Checking Things Off The List - Overheating 21 Stud

Low-Blow said:
You can ask a stupid question if I can give a stupid answer. Haha! I don’t know what the actual temperature is. I am going by the original bubble gauge and it is completely red. Saturday, however, the bubble remained in the normal range (but near the high end) while driving. Then when the engine is shut down, the gauge goes all the way to the top. I need to get a temp gun and/or mechanical gauges.
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From your posts and some of the answers, it appears that you have a low opinion of the "original bubble" temp gauge on your car. Please be advised that there is no more accurate a gauge than the one you have, providing that it is indeed original, has not been damaged, and is calibrated properly.

To start with, to check your gauge, is the fluid at or below the visible clear glass when cold? Is the glass no longer clear, but stained very darkly with the red fluid? Is the fluid color a dark blood red, or is it a funky oriental red? These are questions that can indicate a good gauge: Clear tube, dark blood red fluid that reacts to heat and cold. To calibrate your gauge, eyeball the glass tube with a strong light, and you will see a scribe line etched into the glass. This is the boiling point of water, 212º F. You will see that the tube is adjustable up or down in the dash gauge, and that scribe line is to line up with the corresponding 212º mark on the gauge. To go further with calibrations, the bulb, together with the connecting tube and glass gauge tube must be removed from the car, and the bulb submerged in boiling water to verify the scribe line on the glass. This operation may seem to be too much trouble for an engine that is to be removed, but consider, if not carefully removed without sacrificing the integrity of the bulb with its tube and glass, you will be destroying a very valuable part that can bring a couple hundred dollar$ or more at a swap meet.
 
Hello, I just received this email note from a friend who had a heating problem with his '32 Cabriolet.


"Got the engine running well-had quite the build up of scale in the engine block as a engine guy prognosticated; cleaned it out with Ridlyme as another guy suggested to me and its running 30 degrees cooler now, and has capacity for another gallon of water from what we measured going into the system pre - clean!!! Probably a blockage somewhere we think. Amazing stuff, will recommend it anytime an engine is out of a car. Also did a vinegar cleaning and will do another one."

I have never used it. Perhaps others can chime in on it's effectiveness?

Good luck,
Pat
 
Update. I let the vinegar sit in the cooling system for about 6 days. I was surprised at what came out. Please see pic below. This is what was drained from the system. I did not use a catch pan for the flushing of the radiator. Now, my wife is not thrilled about the rusty trail down the side of the driveway!!
 

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After I drained the system and flushed it really well, I drove the car several times during the course of the day. Total miles were about 100. The outside air temp was about 85 degrees. I noticed that while I was driving it, the temperature stayed within the normal range on the bubble gauge (although towards the top). I decided to order a "Digital Laser Infrared Thermometer Temperature Gun" so that I could get a better idea of what kind of temperatures I am dealing with.

Fast forward one week to today. I left early this morning and drove it about 40 miles. The outside air temperature was about 58 degrees. The bubble gauge stayed on the lower end of the normal operating range. After returning home, and with engine idling, I used the temperature gun to check the temp on the head. The passenger side was running about 160 degrees, while the driver side was running about 180 degrees. Remember that the gentleman that I purchased the car from did not replace the water pump on the driver side. So, I'm assuming that's the reason for the difference.
 
Yes there can be a difference side to side , but usually not as high as 20 degrees. Not the end of the world , thermostats, whats happening there..? check your timing too.
 
Could be just a thermostat, maybe pump. But I wouldn't worry about it now, as its doing real fine (actually you might want to get the other one up to 180 temp). Drive it and have fun. Nothing to worry about at this point. Thank you for following up!


you can check stats with a cooking thermometer and a pot of water on the stove.








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