Radiator boiling over

[nkaminar]

To test the radiator for proper flow, remove the upper and lower hoses and block the lower outlet with a ball or some sort of plug. Fill the radiator with pain water. Remove the lower plug. The water should completely drain in 2 or 3 seconds. You can do this test with the radiator in the car.

[Chuck Sea/Tac]

Originally Posted by nkaminar

To test the radiator for proper flow, remove the upper and lower hoses and block the lower outlet with a ball or some sort of plug. Fill the radiator with pain water. Remove the lower plug. The water should completely drain in 2 or 3 seconds. You can do this test with the radiator in the car.

I would have to disagree with that test, and here’s why. The flow rate has to match the flow volume. I don’t remember what the gpm Ford designed the cooling system for, so just use a number off the top of your head. If you were to have a radiator with 1/2 of it tubes pinched off, and filled it with water, it would pass the “dump” test, but it would be only flowing half the volume of water it was designed for, and needed, to remove the engine heat. So for an accurate test, you would need to run the design gpm through it, which wouldn’t be easy. Possibly, if the radiator volume capacity were known, you could verify it actually holds that much, and then see if it evacuates in a timely fashion as mentioned. I would think if the radiator holds the design volume, that it would flow properly as well. Jmho

[johnbuckley]

totally agree with you Chuck Sea/Tac , and you've summed it up very well. I too reckon that dump test has so many variables it is hardly worth doing

[steamgas]

i did check the temperature it was 140-160 f. the coolant seams to stay at the top of the radiator tubs. i thought about the head gasket but wanted other opinon's