Rad overflowing

G

Gary C

Member
This is a question about heads and water pumps, and forgive me if the question is a stupid one. I just bought my 35 ford 6 months ago, and I'm reaching the end of the work needed to put it on the road. Every time I start the car, and it reaches 180 degrees, the radiator overflows. A previous owner told me the the aluminum heads were replaced with cast iron heads #68-6049B and 68-6050B, as one was cracked. Could these heads be truck heads with higher volume water pumps? If so, can I put car water pumps on these heads? I know that this sounds like I'm shooting in the dark, but I'm out of ideas as the rad is clean. Thanks for any info. Cheers, Gary C
 
dose it over flow a lot? dose it puke out. on my 36 pickup when I first got it , I would seek its own level. there is a plate in the rad and it would go to that level. I just had the pumps rebuilt by Skip and got the pressure valve from him. the valve holds the water in the radiator. make shure that you don't have other trouble, like a blown head gasket. also it takes a lot to get my pickup up to 180, it has to be a very hot day it wont get that hot sitting and idleing
 
One thing...non-pressurized systems have to set their own water levels by venting the excess water as they warm up after initial filling. You fillitup the first time and if everything is normal it will dump enough water that the level is a couple of inches down in the tank after the run. If everything is happy, it will then hold that level but if you fill it back to the brim it will again dump the surplus...so first question is to find out if the car is finding its level if you do not add more. Obviously if it continues to go down there is a problem.
The iron 68 heads are Ford replacements for corroded passenger car aluminum heads. They are for domed pistons. I think for 1936 truck pumps are double belt.
 
I had problems with my 35 puking water after I had the radiator cleaned ,tested, rodded out the water passages. Every ride it sounded like a steam engine. I put thermostats in the hoses below the upper radiator hoses, and it stopped puking water, runs real nice now. I still have to check it now and again, but it does not overheat.
 
Like 35 COUPE. install 160 starts in upper hose, also install Skip's 3# pressure valve in the bottom of the overflow pipe. leave the water down about an inch. make sure cap is tight. You will never loose water unless you have a crack or bad head gasket to build up more tham 3# pressure. I had same problem with my Model A with a hopped up B engine. After doing this I never ad water. Walt
 
Do a block test for combustion gases in the rad. Loss of water was happening to me and the block test was positive for gases. Check the oil and check for water in the oil. Once you can rule out a head gasket problem move on down the line till you find the reason
 
The water seeks it's own level when you have a leak. Coming out the over flow is a leak and can be fixed as described by Walt and Brendan. There should be NO water lose below 200 degrees with a pressure cap or Skips 3 lb valve. If you have a lose with the cap or valve you have a compression leak as Ted described.
35 coupe with the modern stats "I think you installed" you restricted the flow by
the restriction of these stats with small flow openings. When it gets into the 90's you will get hot because of the lack of water through the radiator. G.M.
 
I had this problem when I first started my engine and let it get up to 180 degrees or so. At first I thought I had a radiator problem. After it cooled I put my finger in the radiator and the level was 1/2" above the core. After some driving and checking I found out my radiator will overflow the fuid that is over that 1/2" mark. Wonder how many other 36s are that way???
 
Walt Dupont--Me. said:
Like 35 COUPE. install 160 starts in upper hose, also install Skip's 3# pressure valve in the bottom of the overflow pipe. leave the water down about an inch. make sure cap is tight. You will never loose water unless you have a crack or bad head gasket to build up more tham 3# pressure. I had same problem with my Model A with a hopped up B engine. After doing this I never ad water. Walt
Click to expand...

WALT ....................
Be careful with those pressure valves. In a perfect world, those will work. You have to take them off and check them, ever so often. I have had TWO that filled up with ordinary engine dirt and sand and they blocked up. I imagine that there are a lot of them out there, that are stopped up.
MIKE :)
 
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