Operating temperature

[daoust]

I have a '47 Ford convertible. Original flathead V8. I drove it about 75 miles each way from NH to Boston yesterday. I have after-market dual temp gauges installed. I had Skip Haney recondition the water pumps this spring. I'm running a 50/50 coolant mix.

On the way down (leaving at 8:00 AM) she ran in the 190-210 degree range. The right side always seems run about 5 degrees hotter than the left. On the way back (at about 2:00 PM) she ran hotter; slowing climbing to almost 230 degrees by the time I got home. The ambient outdoor temp never got out of the 70s. When I got home, I let her cool and she took about a gallon of water to refill the system.

I had some over-heating issues last year. I had the radiator "rodded" and that seemed to help. I have a series of questions:

What should be the correct operating temp?

I'm thinking about have the radiator "re-cored." Will that help?

Is there anything else I can do to get her to run a bit cooler? I'd like to drive it without constantly worrying about overheating.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

[wga]

Engine condition? Timing set correctly? Do you have exhaust gases in the engine?
The latter can be checked by a exhaust gas analyser at the water neck. Do you have a independent service shop in your area that you can have them check this? This will give you some idea if you have a head gasket problem or a crack in the block, where exhaust gases are heating up your coolant

Use a vac gauge to check engine condition, should be a steady needle at 20 - 21 on the gauge. Adjust timing to get the highest reading, then back off slightly.

If the engine block has some crud it in, suggest you get some Irontite block cleaner or have a shop clean it.

[daoust]

Thank you. Engine is in very good condition. Had the heads planed this spring and installed brand new copper head gaskets. I will have the vacuum test done.

Thanks again.

[Chris Nelson]

You said that the engine is in very good condition. Did you have it rebuilt and if so, did the cooling passages get cleaned out? I removed over a quart of old foundry sand from the back of a flathead. Henry did not clean them very well. It causes hot spots in the engine, thus overheating. Is your pressure cap working? Usually about 4 to 5 lbs is sufficient for the cap. Did you lose the water in the radiator due to boiling over or where did it go? You could add a bottle of Water Wetter to the radiator. It may help hold down the upper temp. Aren't flatheads fun?
I just got done removing and reinstalling a flathead in my 46 Ford Conv. for the 6th time. Each time was for a differant problem. I finally got it right.

[Chris Nelson]

As a PS; you may wish to take a compression check to be sure of your head gaskets. It doesn't take much time and can give you an indication if anything is wrong.

[Cecil/WV]

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Fill it up to the neck of the radiator and let it run and watch for bubbles. New gaskets doesn't mean it isn't leaking.

[Bruce Lancaster]

Initial timing is only a minor part of that area...run up engine with timing light and see how it advances up to 2,000 with a timing light. I've posted a way to mark off pulley which can be done either with permanent marks or easily removed temporary ones. Before this test back off vac adjust with your fingers, not a wrench, all the way and then turn it back in one to two turns. Your static timing is not affecting anything at road speeds, the centrifugal has to be checked out!
It should be able to hold thermostat temp under most conditions once sorted out.
Road test for pinging, if none leave it there (most likely case), if pinging turn it in slightly and re-test...

[FlatheadTed]

Like the others do a TK test Ex gasses or what Cecil says, then if all checks out good then my vote Radiator is inefficient .You can improve cooling a bit with water wetter fan shroud and a over flow bottle ,but best is a new core with possible a extra row of tubes .

[46ford]

Do you have thermostats? You didn't mention that above. Without them I barely get above 180 degrees, and my engine is original with no work done except a gasket set and new points in the distributor (I run about 50 - 55 mph max).

[daoust]

Yes, I have thermostats. New copper head gaskets this spring. When we had the heads off the water passages looked clean. Compression has always checked out. I've decided to have the radiator re-cored. Hopefully that will solve the problem.

Thanks to all.

[flatjack9]

Dump the anti freeze and try running with just water. This solved my overheating problems years ago. I have recommended this to other guys, and everyone said the engine ran cooler.

[daoust]

I'm going with a re-cored 4 row radiator. Also going to run distilled water only. No coolant and no Water Wetter. I want to establish that set-up as a base line. Will report back.

[JWL]

I suggest a Walker radiator rather than a "recore". Far superior to any recore I have ever had done.

[Richard in Florida]

Originally Posted by JWL

I suggest a Walker radiator rather than a "recore". Far superior to any recore I have ever had done.

John,

I'm window shopping for radiators in my financial future. Couldn't find one at the Walker site.

I was looking at a "US Radiators #50020-SNN" at Classic Radiators, and the description includes this:

"They are available in several core designs such as three or four rows of 1/2" tubes on 9/16", 7/16", or 5/16" centers."

What's the functional difference? What's best for an 8BA?

[G.M.]

Sounds like your Pressure cap may be bad. Did you follow Skips instructions and add 2 bottles of Purple Ice?? How about the large bottle of heavy duty aluminum Barr's leak?? Also you need a laser pointed thermometer for accurite temperatures. What themostats do you have, most restrict the water flow. The only modern stats that work are from [email protected] Follow Skips instructions then email [email protected] before wasteing money. G.M.

[flatjack9]

Originally Posted by daoust

I'm going with a re-cored 4 row radiator. Also going to run distilled water only. No coolant and no Water Wetter. I want to establish that set-up as a base line. Will report back.

Why not test your existing radiator with that set up. Will tell you how much better the new radiator is (hopefully).

[daoust]

Had the radiator re-cored . Re-installed it today. Running 50/50 mix. Took her for a good run after installing and temp never got over 160.

Hopefully problem solved.

[49r]

New radiator fixed the overheating problem with my 81A engine. Losing water with my 8BA was a head gasket problem. Hope you've got it sorted.

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by JWL

I suggest a Walker radiator rather than a "recore". Far superior to any recore I have ever had done.

From what I've seen of the Walker radiators, they don't look like the originals do they? Not like re-coring the original does. I re-cored mine and it looks just like the original but works like new.

Daoust, glad it worked for you as well as it worked for me.
Love your car, by the way.

[tudorbilll]

I Owen three Flatheads,21 stud 35 Tudor touring,35 pickup new 59ab,and 53 merc,new 8ba,All run160-170 at that ambient,Ten cars in our club went from Seattle to yellow stone in june 2300 mi round trip nobody got hot.Don't forget back in the day people drove million's of miles in fords