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bmwillia 10-05-2020 10:19 PM

Cooling system help needed
 

After 8 long years, I finally have my grandfather's coupe back on the road.

Drove around a little Thursday afternoon staying around 40-45mph and towards the end of my trip, a little coolant sprayed out of the top of the radiator. It was on a downshift and I chalked it up to that since the temp gauge was reading around 170.

Friday afternoon, Checked Coolant and I drove around some more and decided to push it a little. I didn't have my mufflers on yet so I was running open headers. Got it up close to 60mph and decided that was fast enough and let her coast down. Temp still in the 170 range and coolant really spewed out of the cap. Took a look at the cap (Greyhound repro) and the gaskets were pretty worn so I went to the autocrats store and got a new gasket. It improved things a little but I found that the ears of the cap were corroded to the point that they are not able to grab the ring of the radiator hole and pull the cap down tight.

Saturday after refilling the Radiator, it took about a gallon of coolant, I drove around all day. put about 60 miles on the car with no issues from the radiator. just a few very small spritzes of coolant a couple of times throughout the day and I chalked it up to the loose cap. Throughout the day I checked the temp gauge and the engine block with a laser and they matched up with the block temp reading about 10deg cooler as one would expect.

Sunday, a few more drives with no issues.

Today, I took it to the muffler shop first thing this morning, got the exhaust put on and picked it up about 2:30. The Muffler shop is on a main highway so I pushed it pretty hard on acceleration and cruised at around 50mph most of the way home, about 5 miles. No Issues.

This evening I got in it to drive a little and test out the lights. Drove about the same as I did this afternoon although I did not accelerate as hard. Hit a little over 50mph for a couple of miles on straight good road and came to a 4 way stop. Took a right and about 1/4 mile after taking off coolant began pouring out of the top of the radiator. The temp gauge was around 160. Started heading home and coolant continued to puke out of the radiator occasionally even as I babied it as much as I could. No steam, and the coolant that made it through the cowl even onto my leg was not hot enough to burn me. The car did not run hot until the last half mile when enough coolant had poured from the radiator and only then did I see steam.

What would cause my cooling system to puke coolant under load when the car is not hot?

I guess I have not ruled our overheating, but my measuring tools suggest that is not the case.

As a matter of fact, it happened one time within the first 1/4 mile after leaving my subdivision and accelerating hard.

I have ordered a rebuild kit for the greyhound cap. That is my starting point but other than that, Not sure where to look.

Thanks!

1931 flamingo 10-06-2020 07:58 AM

Re: Cooling system help needed
 

Get a thermal temp gauge at Harbor Freight or off the i/net.I don't believe your gauge is accurate. Even if way overheated NO water/coolant should come out from the cap, do the g/hound rebuild and get the temp gun.
Most likely a plugged radiator or corroded cooling system or stuck t/stat(s), if installed.
Others will come in I'm sure.
Paul in CT

Terry,OH 10-06-2020 08:02 AM

Re: Cooling system help needed
 

Fill coolant to just cover the radiator tubes. Too much and it will come out.

19Fordy 10-06-2020 10:48 AM

Re: Cooling system help needed
 

What happens if you drive with the radiator cap "loose" with no pressure?

Are your radiator hoses literally collapsing, restricting flow?

When you remove the radiator cap and let the engine reach operating temperature, can you see water flowing thru the system?

Could your thermostats have turned sideways inside the radiator hoses, restricting flow.

Remove thermostats and see what happens? Immerse them in hot water and observe the temperature at which they open.

bmwillia 10-06-2020 12:25 PM

Re: Cooling system help needed
 

I have a laser temp gun from harbor freight and the temps I shoot are about 10 deg cooler than what the guage reads.

I'm not running stats and I don't believe the hoses are collapsing, unless they are doing it while driving. I'll get it up to temp this afternoon and open the hood and rev it by hand to see if there is any signs of the hoses collapsing.

I do see coolant moving in the radiator when the engine is running. I am pretty sure there is little to no pressure from the cap since it needs a rebuild and is essentially not sealing all the way.

I read several threads on here and at the HAMB last night. Maybe I am overfilling.

Thanks everyone for your input. I'll do some more testing based on your suggestions and report back.

JSeery 10-06-2020 12:34 PM

Re: Cooling system help needed
 

If you have more fluid going into the radiator than what can flow through it and back to the engine, it is going to overflow. May need to get the radiator cleaned out. Might also try a pressure cap, low pressure, just a few psi and a catch can, just to see if that helps.

Installing thermostats might help as well!

Floyd 10-06-2020 12:59 PM

Re: Cooling system help needed
 

I am with post #6 above. My basic theory is if you are having cooling issues and you do not have a full report on the condition of the radiator, then its time to go to your olde timey radiator shop and have them test it/ clean it and provide you with their opinion. This work is not expensive in the grand scheme of things and you will know a lot more than when you started. When you are chasing a bunch of variables, you have to get some solid info on the components involved or it will make you crazy.

51woodie 10-06-2020 01:17 PM

Re: Cooling system help needed
 

When I bought my '46 Super Deluxe, I pulled the rad and heater core, to have them inspected, flushed and pressure tested, as I had read many posts about flatheads overheating. The report from the rad shop showed all was good. I replaced the water pumps to new style, all rad hoses, and went with 180 deg. stats. I would suggest that this service should be done on any old vehicle that sat around for many years.

tubman 10-06-2020 01:41 PM

Re: Cooling system help needed
 

I'm with "JSeery" on thermostats. They all came with them from the factory.

bmwillia 10-06-2020 02:01 PM

Re: Cooling system help needed
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubman (Post 1938796)
I'm with "JSeery" on thermostats. They all came with them from the factory.

I didn't think the 33 had thermostats from the factory. Not arguing, I was just unaware.

bmwillia 10-06-2020 02:05 PM

Re: Cooling system help needed
 

By the way, I do have two water pumps rebuilt by skip.

I really don't know that I am overheating until too much of the coolant comes out for the remaining coolant to keep the engine cool.

What you all are saying about flow makes sense though, could it be that there is enough restriction in the radiator that when running at higher RPM with Skips higher flow pumps that the water cannot move through the radiator fast enough and therefore backs up and out of the cap?

47Monarch 10-06-2020 02:25 PM

Re: Cooling system help needed
 

Had issues with my 47 Monarch. Turned out the over flow tube was plugged with crud about half way replaced with rubber hose. I used a piece of string off my weed whacker to go through tube. Might want to check it out

Floyd 10-06-2020 02:37 PM

Re: Cooling system help needed
 

High flow pumps, no/low restriction in hoses and the "toilet is overflowing" . Report back on what Mr. radiator has to say. You are close to getting this sorted out.

JSeery 10-06-2020 03:38 PM

Re: Cooling system help needed
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmwillia (Post 1938803)
By the way, I do have two water pumps rebuilt by skip.

I really don't know that I am overheating until too much of the coolant comes out for the remaining coolant to keep the engine cool.

What you all are saying about flow makes sense though, could it be that there is enough restriction in the radiator that when running at higher RPM with Skips higher flow pumps that the water cannot move through the radiator fast enough and therefore backs up and out of the cap?

That sounds like the issue to me.

EdB 10-06-2020 03:55 PM

Re: Cooling system help needed
 

I did all of the recommended actions, but the most noticeable result was to use the Old Henry method of flushing the block. Amazing amount of cr*p came ot.

Lawrie 10-06-2020 04:48 PM

Re: Cooling system help needed
 

33 .s have t/stats
Lawrie

Ken/Alabama 10-06-2020 07:42 PM

Re: Cooling system help needed
 

That cooling system is an open system therefore it can not build any pressure not even with a pressure cap. The overflow tube comes Right out of the top tank .Skip the water pump guy has an in-line 4 lb pressure relief that you place on the end of the overflow tube. Works great.

Talkwrench 10-06-2020 07:47 PM

Re: Cooling system help needed
 

The only time I can recall mine doing anything like that would be because I had the radiator too full , loose cap and the theromsats would not have been open much... gave it too much too soon...

Kurt in NJ 10-06-2020 07:50 PM

Re: Cooling system help needed
 

The temperature gauge reads only the side it is on, the other side can be overheating. and not show on the gauge

chap52 10-07-2020 07:12 AM

Re: Cooling system help needed
 

I agree with a radiator flush treatment and, filling to just above the baffles and no more than a 3# pressure cap.
With the older Model A's a contributor to overheating was that trusty (?) timing lever. How is the timing with your engine? Does the distributor advance when you rev it?
Just my 2 cents worth...keep the change... Chap


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