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EFV-8 Club Forum / General Ford Discussion / Radiator cap for 1939 V8 Deluxe

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Posted By Discussion Topic: Radiator cap for 1939 V8 Deluxe -- page: 1 2     1939ute 02-03-2011 @ 5:52 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 80 Joined: Apr 2010 Could anyone tell me the correct cap and relief pressure of a 1939 Ford V8 Deluxe (twin core type radiator)please ? I have looked at specs from all over the place but haven't been able to satisfy myself that I have it right! Some say 3&1/2pound to 4&1/2 pound and others say up to 9 & 1/2 pounds! Thanks. Cheers, John 40guy 02-03-2011 @ 6:11 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 270 Joined: Oct 2009 About 4 lbs. 1939ute 02-03-2011 @ 6:21 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 80 Joined: Apr 2010 Thanks 40guy. Cheers, John alanwoodieman 02-03-2011 @ 8:18 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 873 Joined: Oct 2009 originally there was just a cap-no pressure rating at all, just an overflow, the overflow tube goes out an original radiator on the top and the cap is on the DS top of the tank on the slope, if you want to run pressure you must plug up the overflow and put some sort of overflow on the cap location, or you can get one of the pressure valves that go on the overflow tube -I think those are the 3 lb type, later replacement Ford radiators have the cap on the top and can be easily fitted with a 4-7 lb cap kubes40 02-04-2011 @ 6:06 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 3577 Joined: Oct 2009 Alan is quite correct. NO pressure. Attached is a photo of a correct cap. The photo is black & white so you can't easily determine that the center rivet is brass. Steel rivet caps were service parts, manufactured after WWII. supereal 02-04-2011 @ 10:50 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 6819 Joined: Oct 2009 Skip Haney makes a valve that fits on the end of the overflow tube and converts an open system to pressure. Anything over four lbs is asking for trouble. 1939ute 02-04-2011 @ 9:09 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 80 Joined: Apr 2010 Hello alanwoodieman, thanks for your reply; I think I might need to work this out as I had a new core fitted while I was restoring the radiator and I put the best of all the radiator bits back on the top and bottom tanks! In doing that, I ended up with the filler at the top, not on an angle on the side and the overflow is for the pressure type (I think)! I fitted a 4Lb (Mexico#4, available at Mac's) pressure cap! The reason I asked the question was because I have noticed a small spray mark on the inner fender on the right hand side and I think it's coming from the water pump! It's not leaking when it's cold but I think it's happening while driving when it gets hot. That made me wonder if I have put too much pressure on the pump seals? Both water pumps were recondition during the restoration and have only done about 200Mls max! My thinking was/is, while it doesn't seem to get any hotter the 190/200 , could the pressure be too high? I'm running coolant in the system and thought it would be better for keeping it cool and I wouldn't loose the coolant! Maybe I should put inhibitor in it and a non pressured cap! Any thoughts? I do thank everyone for their replies! Cheers, John 1939ute 02-04-2011 @ 9:18 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 80 Joined: Apr 2010 Hello kubes40, thanks for your reply with the attached photo! I have explained my reason for asking the question in the reply to alanwoodieman above and hope you wouldn't mind referring to that to understand better what I'm about here? Simply, should I run without coolant and a non pressure cap or coolant with a 4lb max pressure cap? Thanks again for your input. Cheers,John 1939ute 02-04-2011 @ 9:30 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 80 Joined: Apr 2010 Hello supereal, thanks for your reply, if I have fitted a (Mexico #4 cap) which is ratted at 4Lb, would I be doing the same thing as you have suggested or am I missing something here? Please refer to my reply above to alanwoodieman. Thanks for your help, I always appreciate the input I receive from this forum! Cheers, John TomO 02-05-2011 @ 6:54 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 7385 Joined: Oct 2009 John, the water pump sea;s should be able to stand 4 lbs pressure easily. Have you had your cap checked to see if it does relieve the pressure at 4 lbs? Your water pump seal may seat after a few hundred more miles. If it doesn't seat by the time you have 1,000 miles on it, you need to have it rebuilt again. Coolant will leak in spots that water will not. Water with rust inhibitor will cool slightly better that a 50/50 mix of coolant. In the USA, a lot of us use the Sierra brand of antifreeze due to the low foaming characteristics of the product. Your pressure cap should keep the foaming to a minimum. So, my recommendation is to use what ever works best for you. Tom

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