You never know what your going to find

[Licensed to kill]

Been pondering putting in a thermostat and, just for kicks took the upper rad hose off just to look at the hose neck from the head and ponder an idea I had. So I pull the hose and what do I find lurking????. The water neck on the rad is wrapped with black electrical tape almost 1/16" thick AND it extends past the end of the neck about an inch (like a foreskin) where it has been folded back from the water flow reducing the orifice to the rad to about 3/4". I cut the tape away to find that the water neck is somewhat square so I suspect the tape was applied to help get a seal on an irregular neck. Easy fix, I'll just make a swage on the lathe and gently swage the neck back out round again. Another reason that I pulled the hose was to get a look at how the overflow tube is situated as it doesn't make much sense looking/feeling in through the radiator cap. Didn't learn much (still baffled, both me and the rad tank) so i went out and looked at another rad that i have in the shed which DOES make sense to me. The rad in the car has the OF tube coming up through the baffle and continuing up to the top of the baffle and terminates there (I assume it goes just through it agin). That puts the opening of the tube, as near as I can tell RIGHT in the path of the water being pumped into the rad from the engine (and out on the floor). The OTHER rad that I have has the OF tube coming u through the baffle and then up the filler neck and is open just below the rad cap. This seems more sensible to me as the water level has to rise to the rad cap before going out the over flow which means that at running temp, the rad is right full AND the motometer is IN the coolant to gat a reading. The other rad just seems to pump the coolant out the tube. I hope my explanation is clear. So, what DOES a 1931 rad look like when you look in the rad cap and where SHOULD the of tube terminate.

[Farrell In Vancouver]

The higher the better, On My 31' rad the tube had deteriorated and was full of holes. I Un-soldered it from the tank and bent up a new one out of copper tubing and re-soldered it back in. Quick coat of black paint and she all new now. I kept it up high to terminate about a 1/2" from the top of the neck.

[160B]

Here is page 450 from the Ford Service Bulletins, this should answer your question.

[Licensed to kill]

Awesome. I pulled the rad with the intention of removing the OF pipe and soldering a new one routed so as not to be in the path of the coolant (as suggested by FIV). That service bulletin was just what I needed to see what it was that I had, the rad in the car is the updated version, the rad in the shed the older version. After pulling the rad and laying it on the bench where I could get a REAL good look in the water neck, I discovered that the baffle had broken loose from the rivet and was riding about 1/4" or so below the top of the tank. Pretty obvious to see why the coolant was being pumped right out the OF tube. I pushed the baffle back into place with a screw driver, redrilled the rivet hole (after removing the old rivet of course) and riveted the baffle back in place using a larger SS rivet with a washer on the inside for added support. I then bent the tube slightly to centre it in the hole through the baffle to prevent the baffle from wearing a hole in the tube. Should be good as new now. The OF tube is almost touching the top of the tank, <1/8" clearance. I Think I would have preferred it bend around and up the filler neck a 1/2" but this appears to be as intended so should work fine. Thanks for the replies, they put me on the right track.

[Synchro909]

Not intending to hijack this thread but it appears to be done anyway.
I've seen Ford Service Bulletins referred to as a reference many times on this forum but I've never seen a set - don't even know anybody who has a set. Is there an electronic version available that someone would be kind enough to forward to me please?

[160B]

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Originally Posted by Synchro909

Not intending to hijack this thread but it appears to be done anyway.
I've seen Ford Service Bulletins referred to as a reference many times on this forum but I've never seen a set - don't even know anybody who has a set. Is there an electronic version available that someone would be kind enough to forward to me please?

I have a set of pristine original and a set of the reprints by MARC and the Book by Dan Post.

Here is a link to eBay Model A Ford Service Bulletins.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...dmd=1&_ipg=200

They are available in hardback book by Dan Post US $24.99, and reprint US $25.99 and on CD $23.79.

Originals show up but can be pricey. There was a Reprint by MARC and another by Ben Staub.

Link to Ben Staub Reprint $186

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1974-Ben-Sta...4AAOSwb6dZy~J3

[Synchro909]

Thanks 160B, I just ordered a set. Getting ready to get more grease under my finger nails!!

[RonC]

Originally Posted by Synchro909

Thanks 160B, I just ordered a set. Getting ready to get more grease under my finger nails!!

The service bulletins are a must. Ford started supplying the bulletins in 1919 for their vehicles along with service letters to Ford mechanics. They also had mechanic classes and classroom repair literature. The service letters, those that are available and reprinted, are also great to have.

The bulletins and letters were prepared for Ford mechanics and assumes knowledge beyond that which is included in the bulletins. Not unlike today's factory literature.

[updraught]

The Australian service bulletin reprints might turn up on ebay from time to time.

The GB ones might be more RHD specific.

https://www.mafcgb.org.uk/books-regalia/

[Synchro909]

Originally Posted by updraught

The Australian service bulletin reprints might turn up on ebay from time to time.

The GB ones might be more RHD specific.

https://www.mafcgb.org.uk/books-regalia/

Thanks Updraught. I have a set of "wrong handed " ones on the way.