Here's a question about temp

rossofozini

rossofozini

Senior Member
My A is a early 1928 Canadian/Australian. I have a Bergs 94 round tube radiator as per standard. The previous owner said it will run a little warmer as the motor is still quite tight. Yes the motor is tight and the radiator is near new, and I run a filter above the water pump. The water temp in cooler conditions 60f-70f has been around 160f---180f, on the flat and on hills. I take my temp readings with a thermo couple, the wire runs up the overflow pipe and sits in the top tank. I have a number of questions. One question I have is. Would this temperature taken at the top tank be higher than what is in the motor? If so how much? Also how much variation in water temp would there be from top to the bottom of the radiator?

I have a warm day to go out on Sunday 90f-95f. I went for a drive tonight and it was about 85f-90f and the water temp in the top tank was at around 180f.
What should I be looking for as an ideal temp considering a high ambient temperature?

Thanks in advance
 
rossofozini said:
My A is a early 1928 Canadian/Australian. I have a Bergs 94 round tube radiator as per standard. The previous owner said it will run a little warmer as the motor is still quite tight. Yes the motor is tight and the radiator is near new, and I run a filter above the water pump. The water temp in cooler conditions 60f-70f has been around 160f---180f, on the flat and on hills. I take my temp readings with a thermo couple, the wire runs up the overflow pipe and sits in the top tank. I have a number of questions. One question I have is. Would this temperature taken at the top tank be higher than what is in the motor? If so how much? Also how much variation in water temp would there be from top to the bottom of the radiator?

I have a warm day to go out on Sunday 90f-95f. I went for a drive tonight and it was about 85f-90f and the water temp in the top tank was at around 180f.
What should I be looking for as an ideal temp considering a high ambient temperature?

Thanks in advance
Click to expand...

180 is good, it is better for the engine than running to cool.
 
The temp in the top tank should be about the same as the coolant in the top of the head if you don't have a thermostat.

In my opinion below 160 is too cold, above 200 is getting into the worry that it may boil area.

Where are you adjusting the spark advance to, too retarded will make more heat.
 
My loose, tired old '28 ( 87,000 miles ) was running about 140-150 * F in October, ambient air around 50* F. Brassworks HD 10-fin rad.

I felt compelled to install a stat in the upper hose. Now runs 180 summer / winter.

If yours runs 180 all day long in warm weather (80's-90's), I'd say you're doing fine.

How long does it take to warm-up to that temp ?
 
If the ambient temps are low (30-50 degrees F.) and very little load on the engine, the bottom of the radiator could be as much as 60-70 degrees F. below the top. During hot weather possibly 20-30 degrees F lower. A cu.ft of air flow will remove 1.09 btu's for each degree of difference between the radiator temp and the air temp. So, the amount of air flow, the air temp, and the radiator (water) temp are all variables. That's why thermostats were invented, to stabilize the engine temp, because we don't drive at a consistant speed in consistant air temps. I use a stat in both of my A's. They warm up quicker in cold weather and run cooler in hot weather, beacause stats tend to nullify the variable air temps. Auto engineers started to use electric fans controlled by thermostats to help nullify the variable air flow. This is a simplified explanation, there is an entire course in thermodynamics (thermo=heat dynamics=motion) that deals with heat exchangers. As Special Coupe Frank said, if you're running 180 you're doing fine.
 
I would be happy to run in that temp range, not boiling nor puking water. You don't say if you're running a t/stat?
Bottom of radiator temp will be less than the top.
Paul in CT
 
George is right :with any engine you need a operating temp that benifits the engine to cold can be more harmful than running a little "warm"
 
"How long does it take to warm-up to that temp ?"
Motor is up to temp after 5km 3miles
"Where are you adjusting the spark advance to, too retarded will make more heat."
Yes I run advance depending on speed.

I have a thermostat so I think I will fit this to help with warm up times.

Thanks guys I feel a little better :-)

Here is what we get here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Adelaide

Rock Hornbuckle, Interesting stuff, yes as a kid I had a older 1966 car that ran cooler somwhat cooler after the stat was refitted :-)
 
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I seem to remember years ago there was a study done and published in the Restorer on engine temperatures vs. engine speed. It was found that the temperatures were higher at the rear of the water jacket where there may not be as good water circulation as we would like. This explains why valve seat and piston ring problems tend to happen on #3 & #4. I also remember that as part of this test, a 1/2 in. copper line was run from the back of the engine casting (they bored a hole and tapped it) to get more circulation in this dead spot. Since there are higher operating temperatures at the rear of the block, wouldn't it make sense to run the engine with a lower thermostat such as 165 F?
 
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