New build overheating

[glennpm]

My 59AB was like that after being rebuilt. After about 150- 200 miles or so it was fine and runs cool now. Keep the coolant low for now. Cold maybe a half inch above the bottom of the tank. Drive around, ideally 35 to 45 MPH for an hour or so.

[Bored&Stroked]

Again - you need to know where your timing is. You want about 24 degrees total advance - never more than 26 in all my tests.

[busmania]

Thanks. Is there a tutorial on setting the timing? I did mark tdc on my pulley when I built it but I can’t see that mark under the crab style distributor. I understand the idea of timing and what it is but actually setting it has never been a strong suit and I’d like to learn how to do it correctly. Should there be a degree guage on the engine (like a sbc)? I am running a stromberg efire (i know i know how y’all feel about that). It runs really well but I’m considering going to a points system just for the heck of it so y’all will like me more. Haha. I am able to adjust the stromberg, but I’m not sure how to “measure” or guage the timing (if that makes sense).

[Ken/Alabama]

Keep advancing the timing until the engine pings under load then back it off a tad. What kinda radiator you have ?

[busmania]

Brand new drake radiator specifically for 40.

[cadillac512]

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Mine normally runs 190-195 with 180 degree stats. That's the temp when a 180 stat is fully open. You'll never hurt an engine at those temps.

[Bored&Stroked]

Well, if you have a mark on the pulley - did you also affix a pointer that mounts to the block or timing cover to reference it to? One without the other is useless.

I have no idea as to how advance is setup in your distributor . . . so I'm of no help there.

[busmania]

Haha. I do not have a scale. I was scratchin my head the whole time wondering about that. I’ll add one.

Just got back from its first real drive. A good 10 miles or so (45 minutes with a 5 minute stop at an old hot rodder who got me into cars 30 years ago) on side streets going anywhere from 0-40 miles an hour. Lots of starting and stopping. Before I left I put enough water in to just barely cover the top piece inside the radiator. The temp never went above 190 and no more puking fluid. Guess I had too much in there!

BUT

There’s a decent amount of steam coming out of the breather. How much is normal? Oil looks fine and not watery or sudsy. I did not see any air bubbles in radiator earlier today when I ran that test. Is this just condensation burning off? Second photo you can see condensation/water drops in the inside top of the cap.

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[Ken/Alabama]

Originally Posted by busmania

Brand new drake radiator specifically for 40.

There’s your problem. I bought one to put in my 40 sedan and my new stock 221 would not cool. I concluded that the block must have a crack somewhere and pushing exhaust gases into the water jackets. I built another engine and it did the same thing. I removed the Drake radiator and replaced it with the radiator from my 40 coupe. Temp never got above the normal mark on the gauge. I called Drake but of course they had never heard of this before and they would get back with me. That’s been two years and still haven’t heard anything from them.

[petehoovie]

[QUOTE=busmania;2301504]
BUT

There’s a decent amount of steam coming out of the breather. How much is normal? Oil looks fine and not watery or sudsy. I did not see any air bubbles in radiator earlier today when I ran that test. Is this just condensation burning off? Second photo you can see condensation/water drops in the inside top of the cap.

[Dirtslinger]

Just reading through this thread as I just got my 8ba rebuild and running, should I drill a hole in my thermostats? I've seen that from shoebox-central.

[Bill OH]

H2O and CO are the products of combustion - H20 is water and what you are seeing is water vapor from the breather and condenses in the cap. The foregoing is the reason you want the engine up to 180 degs - boils the vapor off.

[busmania]

Phew. Thank you. Being my first Flathead I just don’t know what’s normal and not. I think I’m done worrying and ready to drive (after some more tweaks)! Thanks everyone.

[Bored&Stroked]

In order to put degree markings on your crank pulley you'll need to do the math based on the diameter of the pulley - to know how far is 10 degrees (seems it is about 3/8" - 7/16"). You can then mark every 10 degrees or so. I have no idea as to how you set initial timing or if the total mechanical advance can be set/changed. You'll have to look that up with the Stromberg folks. Usually you want about 8 degrees initial and about 16 or so mechanical - all in by about 2000 RPM.

[Fritz]

Looks like the efire is set to 22 degrees at full advance. Stock distributor is 24 like Bored&Stroked said. I have a crab dist with a pertronix, and I set the timing by marking TDC on the crank pulley with a reference point on the engine. I used a timing light that could preset the timing, set that at 24, and played with the timing adjustment on the dist until it reached 24 degrees. You have to set the adjustment, check it, turn the engine off, adjust, check again, until you get it right.

190-195 degrees sounds great to me. It will cool down as it breaks in too. It seems like you may have things figured out.

[busmania]

Thanks fritz (and everyone!)! Sometimes I need my hand held as I’d rather ask than wonder and/or be wrong and have something bad happen.