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Flathead RUNS HOT - won't cool.

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by ace high, Apr 17, 2012.

  1. bobscogin
    Joined: Feb 8, 2007
    Posts: 1,771

    bobscogin
    Member

    Your engine looks to be a bit further forward than mine, and I got the part where you had to cut the belt sheave off, but this is how I got everything down low enough to clear the hose connections and still use a 14" fan. Alternator mounts to the fan carrier plate.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  2. Try it without restrictions! You are going in the wrong direction. I would check the timing and think about buying a copper radiator. Speedway sells a pulley for an alternator that you can bolt a fan to. The alternator pulley is small so the fan speed is high. Maker sure you have a good fan. I would try a different temperature gauge. You did not mention the boil over of the coolant. See what happens without a radiator cap. Look in the radiator and see if there are bubbles which would mean a bad head gasket.
     
    Last edited: Apr 22, 2012
  3. Ghost of ElMirage
    Joined: Mar 18, 2007
    Posts: 758

    Ghost of ElMirage
    Member

    Thats what I thought Ace :)
     
  4. ace high
    Joined: Dec 15, 2007
    Posts: 246

    ace high
    Member

    Real Neat job !!!!! Great engineering. My block is an 8ba with longer W/pumps. Wish I had at least the room you got.
     
  5. ace high
    Joined: Dec 15, 2007
    Posts: 246

    ace high
    Member


    Tried without restrictions. It ran the same as with Thermostats. Fan on alternater pulley is to high in my application. It boils over without a cap.
    (Added pressure from cap raises boiling oint of water) Double checked temperature with an alternate gauge-Same result. No air bubbles in coolant. I'm leaning more an more toward radiator. This is my first aluminum and I'm not sure how it would compare to a good copper one.
     
  6. ace high
    Joined: Dec 15, 2007
    Posts: 246

    ace high
    Member


    Ohhhh !!! I got you figured out now. !!!!
     
  7. trollst
    Joined: Jan 27, 2012
    Posts: 2,108

    trollst
    Member

    Ace High, you got lots of rad, the car runs no hood, this car should run cooler, you'll need thermostats to control the flow. When the engine is hot, the thermostats are wide open, its not a thermostat issue, I suggest its not a coolant issue either. Before you spend big dollars, go buy yourself an infrared heat gun, ( a point and shoot thermometer), they're cheap, start by running the car up to hot, get out, point the gun at heat sources, (plugs, exhaust ports, thermostats, everywhere there's heat) Then the bottom water pump inlets, the top outlets, bottom of rad, top of rad, that'll give you an amazing amount of info, could be you have a plugged rad, could be you have a plugged block, for some simple reason its not cooling, this stuff is not rocket science. I use my infrared all the time, it'll point out a bad plug immediately, it'll show which brake is tighter than the others, how hot the tranny and rear end get, rear wheel bearings temps, very useful tool. Once you get one of these guns, all your buddies will play with it, you'll be king for a day, most importantly, I bet you'll find your problem. Believe it or not, what you describe happening is classic plugged rad, takes a long time to heat up, long time to cool, maybe someone mixed yellow coolant with green, resulting in jello in the engine and rad, could be block casting sand, check the obvious first. I'm curious, let us know?
     
  8. ace high
    Joined: Dec 15, 2007
    Posts: 246

    ace high
    Member


    Thanks for the insite. What's the best type of place to get the temperature reader ? I tried Advanced Auto Parts and Autozone and they didn't know what I was talking about. Also what do they usually cost?
     
  9. Mr 42
    Joined: Mar 27, 2003
    Posts: 1,215

    Mr 42
    Member
    from Sweden

  10. bobscogin
    Joined: Feb 8, 2007
    Posts: 1,771

    bobscogin
    Member

    Yeah, squeezing everything in there with the 8ba pump and distributor set up is a lot more challenging.

    Bob
     
  11. George/Maine
    Joined: Jan 6, 2011
    Posts: 949

    George/Maine
    Member

    All things i have changed and mine is still running hoter then it should.
    One thing is these block have no freeze out plugs.When I replaced my waterpumps
    I cleaned out the block the best i could,but hard to get to back.
    If i were to find fault with mine its bored .060 over and has sleves,I even have a ECA mercury head low commpression.I ,m running headers with dual should reduse heat.
    How much of the elect fan housing is blocking air flow.
    If its boiling over you know its hot.
     
  12. ace high
    Joined: Dec 15, 2007
    Posts: 246

    ace high
    Member

    I wouldn't think that .060 bore and sleeves should cause a problem. Which Walker radiator did you get the Cobra or the Z-Line?
     
  13. Some people have trouble distinguishing boiling over and compression blowing the coolant out.
     
  14. JohnEvans
    Joined: Apr 13, 2008
    Posts: 4,883

    JohnEvans
    Member
    from Phoenix AZ

    If you have not used a "Block Check" to see if you have combustion gases leaking into the cooling system you are pissing in the wind. Autozone I believe rents them and any radiator shop worth the name will have one. Using a caustic cooling system cleaner with aluminum heads is not the best idea either. Years ago I ran a flattie bored .187 over and better than 9 to 1 comp. with a flathead Caddy V-8 radiator and it ran right on the 180* stats here in Phoenix in 110* summer temps. That radiator fit a 34 truck grill shell so was not giant 4 row core as I recall. If your igninion timing does not advance correctly that will cause heating issues also.
     
  15. jack orchard
    Joined: Aug 20, 2011
    Posts: 238

    jack orchard
    Member

    has a block test been done to test for combustion gases in the radiator?....jack
     
    Last edited: Apr 22, 2012
  16. George/Maine
    Joined: Jan 6, 2011
    Posts: 949

    George/Maine
    Member

    I have a 39 Ford Standard and just looked to find what i bought.
    Mine calls for a Z495-1 Note zz Only available in the Z line series.
    Notice Cobra Standard serr-ies radiators are designed to coll small block
    engine that are not modified and have not been BORED.
    All other engine applications should refer to our z series(Heavy Duty) Raditors
    [​IMG]
    I have to get a longer belt thats why no belt on fan.
    Maybe in parade if not over heating.
     
  17. ace high
    Joined: Dec 15, 2007
    Posts: 246

    ace high
    Member

    I think either of those radiators would do the job in you case. That mechanical fan should work great. Wish I had the room to use it.
     
  18. GMC BUBBA
    Joined: Jun 15, 2006
    Posts: 3,420

    GMC BUBBA
    Member Emeritus


    :eek:
    PUT ME DOWN AS THE FIFTH GUY TO SAY "CHECK YOUR TIMING""".......
     
  19. ace high
    Joined: Dec 15, 2007
    Posts: 246

    ace high
    Member

    Bubba,
    I had you convert a Mallory Unilite Housing & shaft for me a while back.
    (That's all I sent you) I never re-did the advance curve. Now I'm running a static 10* and I get about 28* @ 2500rpm, but I don't think its coming in fast enough. I'd like to buy a spring kit from you to get the proper curve.
     
  20. GMC BUBBA
    Joined: Jun 15, 2006
    Posts: 3,420

    GMC BUBBA
    Member Emeritus

    No need to change springs in the Mallory, they are tension adjustable by bending a tang thru the top plate. They use two springs a light and a heavy, you can see the difference looking thru the hole. You can bend the small one inward allowing the advance to come in sooner.
    However it looks like to me that 18 degrees at 2500 rpm is pretty good for a flathead. You might come off the 10 degree intial and see if that cools ya down any????
     
  21. grego31
    Joined: Aug 28, 2006
    Posts: 451

    grego31
    Member
    from Sac, CA

    Just out of curiosity, what kind and number spark plugs are you running?
     
  22. six pack to go
    Joined: Aug 2, 2008
    Posts: 1,938

    six pack to go
    Member
    from new jersey

    I run the washers and stock 34 rad and cap.. no problems!
     
  23. six pack to go
    Joined: Aug 2, 2008
    Posts: 1,938

    six pack to go
    Member
    from new jersey

    also cut down Ford fan.. no electric fans... hope you track it down.. that car is too nice to be mad at!! Iv'e been there tho... it sucks! Good luck!
     
  24. JohnEvans
    Joined: Apr 13, 2008
    Posts: 4,883

    JohnEvans
    Member
    from Phoenix AZ

    OP : One more time HAVE you checked for a combustion gas leakage into the cooling system???
     
  25. ace high
    Joined: Dec 15, 2007
    Posts: 246

    ace high
    Member


    Running Autolite 216 plugs
     
  26. ace high
    Joined: Dec 15, 2007
    Posts: 246

    ace high
    Member

    What I have done is done a coolant system pressure leak down test. Held steady 18 lbs for 5 minutes-
     
  27. I would still recommend a combustion gas check, just to rule it out once and for all.

    Bob
     
  28. JohnEvans
    Joined: Apr 13, 2008
    Posts: 4,883

    JohnEvans
    Member
    from Phoenix AZ

    That's fine as far as that goes BUT you can have several HUNDRED pounds of combustion pressure. And when running heat makes things move and clearences open up. Do the test and either it will eliminate that possiablity or show where the issue really is.
     
  29. Hemi Joel
    Joined: May 4, 2007
    Posts: 1,528

    Hemi Joel
    Member
    from Minnesota


    Are you sure? i thought that if you put in a smaller radiator, knocked the water flow down to almost nothing, put a 2 pound cap on it, it would run cool as an igloo in january? And if that's not cool enuff, you should put cardboard in front of the radiator to shut off the air flow too.... and if it still over heats, take out the water pumps altogether because my grampa had a model T with no water pump and that thing NEVER overheated, so that has to be it.:rolleyes:
     
  30. Hemi Joel
    Joined: May 4, 2007
    Posts: 1,528

    Hemi Joel
    Member
    from Minnesota

    Sorry for the sarcasm. Now I'll try to help. When does it get hot? If it gets hot going down the highway, the radiator is too small, or the coolant flow thru the rad is too slow. If it gets hot idleing and going slow around town, your fan does not move enuff air.
     

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