1932 Model B Loosing Water

E

Ed in Maine

Well-known member
I hope I won't upset anyone with this post but the Model B is close to a Model A.

This car is back on the road after a complete restoration. I have had water level problems since I first had the car on the road. The car now has 120 miles since going back on the road. I have changed the head gasket twice. The first time I just assumed that I did not torque the head nuts soon enough. The engine was completely rebuilt. The head and the block were milled to get a true surface. With the second head gasket, I thoroughly cleaned all the surfaces, sprayed the head, gasket and block with Permatex Head Gasket Sealer and torqued everything to 50 ft-lbs. I re-torqued often to be sure the torque settings stayed at 50 ft-lbs. After driving the car for 5-10 miles the radiator is down almost 2 quarts.

This is the current situation:
1. The water is going out the overflow pipe. When the car is at an idle or at slow speed, the water level is fine and there are no bubbles.
2. With the throttle set high, the water level quickly rises into the neck of the radiator and the water flows out the over flow tube. There are small bubbles but I can't tell if they are from a bad head gasket or an overly aggressive water pump.

I'm tempted to make a restricter for the upper radiator hose to reduce the flow from the water pump. I can monitor the water temperature so that it won't over heat. What do you think? Thank you for any comments. Ed
 
Unless I am missing something my first thought would be that the water is not going through the radiator fast enough. Do you have a friend with another radiator you could try? I say to try another one first, or at least have yours tested, because I had a friend spend $600 on a radiator only to find the problem was something else. I have never needed a restricter in any of my Model A's or B's.

Charlie Stephens
 
Ed, I responded to you on the EV8 forum. Is car overheating? Does it continue to lose water or only to a certain amount? Is initial timing set correctly? I'm sure others will chime in here w/ideas.
Paul in CT
 
Ed, everything 1931 said and just what condition is the radiator in, had a freind just in past two months spend hundreds on rodding out existing tubes, restrictors in top hose, and then changed the engine, it got hot above 35MPH and ran the water out, it was the radiator, try a water test, simple thing to do, take bottom hose off and pour water from bucket, what ever they say it should run straight though, the old radiators would not do this and his new radiator/recored one will, car runs great now, Bruce
 
Thank you for your replies. The radiator is a new core on original 32 tanks. It is a restored car. The water temperature at running condition is 145 F. It has not overheated. My complaint is that the water level is below the baffle and must have remained over the core. I have made a restricter disc that will fit in the 2 in. upper hose out of a piece of pressure treated wood. I will monitor the temperature. If it works stops the problem, I will make something out of aluminum. I will let you know how it works out. Maybe the core is restrictive but it sure is cooling OK. Thank you, Ed
 
Instead of jury rigging a restrictor, how about installing a t?stat? At least you're not o/heating, seems to be a problem w A's. Good luck
Paul in CT
 
I agree, just install a thermostat. I always had to add about 2 to 3 quarts per 50 mile trip until I added a thermostat. Now, I don't loose coolant and don't even bother to check it very often.
 
Just a quick note as we are in Vancover at the MAFCA meet, Same problem years ago, B pumps can mover too much water, Ground nealy all the fins of the inpeller , later pumps we used ,fitted A inpeller, you are moving to much water, thats the only change i made & 8 years later no more problems, It worked for me, Meet building up here, too vehicles to see all, Cops shut our speed event down yesturday, seems incorect permit, but got to see a few burn rubber, Derek from a nice warm Vancover,
 
Ed, I'll second what quickchange said about moving TOO much water. You could try taking (grinding) some material off of the impellars as a last resort.
Paul in CT
 
Ed,
The other guys all have good points and here's a few more. Be surethewater pump isn't sucking air into the system and ensure that there's a good seal at the packing nut. You can sometimes suck air but not loos water. Also, the baffle that's in the top of the radiator is very important. Make sure there is one and that it is adequate across the top of the tank. If it doesn't have an adequate baffle it could be pushing up the water and overflowing out the overflow. Not overheating, but just pushing the water ut. Personally, I like to fill the radiator only enough where I can just see the water. It has to have someplace to expand and go with the flow and as the system heats up. Unless you have large bubbling I doubt you have a blown head gasket. To check fill the radiator up fully into the neck and remove the fan belt, start car and see if any bubbles appear.

Good luck!
Larry Shepard,
St. Charles, MO
 
When the engine was rebuilt was it checked for cracked valve seats? If they are cracked (and it usually happens on the two center exhausts) it will presurize the water and force it out. It happened to me.
 
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