Overheating in parade - Thoughts??

Fan tension is good and fan spins normally. Water pump and fan turn freely when belt is disconnected (No siezed bearings - which I would have heard and smelled.)

Just finished a test drive in 95 deg outside temp. All seems normal. Idled at stop lights - no coolant spillage. Ran and sounded like a finely-tuned Singer sewing machine.

In the garage, high air volume is being pulled through radiator and the water in the top of the radiator is churning and moving as I peek inside (NO stuck thermostat).

I.R. thermometer "mapping" of front of radiator over a 1/2 hour of medium idle showed generally 15-20 deg. hotter temp as I moved toward the driver's side of the rad. And, naturally, the temperatures were slightly hotter at the top than at the bottom.

I'll keep driving and keep monitoring the situation. AND NO MORE ONE-HOUR IDLING IN 95 DEG. TEMPS - at least until the engine is good and run-in and "loose". It probably is all due to a tight "new" engine - and MAYBE a marginal radiator.

Thanks again,

Earle

Compression test maybe tomorrow.
 
Earle I had a similar problem last year at a parade here in Dallas, Hot, hot, hot and so was my Slant. Engine about the same age miles a little lower. A new Brassworks 10 fin did the truck and the engine continues to run better and better!!:D
 
Thanks Michael - I see your point, although I would still leave out the thermostat (my preference, of course). As inefficient as it may seem, I'd rather let my engine take its time to warm up on a cold day than worry about restrictions in the cooling system on a hot day. Just my way of doing it Henry's way I guess. My engine exhaust manifold warms up the intake manifold in less than a minute even on cooler days, and within 1/4 mile I'm running at the lean setting. ;)
 
try riding in a steel box I was pushing 212 degrees and overheated I felt like a egg Frying on a skillet :) BIG MIKE
 
Thanks, Michael. I do see your point but would (and do) still leave out the t'stat (my preference, of course). I'd rather let the engine heat up at its normal rate on a cool day than worry about cooling system restrictions and possible overheating on a hot day. I guess it's just my way of doing it Henry's way. Regarding inefficiency, my exhaust manifold seems to warm up the intake mixture quite fast anyway (less than 2 minutes) and I'm at the lean setting in less than a mile into my trips, even in colder weather. ;)
 
The worst day of my life was taking my veteran car in its first parade . No water pump ,Thermosiphon only and an inefficent fan. At more than 10mph the cooling is fine - I informed the car in front of me that we needed to travel at this speed . Unfortunately he got so busy enjoying the parade that he forgot about 10 mph -at times he was stopped playing to the crowd! I'm stuck behind him The motor meter is as high as it will go and steam is coming out under the hood . Bear in mine this ain't a model A engine it's a 1910 engine for which I have very few spare parts.:eek: Unfortunately the crowds on both sides meant that there was nowhere to get out of the parade -In the end I drove through the crowd to get out. Fortunately no aparrent damage to the engine (or the crowd) but very scarey and not enjoyable at all. I have now fitted an electric fan for parades only -Karl
 
While not strictly a cooling problem, I agree with Benson above about holding in the clutch for very long and its wear on the rear main thrust bearing. Its only lubrication is seepage from the rear main and is one reason why I do not have a "modern" rear main seal. (The other reason is that a properly installed rear main will not leak.) When approaching a light or other stop, I will usually slide shift into neutral without using the clutch and leave it there until it is time to move.
 
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