Colling Problems

**djt100** · 09-01-2006, 05:34 AM

Hi, I'm a newbie here, got a restored 64 lesabre, with the 355 nailhead in, Haveing some problems with cooling, when i go out for a run as soon as i stop the car dumps the contents of the radiator out through the over flow pipe, I'm in the uk so its not hot here! . any suggestions as to what may be causing it would be a great help. Also its started to pink a little and overrun when turnign off the engine. this is recent and its run like a dream previouslty

**guyopel** · 09-01-2006, 06:05 AM

Need a little history ( what has been done to car ) but I would remove the Rad. to send to the Radiator shop
for cleaning . Next replace the thermostat . Good luck !! HTH

**Straight Eight** · 09-01-2006, 07:42 AM

Have you recently drained and refilled the radiator? If so you probably have a little air in the cooling system. Fill her up to the fill line on the radiator, and idle her with the radiator cap on just the first click, not all the way with two clicks. When she starts to spew out coolant, turn her off, let her cool, start her again, and while running refill to previous spot shown on radiator, put cap on one click again and repeat above, Two or three times should let all the air out.

**Dr. Frankenbuick** · 09-01-2006, 03:06 PM

I think you may not have a Nailhead. If it has 355 on the air cleaner lid, then it is most likely a 300 4bbl engine. 355 was the torque rating of the 300 4 bbl engine. Biuick used the torque figures as engine designations for part of the 1960s. The 300 is not a Nailheads and has the distributor (dizzy) in the front. The Nailheads have the distributor in the back. The 64 Lesabre had the 300 as the standard engine. This was a nice engine with aluminum heads and intake. You may want to try and tune it up as indicated for a 300 if you find it is a 300.

**rcull** · 09-01-2006, 04:45 PM

Do like Dr. Frankenbuick suggested, ident the motor and tune it. The ping could be an indication of too much timeing which could cause a hot condition.

Start here:
http://www.buicks.net/shop/engine_ident.html

**bobc455** · 09-03-2006, 04:29 AM

One more quick test: warm the car up, then have a friend rev the engine up and see if the lower radiator hose collapses on itself. This usually has a spring in it to keep it from collapsing, but sometimes it gets lost. If that hose collapses under high suction, it will make the car heat up.

-Bob Cunningham

**djt100** · 09-04-2006, 12:10 PM

Cheers guys , it does have 355 on the air filter so i'll have to check out what engine i've actually got now!!, see complete newbie and novice!,
Thanks for the advice so far.

picture of the car here and the engine bay

http://www.photobox.co.uk/album/3119512

**lowvoltage** · 09-10-2006, 11:23 AM

Coolant coming out of o-flow could be a radiator cap failure, if it is failing to hold pressure it could be leaking during engine run without being noticed, also resulting in o-heating. Engine after run may be caused by higher than normal idle speed. Just possibilities.