09-10-2021, 03:59 PM | #1 |
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Over Heating
I have a 29 Roadster that recently has been over heating after running for about 15 minutes, recently drained & refilled radiator with 50/50 runs well and sound great just overheats, engine is hot radiator cover is hot & starts steaming. Any ideas or suggestions?
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09-10-2021, 04:15 PM | #2 |
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Re: Over Heating
Fill radiator to near top then run engine till its hot. With engine running, look in radiator and see if water is circulating well. If not, does it have a thermostat that someone put in it. If so, check that first. Put it in boiling water on stove and see if it opens wide at about 160-190 degrees. If not, replace it. Make sure your lower radiator hose is not kinked closed. If it is, replace. If water is not circulating in radiator and there is no thermostat, then look at replacing water pump. You may also need to flush and clean whole system.
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09-10-2021, 04:33 PM | #3 |
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Re: Over Heating
Be sure your ignition timing is advancing enough above idle. Retarded timing or a lean carburetor mixture can cause overheating also.
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09-10-2021, 04:38 PM | #4 |
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Re: Over Heating
I'm not aware that there is a thermostat , I was told by someone that if the water pump is moving it is OK.....does that make sense? I will check the lower hose , flushing system was a thought I had! Thanks for the suggestions
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09-10-2021, 05:20 PM | #5 |
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Re: Over Heating
It sounds like this issue started recently.
What is your previous history with the car? Has it been sitting for a long period of time? How old is the radiator? Is it an original round tube core or a modern core? What is the date of engine block production? Any engine modifications or bone stock? |
09-10-2021, 07:01 PM | #6 |
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Re: Over Heating
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I am a new inexperiencedowner! The car had 1983 plates on it, was told it had been in storage. The 1st three 5 mile trips I made were trouble free, now the overheating every time it runs! The motor # indicates it is 1930....some other items such as tires indicted 1930 (19") All original motor.....no add ONS or motifications Radiator is originall style Hope that helps! Alan |
09-10-2021, 07:16 PM | #7 |
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Re: Over Heating
If you have a 1929 body then you will have a 1929 radiator. If the radiator is an original factory issue (not likely but possible) round core in good cosmetic condition it may be marketable to someone building a show car. If it’s an original there is the problem.
Even if it had a new core at one time it is now at least 38 years old! -1983 plates/storage |
09-10-2021, 07:46 PM | #8 |
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Re: Over Heating
One of the unseen problems with old radiators is that after thousands of heat/cool cycles, expansion and contraction of the metal, the tubes no longer touch the fins in places. Tiny, tiny gaps form and heat is no longer properly transferred from the tubes to the fins…..
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09-10-2021, 08:07 PM | #9 |
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Re: Over Heating
I hear that the aluminum replacement radiator s are not good?
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09-10-2021, 08:42 PM | #10 |
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Re: Over Heating
Are you actually overheating? Place the probe of a dial meat thermometer into the coolant through the neck of the radiator and see for sure what the temperature actually is. You might just have too much coolant in the radiator and it is pushing the excess out as the coolant gets hot and expands. You only need enough coolant to cover the tubes at the top of the radiator. 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.
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09-10-2021, 09:49 PM | #11 |
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Re: Over Heating
I recently chased an overheating problem that turned out to be a blown head gasket.
W. Michael |
09-10-2021, 10:13 PM | #12 |
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Re: Over Heating
Hmmm heard the head gasket story before!
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09-10-2021, 11:21 PM | #13 |
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Re: Over Heating
Utopia Texas makes a good point about radiator fins. If the fins are not tight the radiator will not cool.
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09-11-2021, 05:54 AM | #14 |
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Re: Over Heating
90% of cooling problems are caused by a plugged radiator. 90 % is just my number.
Don’t fight all the band aids. Buy a new core and enjoy your car. |
09-11-2021, 07:05 AM | #15 |
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Re: Over Heating
Have you retorqed the head? Needs to be done periodically.
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09-11-2021, 01:36 PM | #16 |
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Re: Over Heating
Not sure what retorqed head means? What does that involve?
Is there any way to determine if the old radiator is due for replacement? |
09-11-2021, 05:27 PM | #17 |
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Re: Over Heating
Retorque = Retighten head bolts in proper sequence. Usually a blown head gasket will show up with lots of bubbles in the radiator when its running, sometimes accompanied by oil in the water or antifreeze which you can see when cold as the oil will float on top of the antifreeze in the radiator. Pulling off the bottom hose to drain in a bucket will also readily show any oil.
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09-11-2021, 05:28 PM | #18 |
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Re: Over Heating
Good afternoon...Cars that sit for long periods end up with lots of scale in the water system in the block and head. If the engine and radiator are not flushed out before the car is driven again...the scale will be pumped into the radiator and plug it up. At this point the first thing to do is to remove the radiator hoses and flush the engine and the block/head from bottom hose to top and then flush the radiator as well. Many times this is enough...if you live in an are that gets to more than 90 degrees in the late afternoon in the summer, a larger radiator from one of the major suppliers might be necessary, You can google 'torqueing a Model A Ford Engine Head' and watch it a couple of times and it will be easy to do. Generally an A likes it head torqued once a year...Ernie in Arizona
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09-11-2021, 05:55 PM | #19 |
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Re: Over Heating
Referring back to my post #10. Have you checked the actual temperature of the coolant?
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09-11-2021, 06:14 PM | #20 |
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Re: Over Heating
I won't be back with the car until next Thursday, will check then!
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09-11-2021, 08:53 PM | #21 |
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Re: Over Heating
Great. Knowing the actual temp can help pinpoint what the trouble is.
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09-12-2021, 08:37 AM | #22 |
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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
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09-16-2021, 05:52 PM | #23 |
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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 |
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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?
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09-16-2021, 07:45 PM | #25 |
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Re: Over Heating
Check the price of a new radiator from Bergs.
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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 |
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Re: Over Heating
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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 |
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Re: Over Heating
But 200 is overheating. Did you check for exhaust fumes in the radiator?
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09-16-2021, 09:01 PM | #28 |
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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 |
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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!
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09-16-2021, 09:45 PM | #30 |
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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.
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