Back on the road. TC cover, Timing, the saga is over for now? Temp issues?

Well if you have been following my various threads on my 72 Buick, I was dealing with over heating issues, then leaking TC cover, thread on timing for the car, etc.
Well got the car back from the shop today. My timing chain cover, the metal on the inside where I was seeing the leak outside was ate away from the years of radiator fluid running through it. the rest of the cover was fine.
The TA cover is working great, getting awesome oil pressure readings. At cold start (choke still set) it was at 70 lbs, tapped the pedal to get choke off, dropped to 45 or so. once warm it was about 25 lbs at a stop light, once I got on the gas it jump back up to the 55 to 60 range, much better reading than I was getting from orig set up. Did find out, I never looked, that the points had been swapped out for electronic setup. New alternator installed, new WP, new TC. Asked them to look at motor and see if they would flush it and see if it had junk in it, they said it was pretty clean.
I asked them to set the timing. They didn't listen real well, set it at about 10 degree. I had to get to the doc tonight so did not haggle over it. I can feel the diff in how it runs none the less.
So the first major battles with this car are behind me. Throw some new tires on it and get out there and really drive it and see how she is.

 

Good setup. 10 is fine on the 72. Should see some better mpg . Stronger idle. 12 would be ok too.

 

Check your pressure after driving on the highway after around 20 minutes.

 

Happy news there Tim!

 

I have not got it on the HWY yet. It has a bad wobble in a tire. I don't want that to blow out and damage the car or make me wreck.

 

What does 20 minutes of HWY driving do that driving around town (slower back roads) can't do?

 

Get the engine completely warmed up to operating temp. Very promising however.

 

Anyone need a timing indicator tab that you need to set timing. I have the one I got from TA that I don't need. I will do 20 bucks shipped. I did not need it.

 

I'm sure if you put it in the Parts For Sale section you'll get some rapid responses. Maybe slower here.

 

So I drove it today. I have a bad tire, cord I think, so I have a good wobble in front so I don't take it on the HWY long.
Oil pressures....
At cold start in park (keep in mind it had oil change and 10w30 was put in it) 68lbs.
Driving first few minutes 30 mph 65 lbs, get on it a little it goes up over 70lb some. Once hot (20 min driving) anytime I got in it, it would go to 60 lb range.
Driving for about 10 min sitting at light about 46 lbs with temp gauge now at 185/190.
Any time I was driving once car had been running at 185 for a bit at any stop light it was about 20lbs.
Take out of gear (park) after 25 min ride, 10 of that on HWY, I was getting 22 lbs at idle.

Now for temp gauge numbers, I bring this up because I had over heating issues when I got the car and did not expect to see what I did today......
All the drive around town back streets I was holding 185-190 once hot. Drops a few degree once I was moving steady, again back streets.
Drove on HWY it would stay around 200, maybe 198 during a 10 min drive.
When I got off the HWY and at a light I noticed the temp gauge go up to like 210-215, few min later when I got home slowly moving around pulling in the drive it was still 220'ish holding steady I THINK. Once I had backed up into the garage prob 225 maybe a hair higher. This seems real hot to me.
I do have a cheaper off brand gauge in the car, maybe it is just giving bad readings? My dummy light never came on, it is hooked up.
I have temp probe located in the other place of the intake, right front of carb where some emissions thing was if that is what I recall it being.
This car has new EVERYTHING in the cooling system BUT the fan literally. It was about 88 degree out, maybe after a decent ride it just cant cool correctly because it is not engaging well enough? Even the timing was up'ed to about 10 degree as suggested here which would allow it to run cooler I was told.

 

I sit here and can't help but think the fan clutch is just weak. It is prob orig to the car or many moons old. It is running cooler on the HWY now, just still getting what I feel is a hot temp after driving for 25 min and getting on back roads, a little stop and go. When I start the car (cold start) I do not hear that SWOOSH sound you hear with clutch set up. I know when I start my 01 z71 it sounds like a jet just started for a few minutes. When I flick the fan with my hand I have always thought it moved to easily, not enough resistance.

 

Jealous of that oil preasure.

And my car does the same thing. Warms up 10-15 degrees at idle and cools back down when moving. New fan clutch time.

 

Does this car have a thermal or non thermal clutch fan? If it does not matter what is the best to get for the car?

 

Radiator is new also?

 

I had cooling issues and went to a 4 blade with a spacer. Haven't yet gone back to a clutch. I may need a new radiator. Straight fan and less anti- freeze helps a lot. Going back to a 160*F thermostat soon.

 

Replace the fan clutch with a new THERMAL clutch.
Your symptoms all point to a worn fan clutch.

 

Yes. Only thing not replaced in the cooling system is the heater core. I get nice heat so I don't think that is the issue. I think it is the clutch on the fan.

 

Old unit is out. New clutch fan ordered. I sure this cures my heating issues. I would assume with a correctly operating fan and ALL other variables to make a car over heat is gone this car on a 85 degree day, coming off the hwy driving and getting in stop and go traffic it should not get hotter than 200, 210, 220???

 

What Larry said. Plus you may need a new heater core.
By pass it to see if it helps.