Update - New Guy - New Problem - Coolant Loss

Lembomw

Lembomw

Senior Member
After it stopped raining yesterday I went out to work on the car. I removed the fan belt, filled with coolant to the top of the neck of the radiator and ran the engine as suggested. After it got warm I increasing the rpm’s and did notice some bubbles coming up. Shut it down, pulled the distributor and re-torqued the head bolts while the engine was still warm. I got anywhere from a quarter to a half turn out of all the bolts. Started the engine again with no belt….no bubbles, put the belt back on and ran it, circulation but no bubbles. Looks like I had combustion gas getting in to the coolant system. I hope that was it because I do not really want to spend $600 on a new radiator.

I then took it for a long ride (8 or 9 miles this time) at mostly 50 -55 mph. Had no coolant at all gushing out from under the cap (didn’t do anything to the filler neck or cap – it still just keeps turning around and around). The water temp stayed in the normal driving temp range (I have a temp gauge installed), but it was not overheating before either. When I got back to the house I looked in the radiator and could not see coolant over the baffle. I put in 2 quarts of coolant to bring it up to the top of the filler neck. I know it is not suppose to be that high but just wanted to see how much I lost out of the overflow tube. From what I have read the radiator seeks it own level of coolant, but should I be able to see it even if it goes below the baffle??

I read posts where it is suggested that the overflow tube should be bent back toward the engine (mine points to the front) to slow down the fluid loss if the water pump is pushing the coolant faster than the radiator can take it. Is this a common practice? I looked at my tube and since it comes out of the baffle toward the back, in order to bend it back it will be too long to fit under the top of the filler neck. Should it be cut to fit? I am reluctant to do anything that I am unable to undo.

Another response suggested placing a nail in the drain to slow down the coolant draining out. Won’t this block all the coolant from going out or will the vibration that is created in just running the engine keep the nail jumping around so just a little will get out?

Looks like I may be getting to the bottom of this problem.

Mark
 
Try taking it for another run- if the good Lord is on your side it may just have been an airlock .
Where do you think the water's going- evaporating? running out through the overflow? Leaking intothe sump? ( Oil looks ok and not mayonaissse?, oil level not risen by 2 quarts I trust?)
 
Good work with the leaking head gasket diagnosis. Its not unusual for coolant to be just below the baffle. If you can see it through the hole in the baffle the tube runs through, its OK.

To bend the tube back, use a phillips screw driver. Place it down the tube at the point you want to start the bend. As it begins to bend, raise the point of the screwdriver as you bend it while supporting it inside the curve, to create a smooth sweep. Do this in careful small movements. Due to the sweep, the tube should not extend over the top of the neck. The procedure is described in the Service Bulletins. follow this link to an older post on this:
http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?p=61927

Installing a thermostat has always reduced the excess flow rate enough for me to avoid grinding the impellers.
 
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Hey John, it's not going into the oil pan as the oil is nice an clean and the level is where it should be. I assumed it is now going out the overflow tube since retorquing the head bolts stopped the combustion gasses from blowing the coolant out the top of the radiator. See below for what I just found.

Pat, thank you for the link that shows how to bend the overflow tube. I just went out to look at mine and found that the coolant is no longer at the top of the filler neck where I left it yesterday. Took another quart or so to fill up again. Unfortunately I also noticed that the radiator core is wet with coolant. Some of the tubes may be leaking and I did not see that before when everything was always wet from the coolant out from under the cap. I blew all the coolant off and will see if it gets wet again in a few hours from leaks. If the core is leaking, looks like a new radiator is in the cards as I don’t like fooling around with 81 year old stuff that is a critical element is the system. Oh well, the wife is going to love this.

Thanks again for the link, Mark
 
My original radiator had just a trace of dampness near the top right front of the core. A tube of stop leak fixed it.
 
I'm sure the rest of the Ford Barn forum are going too shoot me down for this, but radiator sealant has saved me lots of heartache and lots of money over the years! I may only be defering the problem sometimes, but if I can put things off a further 3 or 4 decades that'll be plenty long enough for me!! Good luck.
 
If the copper is still strong, a competent radiator guy can solder up a few pin holes. Its a common repair. If there are way too many pin holes, then the core has to be replaced. If it can be saved, you will save about 350-500 bucks over a new core. Its worth it to have an expert look at it. If its clogged, having it rodded out at the same time could result in a repaired radiator that will last you a long time and cool well. Find a local A club and ask around who is the best radiator guy in your area.
 
The nail is foolproof, it doesn't pressurize the system, as it does it's little drunken dance, it just stops unnecessary splash over and coolant loss.
You 'gotta get your cap sealed, maybe it just needs a new gasket!
After torqueing your head, add a jar of Bars-Leaks for any tiny seepages that might still exist.
Seriously, you need a 160 degree thermostat for flow control. Remember, the engine is a water HEATER, the radiator is a water cooler, and a thermostat IS needed to co-ordinate the two systems. The thermostat is constantly altering the flow as necessary for maximum cooling. I don't man to sound COCKY, but I know what works for me, and it gets 110 to 112 degrees here, and with my 6 blade fan, it never overheats!
If stupid 2 blade fans pulled more air, then all modern cars would run them. Now, I willl put away my soapbox and HUSH!
 
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Bill Williamson: There was a long "discussion" here a while back about 2/4/6 blade fans, and the consensus was, as I recall, that a 2 blade pulled more air. JMO
Paul in CT
 
1931 flamingo said:
As I recall the results came either on a dyno stand or under controlled conditions.
Paul in CT
Click to expand...


If I remember correctly the test used a meter that measured airflow in MPH. Maybe similar to the one that HVAC guys use to setup heating and A/C in buildings.

Might have been John Lavoy's Model A Times?

I wonder which 4 blade fan they used in the tests? There are 4 -5 different ones with various pitch on the blades. There is the "Mark" fan and the one made from 2 flat blades bolted to hub and the 4 blade Ford design. The Ford design has consideralbly more pitch than the Mark one and is 15 7/8 diameter.

Maybe John is "reading the mail".
 
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1931 flamingo said:
As I recall the results came either on a dyno stand or under controlled conditions.
Paul in CT
Click to expand...
Maybe test stand results may not be the same as in a car, hood on, and side pans on and climbing the Sierras and on to the Mojave Desert. Most of our chapter cars here in Fresno are good with the 6 blade. Maybe we have a better air here on the LEFT coast!
 
Multi bladed fans will pull more volume and faster air speed that the 2 blade irregardless of the 2 blade pitch.In the early years of AC in family cars they always had more fan blades than the non ac cars. I had to remove the 4 blade on my flatty and install a 6 to keep it cool and it does the job.Major air flow is required to pass through the radiator to dissipate the heat period.
 
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