Help! I've got a 1950 Buick special eight with original straight eight and it has real over heating problems. I've thought about getting an electric fan but not sure what to get. I'd appreciate any suggestions. This is my "starter car" and my knowlege is real limited. Please help.
might try making a fan shroud for your fan... do a flush of the coolant and put some additative called Purple Ice in there along with antifreeze and water... Ive added it to almost everything I own.. had good results every time... Last option see if the thermostat is sticking or is a wrong temperature that can cause this also.. Few things to also check, have the rad cap off when the car has cooled down, start it, see if you have bubbles comming through the coolant, if you have a blown head gasket and its allowing exhaust to go into the coolant it will superheat the coolant for sure...
Unless you've already done it, I would go through the radiator, hoses, etc, and make sure everything is in good shape first. Has the radiator been flushed/checked for trash in it? Are the hoses new? Thermastat? New cap? Start with the basics before jumping to needing an electric fan.
I've changed all the hoses bypassed the heater, bought a new rad cap flushed the system and removed the rad and had it cleaned and checked out and also replaced the old stuck thermostat. I'll give the other suggestion a try ASAP thanks!
Does it get hot idleing or at speed? Slow around town not enough air movement on the highway the engine is makeing more heat but air is good the problem is in the radiator.
Well it ran it without the rad cap as suggested. After a few minutes I did get some intermittent bubbles. Are there any more diagnostic signs for a blown head gasket?
Do a check for combustion gas leakage ie blown head gasket or a crack. A radiator shop can do this or some parts stores have them to loan. If this checks out OK look for dist not advancing ,lean mixture ,plugged exhaust . An electric fan is not a magic cure all ,usually a waste of money.
Hey Johnny Bomb, My 50 Super was doing this when I first got it on the road. The 1st problem I had was the block needed to be flushed, 2nd the Water pump. I am thinking this is your problem. The fan shroud I'm sure would also be a great idea, I am going to do that this winter. Chuck
One of my first projects on the car was replacing the freeze plug on the back side of the block. It had blown out and was spraying water out everywhere. It got flushed pretty good. I flushed it again just a couple of weeks ago.
Long shot here! You mention bypassing the heater, is it possible that is causing the problem because some heaters are part of the thermostat bypass system. I have had limited experience with striaght motor Buicks but they are a very tall motor could you have some traped air at the top of the head that could normally be burped at the heater that you have now bypassed? Lately I have noticed not all new thermostats are good recheck the thermostat operation in a pot of water heated up slowly and observe the opening of the stat.
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