Pinging under power and drive train Q's

[pwrcat4000]

Well filled with 91 premium last night and no pinging anymore. I will throw the timing light on it later and  set it back at..
12BTDC?

To be honest I have not been on the highway since I sealed up the manifolds and the carb. I think that if it was getting extra air it would run hotter. 

Mine consistently runs over the mid line about 2X the width of the gauge needle regardless of the outside temp. 
It only goes higher if I start driving it like speed racer.  Need to get a heat gun and see what it truly is running temp wise.
All of the cooling system components have been replaced except the radiator so that is most likely my next move on the temp.

I will need to get data on the rear end ratio
seems like wayno has the right plan for me I have avoided differentials because of fear all the adjustments and tolerances and stuff.

[datzenmike]

Even 3/4s is safe and gauges may vary. If consistent at 2 needles over half and you have a 180-185F there are two things. One is that the gauge reads high and everything normal. The other is that the thermostat is slightly faulty and a new 180-185F will drop it where it belongs.

 

The final arbitrator is an IR gun and shoot the the thermostat housing. If unexplained pinging I would suspect the temp is in the 190s

[thisismatt]

I drive my 521 with a lead foot. I have sunk exhaust valves and it still does 70+ at 4k rpm on the freeway without overheating. Only time it starts going up is on long grades trying to maintain speed...

[racerx]

How old is the radiator?

[Charlie69]

I would run a good radiator flush trough it without a thermostsa for a couples days of normal driving be sure the flush is going through the heater core also.  When you drain the radiator the first time and after you have pulled the thermostat out stick your garden hose in where the thermost is and back flush the block until the water comes out clean looking and and do this with the radiator and the heater core before adding the flush.  Use as much water flow as you can.  This is to try and rinse out any solids that may be in the system.  Drain and flush the cooling sysem real good.  Install a new thermostat  fill the cooling system with distilled water and anti freeze.  Drive it and report back.

[datzenmike]

I can use the garden hose where I am. The water is melted snow only 8 miles away and hasn't had time or distance to absorb minerals.

[pwrcat4000]

How old is the radiator?

original I think it is really the culprit on my temps if it get warm 3/4 I just use a garden hose on the rad and the temp drops to right in the middle i think that rules out the thermostat ( I tested it before i put it in last year sometime) 

I am going to a buddy's to day to reset timing and use a ir gun I think i will flush too and report back.

[pwrcat4000]

Timing was so far retarded advanced that it was off the gauge loosened the lower adjustment and finally got it to where it's supposed to be

[datzenmike]

Retarded will send most of the burning fuel out the exhaust port to be absorbed by the water jacket.

 

It was mentioned in post #5

 

Other things that may cause the engine to run too hot...

 

 

Timing too retarded. Re check that you are checking the timing correctly or timing light works.

[pwrcat4000]

I don't know then Mike. It was so far below the my timing marker I could not adjust it without removing the top screw completely.
so was that retarded or advanced ? There are only a few marks above 0 and 20 marks below 0.
I have it adjusted 11 marks below 0 now.

Let me know.

[datzenmike]

As long as it runs you're close enough.

[datzenmike]

Timing light should flash at 12 degrees before the 0, or just to the left of the 0. 

 

 

 

The top point is 0

the next one down is 5

the next 10

then 15

and the bottom one is 20

[Charlie69]

Phoenix City water is good for one thing making rings in your toilet bowl.  LOL

[pwrcat4000]

Timing light should flash at 12 degrees before the 0, or just to the left of the 0. 

 

 

 

The top point is 0

the next one down is 5

the next 10

then 15

and the bottom one is 20

Thanks for the Pic mike

Mine was way below the gauge.

I am flushing the rad now and I noticed the Thermostat has some little thingy in the hole.

I am thinking I should remove it and just have the hole since my truck gets way hot when I shut it off for short times.

What do you guys think.

 

[datzenmike]

The 'thingie' is called a jiggle valve and that's normal to have but not usually the style used on an L series engine. It serves the function of a thermostat by-pass hose which your L20B should have.

 

 

Timing below the gauge would be severely advanced. I don't know how it would even be running if that far advanced. Make sure your idle is about 700 and the vacuum advance hose off if you don't have the stock carb.

[racerx]

Pwrcat, you have a manual? If not buy one. Someone here downloaded tons of manual. Maybe ur radiator needs to get recored. Better to get recored than buy those shiny aluminum ones on EBay.

[distributorguy]

10-12 BTDC should be fine.  Heat in the engine is form lean mixture, so it could very well be from vacuum leaks - or not enough fuel.  If you dump the timing WAY too far advanced (higher setting number) then it'll go rich again.  Land Rover used to do that to rev limit motors.  It'd also explain why WOT is necessary to drive freeway speeds - its SO far out of tune!  Imagine where about 35 degrees is at the timing mark and aim for that when you snap the throttle hard (vacuum line always disconnected from the distributor while setting timing!!!)

[mainer311]

Pwrcat, you have a manual? If not buy one. Someone here downloaded tons of manual. Maybe ur radiator needs to get recored. Better to get recored than buy those shiny aluminum ones on EBay.

 

Oh yeah? Aluminum has a higher thermal conductivity than whatever the OEM material was...

[d.p]

Oh yeah? Aluminum has a higher thermal conductivity than whatever the OEM material was...

 

OEM is/was brass copper my man.  

[racerx]

Oh yeah? Aluminum has a higher thermal conductivity than whatever the OEM material was...

..could be but a lot of the aluminum after market ones are pos, unless you buy koyo brand and that one is closed to 300.00. I just got lucky several years ago and found modine brand, like oem, on eBay.

[mainer311]

I've had good luck with the Champion brand on eBay. 

[mainer311]

OEM is/was brass copper my man.  

 

Just the top and bottom as far as I know.

[d.p]

Just the top and bottom as far as I know.

 

I'd be surprised if it was anything but copper brass but someone probably knows better than me.

 

And why would the core be anything different?  

 

[datzenmike]

Next best to copper is silver. Aluminum is cheaper.

[pwrcat4000]

The 'thingie' is called a jiggle valve and that's normal to have but not usually the style used on an L series engine. It serves the function of a thermostat by-pass hose which your L20B should have.

 

 

Timing below the gauge would be severely advanced. I don't know how it would even be running if that far advanced. Make sure your idle is about 700 and the vacuum advance hose off if you don't have the stock carb.

I am with you with what I know about that stuff with my big V-8's it would sound like nonsense to me too. 

It has been running must be a tribute to fine engineering (best reproduction of a German engine ever made LOL) 

It does have a bypass I will need to evaluate it after I dump the flush tomorrow may be clogged.  With out the thermostat in it does not have the overheating while parked problem any more.

I am also going to put the L16 Water pump on it and run the L16 fan so I can use the original shroud. that my help lower the temp a little my IR gun says that the thermostat housing is only about 160 at idle and 140 at the radiator neck  I get a 20-30 degree drop at the lower neck, so the gauge is reading a little high in my opinion.