I know I know but just humor me here Right now I do not have any way to know how hot my flattie is running I plan to get my guages going at some point but I haven't had the chance yet. So I had one of the reproduction Motometers the same ones that attatch to the stock Model A screw caps .I am running a Mustang radiator, so I drilled a hole in the mustang cap and installed the Motometer I do not run a pressurized system as I keep the cap half on .where it is not turned closed to full lock. I dont seem to be losing any coolant, and it's not steaming at all. So I think I am running cold enough as is. OK .now the Motometer just has a window that shows the safe range for driving does anyone know what the temp equivelent is? Really as long as I know that I am not running hot I almost don't care but has anyone used this for a flathead? Were these ever used on 32 fords with a flattie V8? Thanks for any thoughts. Tim MBL
maybe you could temperarly install a mechanical temp gauge and use that to calibrate the motormeter. i have a motormeter on my `28 tudor and i do notice it rise , but i have now idea what temp it represents
Ha! you know I was thinking along the same lines..but I was going to use this BBQ fork that tells me the temp of my smoked pork! Tim MBL
Sold by Ford only for '28-31, going out of fashion by '32 because of styling change...Ford offered acessory dash temp gauge in '32. Motometer readings just have to be learned in relation to your car--note that the thing doesn't actually reach down to water level, it just samples the ambience drfting and splashing around the tank. I'd suggest borrowing a temp mechanical gauge while learning the habits of the Motometer, but once you learn where good and bad are on its scale it should be fine.
I bought some marine engine gauges that screw right into the head where the sending unit goes. They are very acurate. I found them on ebay. I've seen a similar Moon screw in gauge. overspray
Very good advice, It may read in the middle of the range but if you don't know what that range is, you could be doing damage! Is there any specific reason why you only have the cap half on? May not be a good idea if there are no other problems with the system.
Well...I have been told that its good to run a low pressure/no pressure system on a flathead. Other than that...I don't know...I have gotten it up to operating temp...after I guess 20 minutes or so of driving...and I don't have any steam or boiling over...I would expect that it would if it were overheating. Tim MBL
Ok, never heard of that for a flattie before. A cooling system is more efficient if it works under pressure. It will slow down the time it takes to over heat if you ever get stuck in traffic or on hot days. Remember water boils at 100*C with the system under pressure if it exceeds that it wont boil and will work longer before trouble starts. But if its working and your happy, so be it! Doc.
Only reason low or no pressure is recommended is because early radiator tanks are big and unsupported, and the flexing of pressure rising and falling can break the seams at top of core. Ford ran 4 lbs on the few that were pressurized.
So really...I can put my cap all the way on then...with the mustang radiator... hmmm...but now, I don't have the spring and pressure realease mechanism since I put the Motometer in...I wonder if that will make it too presureized. I just have the top rubber seal. Tim MBL
Look at a few caps from different suppliers--you may find one on which the meter and its nut can simply replace the rivet, at least on a pre-1970's type cap without the intake valve thing. If innards are removed, cap will seal only at flange above the overflow and so won't have any pressure. The overflow is the real gauge--steam or droplets on windshield mark the red part of the gauge. No need for them little round things on dash...
Ford radiator caps for V8s were rated at 4 lbs, as were probably all radiator caps in the pre-pressure era. An optional 9lb. pressure cap became available which fit 38-48 and 38-47 pickups.
So...I don't have any pressure even if I close it all the way down. Got it...I didn't see how the smaller rubber seal actually sealed against anything...I guess it must have a secondary surface inside of the tank. So do we seen any problem running the way I have it? Without the pressure? If I have overflow, then It would indicate temp above 212 degrees..right? And we don't want that. Tim MBL
So my original radiator in my '51 F1 should hold up to a 9lb cap? This is good news if true. (sorry about the thread hijack...)
I ran a higher pressure cap on my 38 radiator, original top tank on a new core and header plate. Never caused a leak in 20+ years. I know of dozens of 33-38 cars with the same set up, my old man built hundreds of them. With a Mustang radiator there will be no problems with pressure. As for the Temp Gage I dunno if it will work. As for waiting for the overflow to over flow, seriously bad idea. I don't want to offend you Dave but you can really hurt a motor doing that to it! I learned all this from my father 30+ years in the auto cooling industry, he owns three shops so its not unfounded info.
Please understand that it is not my intention to cause overflow...I just thought that the overflow would indicate that it was overheating with my setup...Currently it is not boiling over... Someone can correct me if I'm wrong here..but since it is not a pressurized system...it will boil out at 212 degrees..and if it doesn't boil out..then I know that the engine is at least below that..maybe? Tim MBL
You are right but by heating a motor to the boiling point it is then impossible to keep track of the heat with your setup, you need a proper gage setup to do that. having the motor boil like that IS NOT GOOD FOR THE MOTOR! If you could post a pic of the cap your using would help, there should be a seal that seats in the bottom of the filler spout that is spring loaded?
I drilled that out to put the Motometer in..so there is no spring loaded seal. Right now..I don't know how hot it is running...I don't plan on having it boil out. I just wanted to use something to get an idea of how hot its running. I will probably get a mech guage to see the range of the Motometer..and see what happens... Tim MBL
Ok, I see. Like I said before a guage would be the best way to go. If you cant get that and radiator shop will have the meat Temp guage type thing for a radiator. Drop in and I'm sure someone will sit one in there to give you an idea free of charge. That will give you a rough idea until you can get the guage sorted.
The probe to the Motometer has to be in the water to read correctly. Now, wait until the wife goes to work and take your Motometer and her Cooking thermometer into the kitchen. Put water in her best pan and turn on the stove, install M-meter and t-meter. Make some referance marks at say 180 degrees and 200. Clean up her shiet before she catches you.
The Motometer does not reach the water--at least for long. Any unpressurized system and those pressurized systems that lack return valve and catch bottle will blow water out as heat increases until it finds the level it can maintain! Water level will typically stabilize (unless you have a leak) well below the cap level and above the core, and it will return to that level on the first drive if you try to top it up. Motormeter probe is not immersed directly. Originals were calibrated to reflect a reasonable relationship with water temp, but were actually measuring fog temp upstars from the water.
Okay don't laugh... I have a meat thermometer stuck in my radiator. right between lamb and poultry is good operating temp. 175-190. Its a temp till I get the rest of my "real" gauges hooked up, but it works!! and only 7 $.
Well right now...as some may have seen..I have 1" copper pipe running my coolant on the top..and I have a 2-core mustang radiator...I have no thermostats...since it's problematic with the tube/hose reduction at the 59 AB heads. If I am not overheating...which I suspect that I'm not...I would attribute this to haveing the right amount of restriction to have the water cooled in the radiator. Maybe I'm wrong here..I don't know. If I use the Motometer and I can find the operating range...this will be a useful tool. I think... Tim MBL
Not trying to be a smartarse, but get a torch for those night time runs. Had to rescue a buddy late one night, coz he couldn't see it and just forgot about checking.
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