1966 buick lesabre convertiable w/ 340ci overheating

**ginuwine846** · 09-04-2011, 02:35 PM

another update......i took the car for a drive up the road and if i kept the speed above the 40 mph range, the temp would sit at around 210, but slower than that or even at a stop, it would reach 235, which seems crazy to me considering i'm running a 160 degree thermostat and it not being very hot outside(85 degrees). Is this a normal range or is there a bigger issue? The coolant didnt spill over nor could i tell if the water was boiling. maybe due to the fans running, i couldn't hear it.

**ginuwine846** · 09-04-2011, 03:24 PM

i just thought about something.....the temp gauge that i have running to the inside of the car is zip tied to a corner on a loop of the engine intake. This may seem crazy but u think that the temp i'm getting on the gauge could that also be comming from the fact the temp gauge cable is touching the engine??? i guess theres only one way to find out..... mount it elsewhere

**Straight Eight** · 09-05-2011, 06:51 AM

Do you have an AutoZone auto parts near you, or a name brand auto parts. Perhaps you could rent a timing light from them. Just basic tools needed. Generally you could find an old geezer in the back that would help you check the timing.

You might also try the Buick web site @ BCA then check forums.

**WildKitty** · 09-07-2011, 05:09 PM

Ginuwine

let's back up a bit; first, take off that shroud you built - you are only cooling that circle (14" or so) of the radiator core. the hot water on both sides of the fan is continuing down to be taken back into the engine by the water pump. You can move the fan off to either side (preferably to the left - where the hot engine water is coming into the radiator), then you can set it back a couple inches.

it sounds like the 340 runs - once it starts. your pic didn't show the carb, but I'm guessing it has the choke tube that runs down to the exhaust manifold. there is a damper below the choke tube that has to open/close freely, to send heat up to the choke so it will open. it also has a thermal spring that causes the damper to open when the engine is hot.

if you rebuilt the 2bbl (which I just finished doing for my 300), it has the instructions for the basic setting for the carb choke; cold, the carb baffle should be closed, but move pretty freely. if you used the included guage, and set the needle valves per the basic setting, the carb should be fine.

I set my initial timing per the manual (manually, putting #1 cylinder on TDC), then setting the points @ (I think) 12 deg before TDC. The distributer should be the only thing you have to move while setting the timing. I DON'T use a timing light. I swear by a vacuum guage. I have a complete set of guages mounted on the firewalls of both my 64 Buicks.

Niether the Wildcat, with a 445 (425ci) or the LeSabre (300ci) have a fan shroud. the Wildcat has a 5 blade fan, the LeSabre has a five blade electric fan.

Before you fire it up the next time, remove the radiator cap and see if you can see the water circulating.

so far, I've only spent about $15 of your $ buyng the vacuum guage - but, once you get used to it, it will become your favorite tool/guage.

Good luck
Butch

**ginuwine846** · 09-09-2011, 04:10 PM

all of these ideas are great, but 1 thing remains, I still don't have anyone that I know of to help me. Its one thing to get 100 responses on how to repair something, but especially with timing, u need at least 2 people who knows what they are doing,and especially me. I don't know much about buicks but i want to learn, but there's no one that i know of who can physically show me whats going on.

**ginuwine846** · 09-11-2011, 12:44 AM

well i went out and bought a dial back timing gun and vacuum gauge. I realized i had a old sears engine analyzer so i will be using that to read tac. I still have no clue on what i'm doing but aye, if all goes wrong and i blow this engine up, I can always go with what i know and just throw in a chevy engine....

It sucks to not know but it is what it is...

**ginuwine846** · 09-16-2011, 10:59 AM

UPDATE!!!!!!! I bought a new 2 core Aluminium radiator and fabricated a sheet metal fan shroud to cover the entire core and my problems of overheating are done!!! sitting at park, the highest she reads is maybe 190 compared to 210,215,220,225 and rising. Also, I LOVE THE DIAL BACK TIMING LIGHT AND VACUUM GAGE!!!!! I used to timing light to adjust my timing cause it was a lil off and the vacuum gave to tweek my carb. Now my car has finally came alive!!! Power is there, response is there, it all good!!! Thanks for the help guys!!!