454 cooling issues

[rgalajda]

How small is “  a small electric fan “
Pusher fans are not as efficient as puller fans.
Locked timing is not very effective for a street car. 50 degrees advance at cruise speed is not uncommon.

You said “I checked the voltage to the pump and it was 12.8 with the engine idling. Voltage at the alternator was 14.3. I wired in a relay for the water pump and now i'm getting 13.4 at the pump.”
I would think you meant Voltage at the Battery. Voltage should be checked at the battery. Any accessory after that having a significant voltage drop is a problem.If you installed a one wire alternator , this is a problem. A one wire alternator was designed for an old tractor , not a street car , and will always show a voltage drop because it does not sense voltage in the wiring harness.

My 454 will idle all day and never go above 190 degrees with a 180 thermostat. I can watch the temp gauge ,stuck in traffic , and see the thermostat cycling open and closing. Aluminum rad with proper shroud, clutch fan on mechanical water pump. Highway temperature is 185 degrees.
Some temperature gauges can be off by as much as 20 degrees. I like to test the gauge in warm/hot/boiling water for accuracy using an accurate temp probe.

You may have a coolant flow problem with that electric water pump, or any of the above , contributing to the problem.