Where does your 53 Ford run?

Garagekulture13 said:
I'm a bit nervous to drive the car as is. I'd sure hate to cook that motor.
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Not sure that much concern is justified, you have a lot of responses stating that their cars normally run in that area of the gauge. 180 to 190 is a good operating temperature for a flathead. An even higher is not going to hurt anything. Driving it with the coolant actually boiling is not a good idea. With a pressurized system that is probably somewhere around 220.
 
I have a 52 and I tested all the gauges while the cluster was out of the vehicle. Easy to do. Simple remove your sending unit and mount it in a coffee can of water with the sending unit grounded to the car ground and the and an extension wire to the sending unit wire. heat the water up and note where the gauge sits at different temperatures. I used an after market sending unit which may have a different response to the gauge needle at different temperatures compare to the king seeley senders. Until you get confidence in hiow your car runs, having OK temperature right at hot on the gauge gives no warning when it gets too hot.
 

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Scott52 said:
I have a 52 and I tested all the gauges while the cluster was out of the vehicle. Easy to do. Simple remove your sending unit and mount it in a coffee can of water with the sending unit grounded to the car ground and the and an extension wire to the sending unit wire. heat the water up and note where the gauge sits at different temperatures. I used an after market sending unit which may have a different response to the gauge needle at different temperatures compare to the king seeley senders. Until you get confidence in hiow your car runs, having OK temperature right at hot on the gauge gives no warning when it gets too hot.
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Scott, those number look off, I would guess it is the different sensing unit.
 
Bought mine from radiator express this is 5 years ago i think it was @ 265.00 shipped to my door excellent product fit was perfect
 
I drove the car into work this morning to give one more go and test with a IR gun. I got to work which is a 9 mile drive and she was riding on the tic mark to the right of the wide white bar.

DS center of head 226°
PS center of head 218°
DS thermostat housing 216°
PS thermostat housing 206°
Top of radiator was over 200°

I don't remember exactly because the spring popped off the hood which distracted me and not really what I wanted at 5am. Obviously these numbers will worsen today on the way home with the ambient temps close to 100°.

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Those temperatures sound a bit high. When I first got my '51, I had marginal overheating problems alot like you're seeing. A recored radiator solved that. I would try to correct that before something bad happens. The $265 radiator merntioned above sounds like good insurance. (It cost more than that to recore mine in 1988.)
 
I appreciate the response from everyone. When I got off work tonight I drained the radiator and pulled the thermostats. Radiator appears to be clogged in serval cores and both thermostats were 195s. I believe we may be on to something now.
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Looks like you are finding some issues! I agree, the 195s are a bit high. Something in the 180 to 185 range would be better. Can't bet the IR gun.
 
JSeery, I did mention in my post that the sending unit is after market. (Per the vendor, American made but cheaper than NOS). My message was intended that a calibration of existing sending units, original or aftermarket is not that difficult. I did the same thing with the oil sender and gauge. I just tapped of my 48 Power Wagon oil line and got a couple numbers.
 
Scott52 said:
JSeery, I did mention in my post that the sending unit is after market. (Per the vendor, American made but cheaper than NOS). My message was intended that a calibration of existing sending units, original or aftermarket is not that difficult. I did the same thing with the oil sender and gauge. I just tapped of my 48 Power Wagon oil line and got a couple numbers.
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Sounds like your on top of it!
 
Garagekulture13 said:
I appreciate the response from everyone. When I got off work tonight I drained the radiator and pulled the thermostats. Radiator appears to be clogged in serval cores and both thermostats were 195s. I believe we may be on to something now.
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There’s a lot of info here on flushing out the block. Might be a good idea while you have the radiator and stats out. It can only help to keep it cool.....Mark
 
Inside the heads don't look terrible. I got the old radiator out today and installed the new radiator. Fan hits it. It sits too low.
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It was hitting but now it's not. I had to run a shorter belt on the fan. The original top tank did not have any over hang but the new Champion radiator from Jegs does. Also I replaced the thermostats with 180s. I drove the car around town and when I got home I left it running in the driveway while I swept the shop with a heat index of 98°. In the pic you can see the temp. That is as hot as it got. I'd say the problem is solved.
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