The Ford Barn

1crosscut · 09-11-2021, 08:53 PM

Great. Knowing the actual temp can help pinpoint what the trouble is.

nkaminar · 09-12-2021, 08:37 AM

All good suggestions by the other responders. For my car, I had an original radiator which was in good condition. It would dump the water out in 3 seconds when I removed the bottom hose and had the radiator cap off. But it would overheat when the weather was hot and I was pushing the car. I solved the overheating by buying a new radiator from Bergs. http://www.bergsradiator.com/modela.html

arefftx · 09-16-2021, 05:52 PM

Today I am back with my car trying to resolve the overheating issue. The first thing I did today was to drain the radiator which is a 50/50 mix it looks very clear. Next I removed by the hoses and plugged the bottom of the radiator, filled it with water and removed the plug, it drained in 4 seconds. I checked the hoses they appear OK & clean. I filled the radiator back to the top of the baffle. I took the car on a 15 minute drive by the end of the trip she was steaming. While the car was still running the temp was 200. After I shut the car off the temp increased to 208. The end of the trip was a hill unlike the previous part of the route.
The fan water pump an belt appear to be OK.

arefftx · 09-16-2021, 06:17 PM

Today I'm back with my car trying to resolve the overheating issue. The 1st thing I did was to drain the radiator of the 50/50 antifreeze, it appears to be clean & free of sediment. Next I plugged the bottom of the radiator and filled it with water, when I released the plug it drained in 4 seconds. The water from the radiator and what came from the engine was clear. The hoses, fan, water pump appear to be working will. I took the car out for a 15 minute trip. Toward the end of the run was a hill by the end of the route she was steaming. While but the car was still running the temperature was 200, after shutting it down it was 208. There appears to be churning in the radiator but no oil film. What to check next?

nkaminar · 09-16-2021, 07:45 PM

Check the price of a new radiator from Bergs.

jg61hawk · 09-16-2021, 08:09 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

SEE POST 10: Many new owners of Model A's try to keep the radiator topped off and it will look a lot like over heating as the excess coolant is pushed out.

I have an 83 year old guy who wanted a Model A...so he got one. He keeps filling the radiator to the top and then calls me and insists it's overheating. So we take a nice drive, and guess what..it runs great, sprays out the excess and all is well....maybe he just wants me to drive him around...that's OK too but it's not overheating just lowing it's level of coolant.

noboD · 09-16-2021, 08:14 PM

But 200 is overheating. Did you check for exhaust fumes in the radiator?

aermotor · 09-16-2021, 09:01 PM

Lets face it, a 93 year old radiator is shot - finished. Recoreing is very expensive and then you still have the old tanks. I purchased the lowly $675 HD radiator made in Chicago from Snyder's and fail to see how the $825 Bergs could be any better. I'll take $150 difference and spend it on something else.

John

Big hammer · 09-16-2021, 09:36 PM

After a drive of 45 min idling my water temperature is 155-165* the thermostat opens and closes, outside temperature 85*. Gerry Bergs said most of his customers say the radiators cool to much! This fall/winter I may have to put a 180* thermostat in to get the temperature up!

chrs1961815 · 09-16-2021, 09:45 PM

Bergs is the best because it looks right, is done right, and won't give you trouble. I have ran across cheaper ones and they sometimes do not fit right or have the reinforced brackets which becomes a problem.

Having your radiator recored is not a bad idea because that would fix your problem probably. The brass tanks don't go bad unless they become extremely damaged. Buying a new one from Bergs is just as good of an option, probably a little better.

09-12-2021, 08:37 AM	#22
nkaminar Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 3,897	Re: Over Heating All good suggestions by the other responders. For my car, I had an original radiator which was in good condition. It would dump the water out in 3 seconds when I removed the bottom hose and had the radiator cap off. But it would overheat when the weather was hot and I was pushing the car. I solved the overheating by buying a new radiator from Bergs. http://www.bergsradiator.com/modela.html __________________ A is for apple, green as the sky. Step on the gas, for tomorrow I die. Forget the brakes, they really don't work. The clutch always sticks, and starts with a jerk. My car grows red hair, and flies through the air. Driving's a blast, a blast from the past.

09-16-2021, 05:52 PM	#23
arefftx Member Join Date: Sep 2021 Location: Friday Harbor, Washington Posts: 43	Re: Over Heating Today I am back with my car trying to resolve the overheating issue. The first thing I did today was to drain the radiator which is a 50/50 mix it looks very clear. Next I removed by the hoses and plugged the bottom of the radiator, filled it with water and removed the plug, it drained in 4 seconds. I checked the hoses they appear OK & clean. I filled the radiator back to the top of the baffle. I took the car on a 15 minute drive by the end of the trip she was steaming. While the car was still running the temp was 200. After I shut the car off the temp increased to 208. The end of the trip was a hill unlike the previous part of the route. The fan water pump an belt appear to be OK.

09-16-2021, 06:17 PM	#24
arefftx Member Join Date: Sep 2021 Location: Friday Harbor, Washington Posts: 43	Re: Over Heating Today I'm back with my car trying to resolve the overheating issue. The 1st thing I did was to drain the radiator of the 50/50 antifreeze, it appears to be clean & free of sediment. Next I plugged the bottom of the radiator and filled it with water, when I released the plug it drained in 4 seconds. The water from the radiator and what came from the engine was clear. The hoses, fan, water pump appear to be working will. I took the car out for a 15 minute trip. Toward the end of the run was a hill by the end of the route she was steaming. While but the car was still running the temperature was 200, after shutting it down it was 208. There appears to be churning in the radiator but no oil film. What to check next?

09-16-2021, 07:45 PM	#25
nkaminar Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 3,897	Re: Over Heating Check the price of a new radiator from Bergs. __________________ A is for apple, green as the sky. Step on the gas, for tomorrow I die. Forget the brakes, they really don't work. The clutch always sticks, and starts with a jerk. My car grows red hair, and flies through the air. Driving's a blast, a blast from the past.

09-16-2021, 08:09 PM	#26
jg61hawk Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Central New Jersey Posts: 407	Re: Over Heating Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) SEE POST 10: Many new owners of Model A's try to keep the radiator topped off and it will look a lot like over heating as the excess coolant is pushed out. I have an 83 year old guy who wanted a Model A...so he got one. He keeps filling the radiator to the top and then calls me and insists it's overheating. So we take a nice drive, and guess what..it runs great, sprays out the excess and all is well....maybe he just wants me to drive him around...that's OK too but it's not overheating just lowing it's level of coolant.

09-16-2021, 08:14 PM	#27
noboD Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 319	Re: Over Heating But 200 is overheating. Did you check for exhaust fumes in the radiator?

09-16-2021, 09:01 PM	#28
aermotor Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 1,099	Re: Over Heating Lets face it, a 93 year old radiator is shot - finished. Recoreing is very expensive and then you still have the old tanks. I purchased the lowly $675 HD radiator made in Chicago from Snyder's and fail to see how the $825 Bergs could be any better. I'll take $150 difference and spend it on something else. John

09-16-2021, 09:36 PM	#29
Big hammer Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Land of Lincoln Posts: 3,130	Re: Over Heating After a drive of 45 min idling my water temperature is 155-165* the thermostat opens and closes, outside temperature 85. Gerry Bergs said most of his customers say the radiators cool to much! This fall/winter I may have to put a 180 thermostat in to get the temperature up! __________________ Don't force it with a little hammer tap, tap, tap get a bigger hammer tap done

09-16-2021, 09:45 PM	#30
chrs1961815 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2018 Location: Spring Grove, Illinois Posts: 1,371	Re: Over Heating Bergs is the best because it looks right, is done right, and won't give you trouble. I have ran across cheaper ones and they sometimes do not fit right or have the reinforced brackets which becomes a problem. Having your radiator recored is not a bad idea because that would fix your problem probably. The brass tanks don't go bad unless they become extremely damaged. Buying a new one from Bergs is just as good of an option, probably a little better. __________________ "The more things change, the more they stay the same."