53 Temp Gauge

[dakotafarmboy]

Attached is a picture of my water temp gauge after coming up to temperature. Is this in the normal range?

1953 Customline

Cooked out the block, Skip Haney rebuilt the pumps, 180 stats, 4 pound cap, and new radiator core. This reading seems high to me but I do not know the actual temp. I saw the thread from earlier today regarding the temperature gun so maybe I need one of those?

I re-used both original senders.

Drove it about 20 miles today and temp held steady here...but I don't know what "here" is. Hoping that this is in the safe range on this gauge.

Although it did not seem to be overheating, there was a little over flow when I parked the car... like a cup's worth. I am hoping I just over-filled the radiator before the drive and it is finding its level. I had filled it to the bottom of the neck. The overflow just dumps on the ground and not into an overflow tank.

I am tempted to put a 7 pound cap on but Skip said don't go above 4 pounds.

Any suggestions would be welcome.

[rotorwrench]

Ford was playing around with the caps & radiators in the 8BA era. The 1-inch depth radiator filler bung was for the 7# cap. The 1951 Mercury was set up for 7# and I think Ford followed suit in 1952 but replacement radiators were generally set up for 7# so a person has to check them for depth to see what they have. These radiators were strong enough to take it so if it fits, don't be afraid to use it.


59A radiators & earlier back to immediate post war had pressure caps but they were 4#. A quick look at the radiator filler bung will clue a person in on what type cap it had. Early radiators were never set up for pressure but many of them and new ones can take the 4# adapter that Skip sells. An old radiator with corroded tubes & tanks can blow out but none of them will last forever.

[JSeery]

You really need to know what the temp really is before getting concerned and making changes. IR temperature guns are very inexpensive and easy to find. A higher pressure cap shouldn't make any difference in the "running" temperature of the engine, it raises the boiling point for boil over. Running a higher pressure cap shouldn't be an issue, but it also shouldn't change your gauge reading.

[RalphG]

My 52 Merc will run up above the half way mark on the temp gauge if I drive it more than a few miles but a quick check with an infra red heat gun has never shown it to be over 190 degrees on either head so I don't worry about it. I don't know if the old rad cap on mine even has any pressure holding capability but I never see any overflow either. The old radiator has a few weak spots so I'm not going to push my luck by adding a higher pressure cap.

[dakotafarmboy]

Thanks. An IR heat gun is now on my shopping list.

The bung is one inch deep and both of the shown caps fit it.

The 7# cap on the left is from Van Pelt and feels good going on and off and really feels like it makes a good seal. I will not be afraid to use it now.

The 4 # cap is on the right and fits ok but I do not get the sense that the spring-loaded seal at the bottom seats as well as that on the 7# cap. Issue might be just in my head?

I appreciate the comment that the pressure rating on the cap will not affect operating temperature. I will get the IR gun and see what the real temp is. Do I just aim it at the center of each head? Never been around one to know how big the "shot pattern" is.

[chap52]

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Recent IR gun post:
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=249014

[paul2748]

Really should not fill it up to the filler neck - water needs room for expansion when heated.

[dakotafarmboy]

Thanks for the tip on not filling it up to the neck. I am hoping the radiator has now pumped out all it needs to pump out based on expansion.



We will have the car in a short parade this weekend, so we will find out how well it is cooling!