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Old 04-22-2011, 10:22 AM   #21
40ford
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Default Re: Flathead motor spewing coolant, but not overheating....

Phartman,there is two thermostats on ebay now which may solve your problem.Item # 350456738138.
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Old 04-22-2011, 11:43 AM   #22
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Default Re: Flathead motor spewing coolant, but not overheating....

Skip rebuilt my water pumps. I'll give him a call.
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Old 04-22-2011, 12:24 PM   #23
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Default Re: Flathead motor spewing coolant, but not overheating....

I have a 36 LB that did exactly as you have described. I sent a pair or nos cores to skip for a rebuild but they are still on the shelf. This was several years ago. I also got the 3# pressure valve & put that in the over flow hose with a recovery tank. So far I haven't had any more problem with over flow. I do not run thermostats & have a 50/50 mix of water & anti-freeze along with some water wetter.

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Old 04-22-2011, 01:37 PM   #24
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Default Re: Flathead motor spewing coolant, but not overheating....

I had this problem with an engine I built for a 35. He had an after market aluminum radiator that we used on the test stand. Started blowing water out almost immediately. About drove me nuts checking for pressure leaks in to the system. Couldn't find anything. Finally put on one of my stock 36 radiators and presto, problem solved. I think you have a poorly designed radiator.
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Old 04-22-2011, 04:32 PM   #25
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Default Re: Flathead motor spewing coolant, but not overheating....

Uhhh, Flatjack, the for the price I paid, it shouldda been a really well designed radiator.

Anybody running a Griffin with a '36 LB?
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Old 04-22-2011, 04:35 PM   #26
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Default Re: Flathead motor spewing coolant, but not overheating....

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I would question why there isn't a baffle in your radiator. What the others have said about your rebuilt pumps may be contributing to your problem, the pumps are pushing more water to the top and it's going out your o/flow tube (I assume, and not the cap itself. On a model A 4 cyl they will puke until they "find" their own level. JMO
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Old 04-22-2011, 06:26 PM   #27
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Default Re: Flathead motor spewing coolant, but not overheating....

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Uhhh, Flatjack, the for the price I paid, it shouldda been a really well designed radiator.

Anybody running a Griffin with a '36 LB?
You are definetly right on that. I think I would be talking to Griffin. I know my friend paid a good deal for his, but it wasn't a Griffin. I believe he sent it back. And his pumps were stock items, not high flow.
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Old 04-22-2011, 06:38 PM   #28
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Default Re: Flathead motor spewing coolant, but not overheating....

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Frank, yup, we're going to run that test first. At least eliminate that as a possibility.

Trying to find thermostats for the '34-'36 Fords. Tried Joe Smith Early Ford and Mac's. Neither has them. The tractor application will work, but the size is too small for the hose. Other sources? Other places that might have the thermostats?

Also, the '36 LB run such low oil pressure...I wonder if I'm better off with the 140 degree thermostat or the 160 degree. Any opinions?

And, fellas, again, many, many thanks. Yesterday my buddy Warren and I were wondering where to go to get guidance on this sort of motor problem. Hands down, Fordbarn has come to the recue.


thats why i am running the freeze plugs drilled out, i can't find thermostats, Brendan
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Old 04-22-2011, 07:19 PM   #29
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Default Re: Flathead motor spewing coolant, but not overheating....

1931 Flamingo, nope, when she spews, it's out the radiator cap. It's ugly. No doubt about what is going on when it happens. Very unlady-like, I'd say.
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Old 04-23-2011, 01:11 AM   #30
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Default Re: Flathead motor spewing coolant, but not overheating....

phartman - I've used the radiator fluid that checks for exhaust gases. What worked the best was getting a shop to use their exhast gas analyser. Ran the car hard, removed the cap and they inserted the probe - came up to 60 PPM of exhaust gas.
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Old 04-23-2011, 03:19 AM   #31
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Default Re: Flathead motor spewing coolant, but not overheating....

Yeah on this and if your windshield is open your in deep Do-Do with your passenger . I don't like anti-freeze in the face either . The 34 4d used to do this if you ran it hard or held a fast idle and it was all from someone REALLY greasing the water pumps with Hi-temp grease in the past and it turned into a semi-petrified YUK .. It restricted the radiator flow enough to cause the top tank to try and overfill . No good comes from this . Like yours it was not overly hot when it did this .Doesn't sound like you have this exact problem but it boils down to water going into the top tank faster than it can drain through the core . The cures for this are pretty well covered already so izza gonna quit ramblin David J
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1931 Flamingo, nope, when she spews, it's out the radiator cap. It's ugly. No doubt about what is going on when it happens. Very unlady-like, I'd say.
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Old 04-23-2011, 07:39 AM   #32
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Default Re: Flathead motor spewing coolant, but not overheating....

I'm still going to question the lack of a baffle and why it's puking at rad cap and NOT the o'flow tube if you say it's not boiling. Have you tried a different cap or double gasket??
Paul in CT
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Old 04-23-2011, 08:15 AM   #33
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Default Re: Flathead motor spewing coolant, but not overheating....

That is a very good point, Paul. I think another gasket under the cap is in order. We'll try that, too.
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Old 04-25-2011, 08:45 PM   #34
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Default Re: Flathead motor spewing coolant, but not overheating....

Motor passed the "no combustion gases in the coolant" test, so we called Skip Haney about the pumps and the cooling system. No questions asked, no discussion, very short conversation. He simply said, "You need one of my 3# valves. I'm sending it out to you. No charge." What a great guy. He's the best. Hope that, 160 degree thermostats and a better, tighter cap do the trick.

Last edited by phartman; 04-25-2011 at 10:10 PM.
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Old 04-25-2011, 09:58 PM   #35
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Default Re: Flathead motor spewing coolant, but not overheating....

A common Model A problem.Put in a baffle,thermostat,lower the coolant level or install an overflow tank.Good luck.
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Old 04-25-2011, 10:02 PM   #36
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Default Re: Flathead motor spewing coolant, but not overheating....

Whups--Didn't see Skips solution!
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Old 04-04-2012, 05:30 PM   #37
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Default Re: Flathead motor spewing coolant, but not overheating....

An update on the motor spewing coolant. We put 160 degree thermostats back in. Added Skip's low pressure relief valve. And switched out water for 60/40 coolant (60 % water)

The spewing stopped immediately. And the motor runs consistently at 160 degrees. I'm keeping the coolant in the motor this summer. Seems that the coolant is a much better heat sink and is much more effective in carrying away heat from the motor.

This experience flies in the face of so much advice I got about no thermostats/only run water, but I can't argue with how well the motor runs. I'm guessing that what caused the problem before was the new pumps moving the water too quickly through the block. Adding the thermostats back slowed the flow and increased the transfer of heat out of the block. Diumo.
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Old 04-04-2012, 06:48 PM   #38
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Default Re: Flathead motor spewing coolant, but not overheating....

Skips pumps almost double the amount of coolant flowing through the entire system. There are 3 things that improve cooling on these old Fords. 1 more water in the system, 2 more water flowing through the system and 3 more air moving through the radiator. There are aproxmently 144 tubes in the old Ford radiators. If you add the area of these up it comes to 3 1/2 square inches, the hose provide 4 1/2 square inches of water into the top tank. This is like 4 lbs of dung in a 3 lb bag. Along with the smaller opening there is also the length of the tubes and dirt restricting the flow inside of the tubes. With the poor stock pumps the water wouldn't flow through the radiator. The water came in to fast and not going through the tubes backed out the overflow. Now it was low on water and overheated. Restrictions were put in the heads or the impellers cut off or holes drilled into them. This reduced the amount of water going into the radiator and not as much went out the overflow and it didn't boil over but ran at elevated temperatures do to 18 quarts of water in a 22 quart system and very slow flow through the tubes. A 4 lb pressure cap was interduced in the 40's, not to pressurise the radiator but to keep the water from backing out the over flow tube. This allows the water to be forced through the radiator and the radiator filled to the top. There are a LOT of pressure caps that are to short and the extended rubber pressure end don't seat down on the washer seat about 1" down in the neck. Stock 32 to 36 pumps move 55 gallons each in 5 minutes and Skips 92 gallons. The 37 to 53 pumps stock move 65 gallons each in 5 minutes and Skips 110 gallons. The over flow must be closed by either a 4 lb pressure cap or Skips 3 lb valve to seal the system so the water can be forced through the radiator. The radiator can now be filled up to the neck. The engine should now run below 200 even in traffic on warm days. At 200 degrees there is about 1 1/2 PSI in the radiator. The pressure cap or valve only keeds the water from excaping and is a safty valve if problems occure. The water stays filled for months. Skip has done thousands of pumps with great results on old Fords when instructions are followed. Why would someone buy his pumps to increase the flow for better cooling and restrict the flow with washers or thermostats with small openings? [email protected] makes new heavy duty high flow 180 degree stats that hold the temperature right on 180. I have used them down in Florida from 50 to 90 degrees and my 39 stays on 178 to 182 all the time. If the coolant temperature gets over 180 the stats stay in the full open position providing a full flow. When the outside tempertures get up near 90 your small 160 stats are going to cause the engine to run up around 200 and there is no margin for traffic. Been there done that. G.M.
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