Hi Dart.
It's always 180*, thermostat is 180*, the gauge is a SW with the capillary tube from the front of the head. Truck has a gigantic radiator and clutch fan. Still debating wether to send a core to OCG or take it apart and retard the cam 4*. Have to research and see how the later exhaust cycle is affected.

Now that I am re-reading your posts, I see you said it wheezes out at 2500-3000 RPM. No reason it should do this if the cam timing is at all right, assuming the carb/mixture are good.

You did not say at what centerline you installed the cam. Please state that if you know it. Also, if knowledge of mixture, please state that too.

If it were me, I'd put a WB O2 gauge on it (AEM 30-0300 is great) and see what the mixture is doing. If you don't want to do that, then next would be either retard cam another 4 deg, which should help significantly.

To me, an AEM WB O2 sensor is now an essential part of every engine/car I put together, especially if it is a non-stock buildup (which yours is, and all of mine are). You can waste so much time tracking down mixture issues or fueling issues, and the gauge helps with diagnostics immensely. $200 is cheap compared to 5 to 50 hours tracking down problems.

If I were doing a cam from scratch for this engine, I would order this from Oregon:
INT: grind #1920 - 230 @ 0.050, 264 adv duration, 0.453" lift
EXH: grind #1947 - 224 @ 0.050, 270 adv duration, 0.470" lift
Ask for LSA of 108 and install the cam at 100-102 intake centerline.
Start with lash at 0.022" INT and 0.025" EXH and move it around (up or down) by 0.002" increments until the idle is still smooth at the highest operating temp. The numbers I state should be close to correct.

I never believe lash specs from any cam maker for the Slant 6, except that the old MP cams were quite close to correct.

I still am baffled that you are pinging so bad if your installed centerline is around 104 deg (right??) and you have good fuel mixture on pump premium gas.

Hope this helps and happy to discuss more.
Lou

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