Emergency: How to run with broken radiator or water pump?
 

Hi,

Is it possible to run a Model A with either a broken radiator or broken water pump by topping up with fresh water every few miles while the water is boiling? Explained differently, will water at 212 degF damage the engine?

Lucas

Re: Emergency: How to run with broken radiator or water pump?
 

Lots more expertise than me but I'll get you started. These Fords seem to be touchy when it comes to adding cooler water to a hot engine. Any differential in temp is asking for blocks to crack. I don't think 212 water hurts much, but adding 80 degree water to the 212 block might cause you trouble.

Re: Emergency: How to run with broken radiator or water pump?
 

I've poured room temp water into the boiling Model A, but do it slowly, so it mixes well with the hot water and doesn't shock the block temp. I've also seen a double A driven with a shot water pump and sliced radiator tubes, until all the paint and grease was burned off the cylinders. It seems to be running fine today, with no engine repairs.

Re: Emergency: How to run with broken radiator or water pump?
 

Don't pour water in to a hot engine unless it is running when you pour. I've made it home with broken water pumps and fans. Thermo syphon will take over. Heat rises and the water will still circulate through the radiator. I've never driven over two miles under such conditions

Re: Emergency: How to run with broken radiator or water pump?
 

If you develop a leak in the radiator I have been successful in getting home by rubbing bar soap into the leak. And never pour fresh water into an engine that is overheated while it is NOT RUNNING. If you shut it off wait until the motor cools before you add additional water.

Re: Emergency: How to run with broken radiator or water pump?
 

In some cases, I've pinched off cut radiator tubes with pliers to stop the leaks.

Re: Emergency: How to run with broken radiator or water pump?
 

ive heard of this too. also the ol crack a raw egg into the neck and it will plug the leaks also.

Re: Emergency: How to run with broken radiator or water pump?
 

And, that's no yoke!:D:p

At least it works on TV.:)

Re: Emergency: How to run with broken radiator or water pump?
 

Pepper will do it too, makes you hungry tho'. Purdy would make a good wing man.
I like it. Gets you home.

Re: Emergency: How to run with broken radiator or water pump?
 

Thanks Willie, Uncle Ray taught me about black pepper as a stop leak when I was a teenager, it does work. My mom use to really get on me about getting black pepper and grease on my clothes.

Re: Emergency: How to run with broken radiator or water pump?
 

Black pepper or oatmeal flakes will get you home.

Carry a pair of 90 degree needle nose pliers in your A. We lost a fan on a trip and no one had 90deg. pliers. Use them to pinch off the tubs that are ruptured.

Re: Emergency: How to run with broken radiator or water pump?
 

Know a guy on one of our club tours driving to a National MARC Meet who had serious overheating issues and he didn't want to slow down the whole group. He stopped at a hardware store and bought a Hudson pump orchard sprayer and some aquarium hose. The hose was run to the radiator overflow pipe from the Hudson sprayer. His passenger would pump it up and squirt water from this pump to top off the radiator when the motometer showed it to be getting too hot. It got them there OK....:)

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Re: Emergency: How to run with broken radiator or water pump?
 

I think this is the answer I was looking for, because ... If I am driving my Model A across USA and suddently have a pump or radiator problem, I just want to continue by topping off the hot and running engine ... because maybe I have several hundred miles to go before I can get help.

Lucas

Re: Emergency: How to run with broken radiator or water pump?
 

The wife and I recently experienced a belt failure about an hour and a half away from home. We first noticed a smell like rubber burning and pulled over to find the coupe's belt had thrown most of it's cords all over the engine bay and it had jumped off the pulleys. I cleaned up the strings and set the belt back on but could not tighten it at all as it was stretching like a sun soaked snake. This at least kept the alternator turning and the pump rotating for a while longer on this hot late June day. We continued on monitoring the motometer with no problems. After some exploring and lunch we headed back home and as soon as we hit the highway the belt blew off completely. A passing driver yelled out that he saw the belt fly out and confirmed my fears.Yet the coupe jugged on maintaining 80 Ks or 50 MPH. As long as we kept moving the engined kept cool, but as soon as we hit a traffic light the red started climbing. At one point I could hear the overflow starting to hiss which told me I was making more steam the anything and I was forced to pull over. I waited for the pressure to drop and opened the cap up and vented off the remaining steam. I had the wifey fire the engine up and added fresh water to just above the baffles and we made the last twenty minutes back into the driveway. The wife then asks me why I didn't have a spare belt in the car and I told her I was counting on her wearing some pantyhose that day, but as it was so hot she had not, so again, it was all her fault. Women!
So the thermo-siphon works as long as you can keep some air moving through the radiator to help cool the engine.
Cheers!