Overheating?

Yankee

Yankee

Member
I recently purchased a 1929 roadster and after a short ride (8 miles) the radiator was releasing anti freeze out the overflow tube. I realize that the radiator will seek its own level but in 8 miles should it be getting rid of fluid?
 
There are many answers to your question. Anything from timing, to blown head gasket, to clogged radiator. Your experience may differ? Start with one and work your way to the next. Always try the easiest one first.
Tom
 
Many of the after market radiators made over the last 70 years or so have poor positioning of the overflow tube inside the radiator. There are other threads about this subject on this forum if you can get a good search string going. Combine that with the aftermarket radiator caps that don't seal well and you could have one of any number of causes including actual overheating.
 
If you had it filled to the top it will get rid of 1/2 gallon as soon as the coolant warms up. This does not mean it's overheating, only a natural expansion of liquid as the engine gets up to operating temp. If it starts steaming then it's overheating.
As rotorwrench mentioned make sure the overflow tube in the top of the rad is pushed back and straight up so no excess liquid escapes.
 
What is the easiest way to check if the inside of the radiator is clogged?
 
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Back in the day, you just took to your local radiator shop and had them rod it out. Now your lucky if you even have a local radiator shop let alone one with the proper equipment for the antique stuff.

If someone set up a big waterpump with with flow meters & pressure gauges on the inlet feed and the outlet, you could compare results with a known good unit. Not too many folks I know have that kind of equipment plus the radiator would likley burst before you got usable info.

Kerby
 
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Yankee said:
What is the easiest way to check if the inside of the radiator is clogged?
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A thermal gun such as from Harbor Frieght works well to check for cool spots in the radiator. Cool spot would indicate pugged tubes. Shoot the temp in several places and the readings should be about the same as you go left to right, but should drop evenly as you go from top to bottom.

Actually it won't be exactly an even temp drop from top to bottom, because the hotter water at the top will give up more heat to the air than the cooler water at the bottom, but for all practical purposes it will be quite even.

After cleaning my original 1928 radiator a couple months ago I'd say I gained about 20* in cooling. I used a quart of heavy duty floor degreaser and ran the car about 50 miles, then flushed and repeated twice more. After that I used clean water and a box of washing soda and ran the car about 40 miles over 24 hours, then drained it. So far all is well and about 20* cooler. I always use 50% antifreeze.
 
If you're somewhere near Orange Calif., Tom's Radiator, on Chapman Ave, can rod out your tubes. I had mine done there a few years ago. Now I fill it up and it never looses a drop. I also run a 160 degree thermostat, from Bratton's, year around. Sometimes, if I'm climbing a long hill, the temp gets up to 180 but goes back to 160 on the downgrade. Clean tubes and 10 fins per inch is the answer.
 
I believe the radiator is original??? Went on another trip and no fliud was releasing out the overflow. Engine seemed hot...may have found the correct level.
 
Yankee said:
I believe the radiator is original??? Went on another trip and no fliud was releasing out the overflow. Engine seemed hot...may have found the correct level.
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Sounds like it.

If one were to take notice of the amount of water that is added each time, one would have confidence that the car is seeking its own level and not just loosing water.
 
I flushed my rad with 2 gal. of white vinger. I ran until the rad stared boiling over and drained and back flushed. I did this 2 times. I then took a 1/8 inch rod and rodded out as many tubes I cound by looking down inside the cap fill hole (about 10) This fixed the problem. Before I could drive only about 6 miles befoe she boiled over. I then went to Rural King farm store and bought and installed a temp gauge, $20.00
She now runs about 185 degrees. I.m thinking about taking off the rad shell and cut across the top of the top tank and peel back the tank top so I can rod out more tubes. Then soder the crack shut Anybody ever do this with a raderator?
 
allford said:
I.m thinking about taking off the rad shell and cut across the top of the top tank and peel back the tank top so I can rod out more tubes. Then soder the crack shut Anybody ever do this with a raderator?
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Why cut, why not just unsolder the top, rod and re-solder?
 
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