Losing water

F

fgray

Junior Member
I am losing water, not at a rapid rate but losing it none the less. I have searched high and low and can find no place that it is going, The engine oil looks good the engine runs fine and I don't see any spurting out when running. Any ideas.
 
Check the exaust pipe.Might be a head gasket or a crack between the valves.in the block or cylinder head.
 
The water appears to be going out the overflow. Let it idle in the garage until it puked out the over flow tube. Tube is pointed to the front don't know what good it would do to point it to the rear as some have suggested on other posts. Help
 
Pointing the tube to the rear of the radiator neck was recommended in Ford's Service Bulletins.

Perhaps your radiator is too full. Perhaps it is seeking its own proper level by pushing out what it does not need. You keep topping it up, it keeps pushing it out.
 
I hope you are right but doubt remains. I topped up the rad earlier and it took 1 1/2 gallons.
 
Please let us know what level the coolant goes down to. I use a wooden coffee stir stick or popsicle stick as a handy dipstick. We need to know whether coolant loss stops with coolant level still somewhere above the tube tops or would it keep losing until it overheats.

Normally, the problem occurs at high rpms, when the water pump is really throwing the coolant into the upper tank with lots of force--straws to be grasped at include adding a thermostat or other flow restrictor, adding an extension to or tweaking position of the overflow tube, or grinding down the ears of the water pump impeller (very controversial). If it's overflowing at idle, either you've overfilled it or you've got a plugged up radiator. I suspect the former, otherwise you would be having serious overheating problems. Again, what level does the coolant settle at?

Oops, just saw your post about 1 1/2 gallons low--sounding more like a serious problem. Either a plugged radiator or a head gasket leak causing escaping exhaust gases to blow out the coolant. Do you see bubbles when you look into the radiator at idle (carefully!)? But, I think it's still possible that an improperly positioned overflow tube and baffle could be catching coolant as the water pump throws it up. Try removing the fan belt and letting it idle to see if the pump is part of the problem. Watch for bubbles to see if it's a head gasket.

Steve
 
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Didn't see any bubbles while it was running. The water just expanded when the temp went up. It has never gotten hot with me. Of course I just acquired the car a coulpe of weeks ago and I am still finding stuff that wasn't address before I got the car. Will let you know where the water level finally goes to.
 
My 28 AA was losing the same amount of water, I got a temp gauge saw it was running in the steam zone above 212, Got a new Radiator core solved the problem, radiator shop said it was the orginal core, 84 years old bound to be pluged. On 104 deg day I couldnt get it over 180. John
 
These old cars were and are known for loss of water through evaporation, heat, and overflow. That's why you need to check your water level every time you take the car out. Water loss is a normal condition (unless you're seeing a puddle under your car after driving).
 
Not too sure what you mean. The overflow tube comes through a hole in a piece of metal in the rad.
 
I had a rad that wore a hole thru the overflow tube where it comes thru the baffle.I removed the old tube & made a new one & soldered it in place.Make sure the tube is centered in hole in baffle to prevent rubbing.
 
As Jim Cannon said in above post this problem was addressed 80 years ago in Service Bulletin page 450.

I have seen brand new and recored radiators with the tube in the wrong position.

Seems that some of the radiator shops do not know about the problem either.

If your overflow tube is in the wrong place as you have stated, the water will continue to go down the tube even if the water temperature is 70 degrees, until enough water is lost then it starts boiling and loses water rapidly.

Use caution when bending the tube so you do not kink the tube.

http://abarnyard.com/temp/chassis/rad_baffle.jpg

The nail trick, mentioned below, may work to isolate the problem but if left in place and coolant boils then the radiator will most likely be blown apart by the pressure.
 
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Wow, a gallon and a half is more than losing a little water. Sounds like a plugged radiator to me. Or a bad head gasket.

You need to investigate and fix it. Don't keep driving it like this or you will cook the engine when you are out of coolant and create bigger problems for yourself.
 
fgray said:
Didn't see any bubbles while it was running. The water just expanded when the temp went up. It has never gotten hot with me. Of course I just acquired the car a coulpe of weeks ago and I am still finding stuff that wasn't address before I got the car. Will let you know where the water level finally goes to.
Click to expand...

Can you watch the water level rise and overflow the overflow tube at idle?

I strongly agree with Jim that 1 1/2 gallons lost means something serious is wrong. This is not just a matter of letting it seek its own level; that would probably be completely dry and then, in short order, a trashed motor. This car should not be driven until this is fixed.

If you see no bubbles while the water is rising, there must be a blockage. It could be in either the radiator or the motor. I once had a shop rag left inside the head after an engine rebuild.

You can do a crude check of radiator flow by disconnecting the hoses, plugging outlet and inlet with a rubber ball or something, filling radiator with water, then timing how long it takes to drain after removing the outlet ball. Most sources say no longer than 4 seconds. IMO, this is not highly reliable but it should indicate if there's a serious blockage. Maybe while you've got stuff disconnected, you could try back flushing the block; maybe you'll get lucky and knock something out.

Another, even easier radiator check is to run the palm of your hand across the front of the radiator while the motor is warmed up and running. Tubes that are blocked will not be as warm as tubes with hot coolant flowing thru them. ALso, properly flowing tubes will be cooler near the bottom of the radiator.

It's time to have a serious talk with the guy who sold you the car: what, in detail, was its recent history? Could the block be full of rust, or a mouse nest, or ....?

As my family physician used to say to me, "You are what we refer to as 'an interesting case'".

Steve
 
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Yes I could see the water rise as it got warmer and then go out the overflow.i have to leave it alone today as we have company coming down the road. Sturgis rally going on..I don,t think the previous owner did anything to the car as he stated he was not a mechanic and really couldn't,t get around too well, that was one of his reasons for selling.
 
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