Right bank won't warm up

B

bills

Junior Member
I have a 47 Super Deluxe with a rebuilt 59AB engine. I have been having problems with the gas boiling out of the carb when I shut it down on a hot day. I read that due to the modern fuel, you need to block off the heat riser in the intake that runs under the carb. Apparently the heat rises up when you shut off the car and cooks the gas out.
I have pulled the intake and blocked off the heat risers with 3/4" freeze plugs, and now the right bank won't warm up past 140. I have 160 degree thermostats in each side, I thought that maybe the right thermostat was stuck open, but the upper hose stays cool, while the left bank (driver's side) warms right up to 160, thermostat opens (hose gets hot), and pretty much stays there.
I checked the top of the heads with an infra-red thermometer, and the right side never gets over 140, sitting and idling for over 30 minutes in my garage.
Have I screwed up by blocking off those heat riser ports, or should I wait for a warmer day and drive the car around to see what happens? I would think that idling long enough to warm up the left side should also warm up the right side.
Any input or advise is appreciated.
Thanks!
 
Hi Bills, welcome to the forum. I'm a bit puzzled too. The heat risers are exhaust ports, rather than water, so shouldn't really have any bearing on the water temp balance.

I'm guessing it is cold there and you need to give it a proper run on a warmer day to really see what is going on. It's not unusual for one side to be a bit hotter than the other, but not to the extent you describe.

The one thermostat may be stuck open, but things are not warming up enough to get any real heat into the top hose.

Report back with your findings when you get a chance.

Mart.
 
I checked that right bank thermostat and I found it pushed up in the hose. I put it back down and re-tried it. The left bank was warming up, but not the right. I pushed down on the hose by the head and I think that I re-seated the t-stat because then both sides started warming up evenly. I have to figure out a way to keep the thermostats in place that doesn't leak or look hokey.
Thanks for the help!
 
Bill, check Old Henry's posts, he shows the thermostats restrained with a few threads of copper wire. You could try pushing a piece of tube into the hose to keep the thermostat down above the head outlet. Lots of choices.

Glad you found the problem.

Mart.
 
As mart says copper wire. I have seen it done where you drill a hole high up as possible in the head water neck well above the hose clamp each side and tie the Thermostat down.
 
I don't have the 59 style heads, but don't I remember someone slitting a vacuum hose and putting it around the thermostat to make it tight in the hose?
 
I did the wire trick, I had a problem at first with the hoses leaking. I solved that by trimming the wires so that they just catch the top of the clamp. This way the clamp grabs the wires, but seals the hose below them properly as well.
I fired the car up, and both sides warmed up evenly. I took awhile to get up to temp. (it's winter here), but it did so within a couple of degrees between sides.
I've always had a problem with one side running cooler, and now I wonder if one of those thermostats was cocked a little all along.
Many thanks for all of the help!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top