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EFV-8 Club Forum / General Ford Discussion / overheating

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Discussion Topic: overheating

tomlud

08-05-2012 @ 11:07 AM

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I've owned my 51 ford custom v-8 for 2 yrs and it has 46k miles showing which is believed to be correct and unsure if engine was ever gone thru. Lately it has started to overheat and few wks ago got hot lost coolant so i replaced both thermostats which open at 165 degrees. This helped some however yesterday i drove it 80 miles round trip to a car show and after about 20 miles the temp needle is at 3/4 (not sure what that temp degree is ??) If i reduce speed it gradually comes down. While the car idles wisper silent and runs great at 45-50 mph the engine seems to strain at 55-60 mph. (does have overdrive) My radiator neck is 1 inch deep and my 4 lb cap is only 3/4 inch deep which i will replace, howerver after 3/4 temp and 80 miles yesterday had no loss of coolant. A couple of oldtimers have told me to: 1. place washers on top of the thermostats and reinstall them and 2. slide smaller hoses inside the existing top radiator hoses to slow down the amount of circulation?? Do either of these suggestions make any sense? I'm not a mechanic and somewhat new to this hobby and would appreciate feedback from you older pros who know these old flatheads. Thanks. Tom.

supereal

08-05-2012 @ 12:01 PM

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One of the enduring Ford myths is that you need to slow down the circulation of the coolant to "allow more time for the radiator to work". Actually, the reverse is true. The longer the coolant stays in the block, the hotter it gets. A radiator has a finite ability to transfer the heat to the air, and a hotter load doesn't expand that capacity. Most of old car cooling problems stem from a radiator that is partially plugged or limed internally, or with fins that are full of bugs, etc. Tthere are other possibilities, of course. They can be as simple as a brake master cylinder that allows pressure buildup, causing dragging brakes, or as complicated as a gasket leak or block crack that require expertise to diagnose. Find the cause before you start changing parts, or you will likely complicate the process.

4ford

08-06-2012 @ 7:13 AM

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Supereal.
Just asking, so if you would not have any stats in the system and the cooling system was in good shape it should not get hot? I rember when my dad would take out the stats in the summer and put them back in in the winter months an no over heating would happen

TomO

08-06-2012 @ 8:31 AM

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Your symptoms are typical of not enough water flow, so adding washers to slow down the water flow would probably make things worse.

You add in that your engine begins to strain at 55-60, which changes the things that I would look at first.

Connect a vacuum gauge and check for a plugged exhaust.

http://autospeed.com/cms/title_Using-a-Vacuum-Gauge-for-Engine-Diagnostics/A_2393/article.html

Check the vacuum hose to the distributor advance for cracks or leaks. Check all other vacuum hoses as well.

Check the vacuum advance for correct operation.

Connect the timing light to cyl 1 and increase engine speed. You should get 10-11 degrees total advance in a smooth curve from idle.

If all of those things are OK, then I would look at coolant circulation or radiator efficiency.

Tom

supereal

08-06-2012 @ 9:33 AM

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Tom said it all. I run 160 thermostats year around. They help the engine warm up sooner, lessening sludge formation. In addition, they provide a slight back pressure in the block to reduce hot spots in the water jacket. Many run just water in the summer with a container of anti rust in it. Plain water is a better coolant than antifreeze.

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