model A engine overheating

A Motor-meter is a temperature gauge that mounts on the radiator cap. It has a red color tube like a thermometer to show the temp. The probe measures the temp of the air between the water level in the radiator and the cap. It is very accurate because the change in air temp can be detected faster than the change in water temp. The repop guys all have them. You can choose between the round gauge or the Quail with a temperature gauge.
 
Coming back from Fathers day few years back in my 30 Roadster with daughter. 92 deg, blue sky, the daughter says look dad its starting to rain, I had to tell her no honey that is not rain, that is not rain. Made it home in a cloud of steam!

My overheating I come to found out was due to timing. Once I learned how to properly time the beast my overheating went away. To be on the safe side I installed a temp gauge under the dash.
 
I have the same problem from time to time.
I was planning to take the radiator out and have it cleaned/flushed.
The timing comment is something worth pondering, as I am no expert on driving these old cars so I need to review my technique a little.

Anybody care to explain more about how to run the timing better I will be keen to read it.
 
Frank: Go to Harbor Freight and get a digital thermometer that you point. If yor rad cap is tight with a good gasket, nothing comes out there. It should go out the overflow tube.

This is a "new" problem (opportunity) for you, correct?? What's changed?? I know you added new anti freeze, what else did you do??
We need more info..................Is fan belt tight, w/pump turning, have you changed the timing??

Paul in CT
 
You can install a temp gauge , I have a set of a temp and oil pressure gauge, most of the vendors sell them I think I got mine from snyders it was a few years ago.
 
1931 flamingo said:
Frank: Go to Harbor Freight and get a digital thermometer that you point. If yor rad cap is tight with a good gasket, nothing comes out there. It should go out the overflow tube.

This is a "new" problem (opportunity) for you, correct?? What's changed?? I know you added new anti freeze, what else did you do??
We need more info..................Is fan belt tight, w/pump turning, have you changed the timing??

Paul in CT
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No, this is the same problem.
I ran the car for a while yesterday and notice some radiator overflow under the car..not excessive but it was there, Nothing was coming out the cap, though....Should it overflow whenever the engine runs? I will buy the temperature gun tomorrow just to be certain.
 
Hi Frank,

1. For extreme accuracy, and a very economical test, after engine has warmed up, try your wife's candy thermometer when she is not making candy.

2. Or buy a candy thermometer at a dollar store and place it in the top of the radiator opening touching the water coming from the block.

3. Rinse it off prior to making candy ............

4. Doctors use thermometers in hospitals ...... works wonderfully on both humans and Model A's.
 
Hi Frank,your best friend here is search feature on the barn.hours of reading there,just on this subject.I did notice our best and brightest did not respond yet(probaly tired of same old questions)but if you did not ask,I would not visit the barn daily,just search when I had a problem. Tom
 
You'll know it immediately, Frank. You'll SMELL it from the OVERFLOW tube! We were POOR & NEVER had temp gauges or INFARED GUNS, only SQUIRREL guns.
Bill W.
 
I kind of thought if an engine was really overheating there would be a different nasty type smell, I think back years ago I smelled something like that from a modern car...
Almost a burning smell, when the radiator was almost run dry from overheating.
 
A common cause for coolant coming out the overflow or cap is TOO MUCH coolant. It cannot be filled to the top like a modern car with pressure system and catch can. It needs room to expand and to flow. It should be about half way up the top tank, or if there is a baffle inside, as there should be, just below the baffle.
 
2manycars said:
A common cause for coolant coming out the overflow or cap is TOO MUCH coolant. It cannot be filled to the top like a modern car with pressure system and catch can. It needs room to expand and to flow. It should be about half way up the top tank, or if there is a baffle inside, as there should be, just below the baffle.
Click to expand...
The normal dumping, from initial overfilling, won't smell much, but if it's dumping from getting hot, it'll have a DIFFERENT smell, that comes in IMMEDIATELY, around the column & pedal area & you'll be warned, before it gets REALLY HOT.
Be SURE that the radumator cap seals COMPLETELY. Some IDIOTS would use a vented gas cap on the radumator, to warn of overheating:eek:
Bill W.
 
I had an overheating problem years ago; 1) got rad flushed; 2) tightened fan belt to only 1/2 slop; 3) got the timing correct; 4) lowered the amount of coolant [I use a mix of antifreeze] to just over the top tubes in the rad. All problems went away.

But I can also tell you that once you know your car, if it is running hot, you can feel it when you open the hood.

JackD
 
Should it overflow whenever the engine runs?
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NO, but if it's overfilled it WILL burp out the excess. Keep running and driving it, the coolant level should stabilize. When shut down and allowed to cool the level will drop. This is normal, when it's started up and warmed up the coolant will expand back to it's predetermined level.
 
You must remember that the top tank is the expansion tank, and should not be filled too high. As long as the top of the radiator tubes are covered you will have full use of the radiator cooling.

When radiators went to the cross flow design the tanks on the sides needed to be kept full to the top or you'd loose a lot of radiator cooling capacity. Thus the separate expansion tank had to be added.
 
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