| fordmerc | -- 02-11-2018 @ 2:25 PM |
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I have 3500 miles on recored radiator. Always filled with antifreeze. Now car is overheating and l am almost out of solutions. How likely is it that my radiator has failed at this time?
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| cliftford | -- 02-11-2018 @ 4:24 PM |
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Not very likely. There is probably another cause.
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| carcrazy | -- 02-11-2018 @ 11:44 PM |
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Other things that can cause overheating are: low coolant level, loose fan or water pump drive belts, and missing seals or shields that allow the airflow to travel around the radiator rather than through it.
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| GK1918 | -- 02-12-2018 @ 4:52 AM |
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My bet like my own problem was dumping stop leak in there for 50ys. Because I bought a radiator and just about needed a chain fall to get it out weighed as much as me. Now the truck is burping steaming and I bet the block is all loaded up. All those yrs my father and myself using all kinds of stop leak. He bought the truck F6 new in 1950 so go figure,
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| woodiewagon46 | -- 02-12-2018 @ 8:25 AM |
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You don't mention how much you drive your car, but if it was ok for 3500 miles, then something had to change. Perhaps the fan belts have stretched and are slipping. Does the car overheat while driving or at a standstill?
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| trjford8 | -- 02-12-2018 @ 10:02 AM |
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If your car sits for long periods of time you may be the victim of electrolysis. If you have aluminum heads with the cast iron block and add your copper/brass radiator, you have a recipe for electrolysis. It can easily plug the tubes in the radiator. Look in your radiator and see if you can see the tubes. Blocked tubes are easily spotted. Anti freeze may slow it down, but it does not stop it.
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| CharlieStephens | -- 02-12-2018 @ 11:09 AM |
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How do you know it is overheating? If it is because of the gauge you might check it by putting the sender in boiling water. Any chance the thermostat is sticking? What are the solutions you tried? It sounds too soon to be having radiator problems. Charlie Stephens
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| fordmerc | -- 02-13-2018 @ 8:11 AM |
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Thanks for responses. I know it is overheating for three reasons: the gauge hits hot, the car gets vapor lock (I have to sit a while to get it going again) and surface infrared temps are 214-220 on the head at the rear (similar but a tad lower at front). The car is driven in the warm weather only, but by 78 deg ambient temp it will overheat at 25 mph – a little longer to vapor lock at higher speeds. Inspection of the cores looks “like new” . I have checked distributor timing, changed coolant, re-tensioned the belt; water pumps were done by Skip at time of rebuild, there are no thermostats and I believe that all seals and shields are correct. This problem began last year which is relatively suddenly, I spent last summer going through things that might be wrong and I couldn’t drive it last summer for that reason. I hope to resolve the problem so I can get back on the road soon.
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| cliftford | -- 02-13-2018 @ 9:16 AM |
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Remove the cap with the engine running [carefully], look down the filler and see if you can see any sigh of circulation. If not there is a restriction somewhere. May be bad hoses? If you can see coolant moving, check temp on top and bottom tanks, to see if there is a difference. also is there any chance the air flow through the core is plugged?
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| woodiewagon46 | -- 02-13-2018 @ 12:52 PM |
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I did read once about the inner part of a radiator hose collapsing and the outer part remained intact, so you couldn't tell. Follow Cliffs suggestion to check circulation.
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| carcrazy | -- 02-13-2018 @ 1:50 PM |
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Something else could be causing the engine to overheat. Are any of the brakes dragging? Does the engine hold good manifold vacuum? You could have a plugged up exhaust system. There could be excessive resistance to air flow through the air cleaner. If the car sat long without being used, rodents or other vermin could have taken up residence in the car's various openings.
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| fordmerc | -- 02-14-2018 @ 6:57 AM |
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OK. More things to check when weather warms up since I am reluctant to start the car at 25 deg just for a test – and the drive is full of snow anyway!
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| TomO | -- 02-14-2018 @ 8:30 AM |
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What year car are we talking about? Did you change any thing before the problem started? Tom
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| fordmerc | -- 02-15-2018 @ 7:21 AM |
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'39 ; nothing changed (that I am aware of) This message was edited by fordmerc on 2-15-18 @ 7:24 AM
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| TomO | -- 02-15-2018 @ 8:14 AM |
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A quick check on the radiator is to measure temp on the top tank front, opposite where the hose feeds the coolant and then at the bottom tank, where the coolant leaves the radiator. The typical temp change is 15 degrees. Checking at the hose connections lets you see what is happening on both tanks. Give us a brief history of how the cooling system performed after the radiator replacement and the conditions that you are experiencing overheating. Can you drive along at 35 mph without over heating? Or does it only overheat in traffic? Your "vapor lock" could be a coil or condenser. Did you check the spark when you tried to restart it? Your spark should be good at idle when you start the car and let it run for a few minutes. You can check it in the garage for a good 1/2" spark blue in color. Tom
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| fordmerc | -- 02-15-2018 @ 10:49 AM |
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History: total rebuild, including recored radiator. Had one episode of vapor lock in a parade at 90 degrees a few years ago – I haven’t been in a parade since! Most driving in the past has been at road speed – 35-50 mph. No other “heat” problems until last spring. Since then it will overheat. I have not had the courage to drive far enough away to get to where I can sustain 50 mph, because once it gets hot, it will die at a stop sign or if I have to slow down. (It will restart if I wait 10-15 min, but death recurs a short time later at stops. Skip rebuilt the coil; condenser is a good idea and can be replaced (but when the temp gauge is “pegged” I can’t ignore the heat issue). Given my local weather, I am going to defer startup until I can get on the road at the same time.
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| carcrazy | -- 02-15-2018 @ 2:41 PM |
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This is a real longshot. Perhaps one or both of the waterpump impellers has loosened up and is slipping on the waterpump shaft.
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| TomO | -- 02-16-2018 @ 7:52 AM |
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You can make the checks, that I listed in my last post, in your driveway. From your description, I would be careful about driving it. If you have a dwell meter, connect it to the condenser tab on the coil and check for 36 - 38 degrees dwell. Replace the points if it is out of range. If you have good spark and the radiator checks out, and both sides of the engine are at similar temperatures, connect your vacuum gauge to the ww port and check for a low reading. If your vacuum is in the 10-12 inches of vacuum, pull the timing gear cover to check that the timing gear is still lined up with the crank gear. Spring is just around the corner, so I hope that you get your car running right and can enjoy a summer of fun. Tom
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| JohnA | -- 02-17-2018 @ 9:12 AM |
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I"m leaning maybe towards what somebody mentioned about something getting up tailpipe,depending where stored.I realize a long shot,but after ready to fire check tailpipe exhaust.
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| cliftford | -- 02-17-2018 @ 6:10 PM |
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All of this online diagnosing is, at best, educated guesswork. that being said, I don't know what your level of expertise is, but I would get another knowlegable person to check these all these things with you. I have seen two or more good mechanics diagnose the same problem and one will find a problem that the others will miss good luck.
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