| shogun1940 | -- 09-24-2012 @ 5:53 PM |
|
has anyone ever tried to reverse flow a flat head so the coolest water goes into the heads first?
|
|
| ford38v8 | -- 09-24-2012 @ 6:06 PM |
|
Just my opinion, but I'd think the engine would run rough, requiring the choke to run smoothly, as the heads would be cold. Also, the head gaskets may fail as a result of the head/block temperature difference. Alan
|
|
| supereal | -- 09-24-2012 @ 6:12 PM |
|
It would defeat the natural "thermosiphon" activity that occurs in heated fluids. It is so efficient that it was used to circulate coolant in the Model T's.
|
|
| TomO | -- 09-25-2012 @ 8:04 AM |
|
It would also reduce the efficiency of the radiator, unless you changed the hoses so the heads are fed from the bottom of the radiator. Tom
|
|
| Stroker | -- 09-25-2012 @ 11:00 AM |
|
Overheating has been a topic of discussion since the earliest Flathead era. The Ford V8 has been faulted for not running the exhaust ports directly out of the block like the early Lincoln K Models, and Cadillac flathead V8's. There is a side benefit to the water jacket exhaust ports, and that is that the engine warms up quicker to reach the point where it will operate efficiently. Most of the problems that arise are due to either extreme duty cycles (heavy truck applications), or cooling system component issues, such as lime build-up in the block and radiator. Reversing the flow would not eliminate these issues, but would lengthen the warm-up period. All engines must have adequate heat present in the combustion chamber in order to make power. Overly cool combustion chambers limit the expansion of combustion products, with a resulting loss of performance.
|
|
| supereal | -- 09-25-2012 @ 11:12 AM |
|
The "valve in head" (OHV) design went a long way toward providing a more efficient exhaust flow. One critic called the Ford design of running the exhaust down thru the water jacket "an excellent water heater". Even so, the V8 design prospered for more than two decades, and the number still running is more than remarkable, and likely more than most others.
|
|
| EFV-8 Club Forum : | https://www.earlyfordv8.org/forum |
| Topic: | https://www.earlyfordv8.org/forum/viewmessages.cfm?Forum=18&Topic=5240 |