cooler. Unless someone I know has a degree setup I can borrow, I'm not going to do it. I cannot justify the $100 on a cam degree kit that may never get used again. No disrespect to Bison or anyone else here that is trying to help.

I just wanted to pull it down since all it was costing me would be a timing cover kit and some time. I have made mistakes more than once assembling my engines and have to go back and adjust/change something. That's why I don't assemble engines for anyone but me.
More liability and responsibility than I am willing to accept.

 

[BMR]

The gauge correlates with the scanmaster's temp reading, so I believe it to be correct.

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

If you assemble your own engines, won't you need that degreeing set again? Or you could borrow some from someone. I'd still get those temps a little lower. Or get an alky kit.

 

[BMR]

If you assemble your own engines, won't you need that degreeing set again? Or you could borrow some from someone. I'd still get those temps a little lower. Or get an alky kit.

Its possible, but they are few and far between now. It would've been been nice to have had one 10 years ago for all the small blocks I did a few years ago, but now I'm losing interest fast. That's why the Malibu is getting a junkyard engine.

And I am not disregarding the temp by any means. If I have a 160° stat in one I expect it to stay within a reasonable range of that, which it is not. I plan to change the radiator since it have it drained right now.

 

[Pronto]

I have never owned and cam degreeing tools..

http://www.tavia.com/free_degree_wheel.html
Got a printer and a piece of cardboard?

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

I see. Since it's drained, the cheapest thing to do is to yank it and soak it in a radiator cleaner, then flush it out, and flush the system too. Then refill with distilled water and see what that does. It's the cheapest experiment. Then, if that doesn't do anything, check your rad hoses. If they're good spring for the F body radiator. Hope that helps ya out.

 

[wantattype2]

http://www.tavia.com/free_degree_wheel.html
Got a printer and a piece of cardboard?

Now that's a good Deal !
Thanks

 

[BMR]

So what year f body radiator, and why the affection for them? My local O'reillys keeps a Murray replacement in stock for the G body.

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

http://www.autozone.com/cooling-hea...8/1992/8-cylinders-8-5-7l-fi/217463_378356_0/

87-92 V8 Camaro radiators.

 

[BMR]

http://www.autozone.com/cooling-hea...8/1992/8-cylinders-8-5-7l-fi/217463_378356_0/

87-92 V8 Camaro radiators.

Does it fit without modifications? I already deleted the oil cooler, so that's not an issue, but it appear the f body rad is a few inches wider. Does it still fit?

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

I'm very sure it is but can't give you a 100% answer as I didn't install mine. Mine was put in during a major parts install when I was deployed. A quick search on here will definitely help you though as there is a lot of info on this subject that is easy to find here. It's super hard for me to do such searches as this gov't computer SUCKS ASS.

 

[BMR]

I'm very sure it is but can't give you a 100% answer as I didn't install mine. Mine was put in during a major parts install when I was deployed. A quick search on here will definitely help you though as there is a lot of info on this subject that is easy to find here. It's super hard for me to do such searches as this gov't computer SUCKS ASS.

I feel ya. I work for AL DOT and the internet service is almost useless.

 

[aminga]

I feel ya. I work for AL DOT and the internet service is almost useless.

What part of AL someone could look at it.

 

[BMR]

What part of AL someone could look at it.

I will get it eventually. I got it as a non running basket case, and have got it this far by reading here, and talking to Bison.

I only tore the front apart because it was cheap to check. I am fairly certain its the converter now.

 

[BMR]

Radiator looks pretty crusty inside, so maybe that is the running hot problem. It is being taken to the radiator shop today to be rodded out and pressure checked.

I know several people like the cost effective f body radiator, and the fact it has a larger core. However, there is something to be said about the construction of a copper/brass radiator vs an aluminum core with crimped on plastic tanks. I have seen too many plastic tanks either crack, or leak at the gasket between the tank and core. That's just me, maybe I'm a little too old school for my own good.

 

[Wld87GN]

Does it fit without modifications? I already deleted the oil cooler, so that's not an issue, but it appear the f body rad is a few inches wider. Does it still fit?

You deleted the oil cooler with a flat tappet cam? Interesting...

 

[BMR]

You deleted the oil cooler with a flat tappet cam? Interesting...

Oil cooler was deleted because the engine had a spun rod bearing when I got the car. I don't see a good way of knowing 100% sure the oil cooler is completely free from remaining debris, and I don't care about having old rod bearing material in my fresh engine. Is that supposed to be some kind of problem with a flat tappet?

 

[Wld87GN]

Oil cooler was deleted because the engine had a spun rod bearing when I got the car. I don't see a good way of knowing 100% sure the oil cooler is completely free from remaining debris, and I don't care about having old rod bearing material in my fresh engine. Is that supposed to be some kind of problem with a flat tappet?

If the original oil cooler is filled with metal, then replace it. But do not eliminate it completely, especially with a flat tappet cam. These motors came with flat tappet cams and oil coolers for a reason, removing it will invite problems. Remember this type of setup creates a lot of heat and the oil lubricates and acts as a heat exchanger with the oil cooler. The only way I would feel safe about removing it is IF I converted to a roller cam and lifters. Even then I would still do some testing before just simply removing it.