Pressurized Radiator
 

Does anyone out there run a pressurized radiator? Can you tell me how and where to mount the overflow tube?

Thank you,

Re: Pressurized Radiator
 

My car had one on it when I bought it but I took it off. It was leaking. I also had issues with leaking head gaskets. The Bergs radiator I bought to replace it is atmospheric pressure and works great.

The advantage of a pressurized radiator, as most people know, is that the boiling point is raised so that the engine can run hotter. The disadvantage as I see it is that any leaks will be more pronounced.

The overflow tube on my car had a rubber hose attached and ran down to under the car. Lots of people run an overflow tank with a pressurized radiator. You can buy overflow tanks that mount vertically next the radiator.

Re: Pressurized Radiator
 

You are just asking for trouble. With a free flowing radiator, you won’t hav a cooling issue.

Re: Pressurized Radiator
 

Expand upon this. How is the original poster asking for trouble by asking how to mount the overflow tank?

I mounted my overflow tank with a custom bracket.

Re: Pressurized Radiator
 

Run the normal nonpressurized radiator, then chuck a hose on the overflow tube and run it to the overflow tank. then make sure your rad cap is sealed tight, and have an unsealed cap on the overflow tank. Best of both worlds. You don't need to raise your boiling point, if your radiator is good it will run cool. If your radiator is partially plugged all you'll end up doing is ruining your engine. Speedway makes a nice one: https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Speed...Tank,2954.html

Re: Pressurized Radiator
 

Re: Pressurized Radiator
 

I am tired of carrying around 3 gallons of water with me every time I i go out because the A belches water all over the place.

Re: Pressurized Radiator
 

First off how high are you filling the radiator? It will spit anything out above the baffle.
If you are at the correct level, your radiator should not be doing that. Once it finds its level it should stop spitting. If it keeps coming out of the overflow tube, something is wrong with the tube.

Re: Pressurized Radiator
 

John, when you top it off, and let it run at fast idle, does a bubble occasionally appear in the water when you look into the radiator?

Re: Pressurized Radiator
 

I hope this helps you.

Re: Pressurized Radiator
 

I have a unpressurized radiator with 160 degree thermostat. After filling it several times I decided to let it go and see what happens. It finally seeked it's own level about 3/4 " above the core. Runs cool and no water all over the neighborhood. It is a new radiator BTW.

John

Re: Pressurized Radiator
 

Hi John
I don’t know about pressuring your system, but I had the same problem as you. I would have to add a qt or more water every time I stopped. Our club tech guy said to add a 160 degree thermostat. I can’t explain it, but since I installed the thermostat last spring I have only added water once this season. Maybe eight or ten ounces to bring it to the baffle.
Roy

Re: Pressurized Radiator
 

I bought my overflow tank from Brassworks. It fits nicely between the radiator and shell. https://thebrassworks.net/collection...1930-1932-ford

Re: Pressurized Radiator
 

Remember a pressurized radiator will probably cause your water pump to leak.

Charlie Stephens

Re: Pressurized Radiator
 

This thread has filled with a lot of misinformation. The original poster asked about mounting the overflow tank, there are only a couple of responses related to that.

If you have a leaking head gasket, water pump, or other items because of a pressurized radiator, you have other issues that need to be addressed first. Adding a pressurized system at the typical 4-7 lbs isn't the cause of the leak, it just helped you find it. If your head gasket can't hold 4-7 lbs of coolant pressure, it's not holding back 50+ lbs of compression pressure.

I'll never run a non pressurized radiator again, the advantages are numerous. Besides the previously mentioned higher boiling point (which is only 12-21 degrees higher at 4-7lbs), it reduces damaging pump cavitation, water loss from evaporation and steam, helps maintain normal operating temps at high elevations, and eliminates the mess from leaking radiator caps and atmospheric overflow tubes

Re: Pressurized Radiator
 

No tank was mentioned in the original post: "Does anyone out there run a pressurized radiator? Can you tell me how and where to mount the overflow tube?"

I answered that by explaining that on my car a rubber hose was attached to the overflow tube and run to underneath the car. However, the information about overflow tanks is still valuable and may help John with his coolant spitting issue.

All modern cars have a pressurized radiator. But a pressurized radiator is not going to magically solve cooling problems for a 90 year old car that was designed to use an atmospheric radiator. If you have a leak proof water pump and the engine has no issues then a pressurized radiator will work. I am still of the mind that it is not needed. Regarding the mess made by a leaking radiator cap, I put an oversize O ring on my cap which makes a good seal.

Re: Pressurized Radiator
 

Interesting thread but I think you need to address the reason your Model A "belches water all over the place". It shouldn't be doing that and I doubt a pressurized radiator will cure your problem.

Re: Pressurized Radiator
 

I have two Model A's with 4# pressurized systems. With leakless pumps and the sealed expansion tanks, I seldom need to add water. Seldom means seasonally. I run both of these engines at highway and freeway speeds often. Before I updated the system on the Phaeton, I was constantly adding water. It was likely a combination of too much water through the pump, restriction from the radiator or combo of both. I was also getting close to the boiling point during a hard run or very hot day. Obviously, no issues now with either engine/car.

The two overflow tank locations I chose are shown below. I like the radiator mounted location the best. There are many other spots to mount them. Just look for available space, think about the routing of the coolant hose and how to secure the tank in its location.

The photo on the left is of the '29 Phaeton we have with 98,000+ miles on since installing the engine, pressurized radiator and Mitchell overdrive. The expansion tank/tube is mounted to the firewall. Great car to tour with.

Photo on the right is a Serr Miller Hi-Speed head on a brand new Burtz engine(#7 of the first batch). 4,800 trouble free miles on this one since early summer. Lots of power to pull a camper while touring. The expansion tank/tube is fastened to the lower radiator to shell fastener and one additional location on the shell above it.

Re: Pressurized Radiator
 

I have a 4lb cap on mine. I don't have any pictures. But I love having a closed system. I literally do not know the last time I checked my coolant levels. I have a temp gauge but it never heats up. I went 8 days through the mountains of colorado and never added a drop of water this June. But also my temp gauge never got above 190*.

Re: Pressurized Radiator
 

I guess no one is interested