The Ford Barn

Seabees · 10-15-2022, 06:10 PM

Howdy boys, a young fellow in our club has a '29 that has a problem of overheating that I can't help him with. Long story short, it's had two engines in it, and it continues to overheat. Timing is correct, water pump seems normal, radiator has been back flushed, along with the block, and it still overheats. He is going to clean the radiator with a coolant system cleaner and see if that helps, but I am doubtful, due to the cleanliness of the water when we flushed it today. The only thing I can think of is there must be a reason water is not flowing. Damned if I know. We've had the pump off and it seems to be in good condition. The radiator seems to flow normal, but I haven't measured gpm flow. Should be around 40 if I remember correctly. I guess we're going to have to pull the radiator and clean it out professionally, unless we can get it to flow better. Any suggestions, other than the obvious, would be appreciated. Thanks guys, always like to hear your thoughts.

foxfire42 · 10-15-2022, 09:37 PM

I have a similar problem. I'll be eagerly reviewing the answers

Ray64 · 10-16-2022, 07:38 AM

Timing is to RETARDED or get a new Radiator That was my 3 month long demon RAY

aermotor · 10-16-2022, 08:07 AM

You said the car had two engines in it. Did this problem occur with the previous engine?

Big hammer · 10-16-2022, 08:21 AM

More information please ! What are the signs of overheating, what temperature and how it’s taken, at what parameters are you overheating, idling, slow speeds, highway speeds, etc

TerryH · 10-16-2022, 10:39 AM

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If the radiator is truly plugged, backflushing will probably not clear it. I would strongly suggest having it rodded by someone that knows how to do it. When I bought my Model A 16 years ago, it overheated some, and I was directed to a gentleman who had lots of experience in rodding radiators. Afterwards he told me that something like 24 tubes were completely clogged, and he was able to successfully rod all but about 4. My car never overheats now.

Seabees · 10-16-2022, 10:50 AM

Stand by boys, I'll get back to you in a couple hours. Thanks!

BillCNC · 10-16-2022, 11:06 AM

If both engines ran warm, then it's either your timing or radiator or a combination of the two. With the weather right now, hot plugs shouldn't do it.

Test your radiator, it should flow 38 gallon in a minute. You'll find videos on Youtube explaining how to test it. Also, as Ray64 said. More than likely your timing is to far retarded.

Regards
Bill

katy · 10-16-2022, 11:47 AM

If the radiator is scaled up inside, (from using hard water) it may flow good but won't cool properly. The scale restricts the heat transfer from the coolant to the radiator tubes. Some people use vinegar to descale the radiator.

nkaminar · 10-16-2022, 01:35 PM

As Big Hammer said, what are the signs of overheating? Steam? Coolant discharge?

What is the age of the radiator. They do get old and loose the ability to cool. Rodding as Terry H suggested may help.

There are many possible reason for overheating. You will have to play detective to eliminate each possible cause one at a time. You have already done some of that by looking at the timing and fuel ratio.

Gene F · 10-16-2022, 02:07 PM

When I bought my car, it had been timed with the spark travel all the way down. Wonder the thing even ran...

ryanheacox · 10-16-2022, 07:09 PM

Another issue is if the fins get loose and the tubes can't transfer the heat to them efficiently.

31a · 10-16-2022, 08:15 PM

Agree with Ryan check fin connection

Ernie Vitucci · 10-16-2022, 08:51 PM

Good Evening...A plugged muffler and or tailpipe might be part of the problem...also the head gasket could be loose...or warn out. It is also a good idea to take off the lower water pump inlet and the water pump and then insert a power washer nozzel into the botom water entry and fire away, then into the one in the head and do the same thing. I turned a driveway orange...Her magesty was not pleased. She did not smile at me. Ernie in Arizona

Chuck Sea/Tac · 10-17-2022, 12:08 AM

Buy a cheap ir temperature gun and shoot the radiator. That will tell you how well the tubes are transferring heat.

dave in australia · 10-17-2022, 01:26 AM

To see if the radiator is cooling efficiently, get an infared temp gun, and do few checks in various spots on the core. It will show up blocked areas by being a lot cooler at the same height, and should show a temp drop from top to bottom.

aermotor · 10-17-2022, 06:41 AM

[QUOTE=Seabees;2174227]Howdy boys, a young fellow in our club has a '29 that has a problem of overheating that I can't help him with. Long story short, it's had two engines in it, and it continues to overheat. QUOTE]

You say "continues to overheat" - guess that means both engines overheated. If both engines the thermostat may be defective if it has one. Was the top hose replaced?

Seabees · 10-17-2022, 10:19 AM

Howdy boys, sorry I didn't get back to you yesterday. OK, here's the full story. The original engine is worn out, so it got pulled and a replacement was put in. The replacement was .125 over on the bore, but we decided to use it. It ran fine for about two months, then began to overheat. I check the radiator and block with a heat gun and the block was anywhere from 200-230. Way too hot. The radiator was around 170-180. My first thought was timing, so I checked it, right on. Then I thought, not enough flow, so we flowed water through the radiator and block. A little rusty, but not bad, and the radiator seemed to flow adequately. Continued to overheat, so we pulled the pump and it seems normal. Since the engine was bored to .125, I thought that might be an issue. Talked to my builder and he was of the same opinion. They do tend to get hot sometimes. So, the young man who owns the car decided to buy another engine and use it. This engine was taken out of a running car. We watched it run on a stand. Put the engine in and same thing, still overheating in the same spots. The timing is correct, there is no thermostat, and it runs fine, so I don't suspect the head gasket is bad. We pulled the hoses and backflushed the radiator and block. Got some crap out, but not a bunch. Put it back together and same thing, still getting hot. So, I sent him home with it and he bought a cleaning kit for the cooling system, which produced more rusty water, but didn't really help the heating problem. He is going to pull the radiator today and I will take it to the shop and get it taken apart so it can be rodded. It has to be the radiator in my opinion. My reasoning is, the first engine we put in the car had sat for several years with no head on it. Who knows what may have been in the block. Mouse nest? I cleaned out a gas tank that had a rat nest in it once. So, the radiator, even though flowing what looked "ok", may be filled with junk. Yeah, I know, I should have checked this before having him do all the other guess work I had him do! Anyway, that's the plan for now, get that radiator cleaned out for sure. Thanks guys, I'll keep you posted. And yes, I feel like a dumb ass for not paying a little more attention to detail here!

65f100 · 10-17-2022, 10:27 AM

I pulled my radiator and filled it with cleaning vinegar - got alot of rusty gunk out - soaked it for several hours

TMarsh · 10-17-2022, 12:58 PM

Does not seem to hot to me, but I am in Texas and you are in Oregon.

10-15-2022, 06:10 PM	#1
Seabees Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Eastern Oregon Posts: 205	Over heating. Can't figure this one out. Howdy boys, a young fellow in our club has a '29 that has a problem of overheating that I can't help him with. Long story short, it's had two engines in it, and it continues to overheat. Timing is correct, water pump seems normal, radiator has been back flushed, along with the block, and it still overheats. He is going to clean the radiator with a coolant system cleaner and see if that helps, but I am doubtful, due to the cleanliness of the water when we flushed it today. The only thing I can think of is there must be a reason water is not flowing. Damned if I know. We've had the pump off and it seems to be in good condition. The radiator seems to flow normal, but I haven't measured gpm flow. Should be around 40 if I remember correctly. I guess we're going to have to pull the radiator and clean it out professionally, unless we can get it to flow better. Any suggestions, other than the obvious, would be appreciated. Thanks guys, always like to hear your thoughts.

10-15-2022, 09:37 PM	#2
foxfire42 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: AZ and WA Posts: 764	Re: Over heating. Can't figure this one out. I have a similar problem. I'll be eagerly reviewing the answers

10-16-2022, 07:38 AM	#3
Ray64 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Grafton,OHIO Posts: 727	Re: Over heating. Can't figure this one out. Timing is to RETARDED or get a new Radiator That was my 3 month long demon RAY

10-16-2022, 08:07 AM	#4
aermotor Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 1,099	Re: Over heating. Can't figure this one out. You said the car had two engines in it. Did this problem occur with the previous engine?

10-16-2022, 08:21 AM	#5
Big hammer Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Land of Lincoln Posts: 3,131	Re: Over heating. Can't figure this one out. More information please ! What are the signs of overheating, what temperature and how it’s taken, at what parameters are you overheating, idling, slow speeds, highway speeds, etc __________________ Don't force it with a little hammer tap, tap, tap get a bigger hammer tap done

10-16-2022, 10:39 AM	#6
TerryH Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Fountain Valley, Calif. Posts: 937	Re: Over heating. Can't figure this one out. Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) If the radiator is truly plugged, backflushing will probably not clear it. I would strongly suggest having it rodded by someone that knows how to do it. When I bought my Model A 16 years ago, it overheated some, and I was directed to a gentleman who had lots of experience in rodding radiators. Afterwards he told me that something like 24 tubes were completely clogged, and he was able to successfully rod all but about 4. My car never overheats now.

10-16-2022, 10:50 AM	#7
Seabees Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Eastern Oregon Posts: 205	Re: Over heating. Can't figure this one out. Stand by boys, I'll get back to you in a couple hours. Thanks!

10-16-2022, 11:06 AM	#8
BillCNC Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: SoCal Desert Posts: 826	Re: Over heating. Can't figure this one out. If both engines ran warm, then it's either your timing or radiator or a combination of the two. With the weather right now, hot plugs shouldn't do it. Test your radiator, it should flow 38 gallon in a minute. You'll find videos on Youtube explaining how to test it. Also, as Ray64 said. More than likely your timing is to far retarded. Regards Bill

10-16-2022, 11:47 AM	#9
katy Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Red Deer, Alberta Posts: 5,046	Re: Over heating. Can't figure this one out. If the radiator is scaled up inside, (from using hard water) it may flow good but won't cool properly. The scale restricts the heat transfer from the coolant to the radiator tubes. Some people use vinegar to descale the radiator. __________________ If you don't hear a rumor by 10 AM, start one!. Got my education out behind the barn!

10-16-2022, 01:35 PM	#10
nkaminar Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 3,897	Re: Over heating. Can't figure this one out. As Big Hammer said, what are the signs of overheating? Steam? Coolant discharge? What is the age of the radiator. They do get old and loose the ability to cool. Rodding as Terry H suggested may help. There are many possible reason for overheating. You will have to play detective to eliminate each possible cause one at a time. You have already done some of that by looking at the timing and fuel ratio. __________________ A is for apple, green as the sky. Step on the gas, for tomorrow I die. Forget the brakes, they really don't work. The clutch always sticks, and starts with a jerk. My car grows red hair, and flies through the air. Driving's a blast, a blast from the past. Last edited by nkaminar; 10-16-2022 at 01:44 PM.

10-16-2022, 02:07 PM	#11
Gene F Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,973	Re: Over heating. Can't figure this one out. When I bought my car, it had been timed with the spark travel all the way down. Wonder the thing even ran...

10-16-2022, 07:09 PM	#12
ryanheacox Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Northwest CT Posts: 1,092	Re: Over heating. Can't figure this one out. Another issue is if the fins get loose and the tubes can't transfer the heat to them efficiently.

10-16-2022, 08:15 PM	#13
31a Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: College Station, Tx Posts: 326	Re: Over heating. Can't figure this one out. Agree with Ryan check fin connection

10-16-2022, 08:51 PM	#14
Ernie Vitucci Senior Member Join Date: May 2016 Location: Scottsdale, Arizona Posts: 612	Re: Over heating. Can't figure this one out. Good Evening...A plugged muffler and or tailpipe might be part of the problem...also the head gasket could be loose...or warn out. It is also a good idea to take off the lower water pump inlet and the water pump and then insert a power washer nozzel into the botom water entry and fire away, then into the one in the head and do the same thing. I turned a driveway orange...Her magesty was not pleased. She did not smile at me. Ernie in Arizona

10-17-2022, 12:08 AM	#15
Chuck Sea/Tac Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Between Seattle & Tacoma Posts: 2,354	Re: Over heating. Can't figure this one out. Buy a cheap ir temperature gun and shoot the radiator. That will tell you how well the tubes are transferring heat.

10-17-2022, 01:26 AM	#16
dave in australia Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Victoria, Australia Posts: 1,177	Re: Over heating. Can't figure this one out. To see if the radiator is cooling efficiently, get an infared temp gun, and do few checks in various spots on the core. It will show up blocked areas by being a lot cooler at the same height, and should show a temp drop from top to bottom.

10-17-2022, 06:41 AM	#17
aermotor Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 1,099	Re: Over heating. Can't figure this one out. [QUOTE=Seabees;2174227]Howdy boys, a young fellow in our club has a '29 that has a problem of overheating that I can't help him with. Long story short, it's had two engines in it, and it continues to overheat. QUOTE] You say "continues to overheat" - guess that means both engines overheated. If both engines the thermostat may be defective if it has one. Was the top hose replaced? Last edited by aermotor; 10-17-2022 at 07:15 AM.

10-17-2022, 10:19 AM	#18
Seabees Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Eastern Oregon Posts: 205	Re: Over heating. Can't figure this one out. Howdy boys, sorry I didn't get back to you yesterday. OK, here's the full story. The original engine is worn out, so it got pulled and a replacement was put in. The replacement was .125 over on the bore, but we decided to use it. It ran fine for about two months, then began to overheat. I check the radiator and block with a heat gun and the block was anywhere from 200-230. Way too hot. The radiator was around 170-180. My first thought was timing, so I checked it, right on. Then I thought, not enough flow, so we flowed water through the radiator and block. A little rusty, but not bad, and the radiator seemed to flow adequately. Continued to overheat, so we pulled the pump and it seems normal. Since the engine was bored to .125, I thought that might be an issue. Talked to my builder and he was of the same opinion. They do tend to get hot sometimes. So, the young man who owns the car decided to buy another engine and use it. This engine was taken out of a running car. We watched it run on a stand. Put the engine in and same thing, still overheating in the same spots. The timing is correct, there is no thermostat, and it runs fine, so I don't suspect the head gasket is bad. We pulled the hoses and backflushed the radiator and block. Got some crap out, but not a bunch. Put it back together and same thing, still getting hot. So, I sent him home with it and he bought a cleaning kit for the cooling system, which produced more rusty water, but didn't really help the heating problem. He is going to pull the radiator today and I will take it to the shop and get it taken apart so it can be rodded. It has to be the radiator in my opinion. My reasoning is, the first engine we put in the car had sat for several years with no head on it. Who knows what may have been in the block. Mouse nest? I cleaned out a gas tank that had a rat nest in it once. So, the radiator, even though flowing what looked "ok", may be filled with junk. Yeah, I know, I should have checked this before having him do all the other guess work I had him do! Anyway, that's the plan for now, get that radiator cleaned out for sure. Thanks guys, I'll keep you posted. And yes, I feel like a dumb ass for not paying a little more attention to detail here!

10-17-2022, 10:27 AM	#19
65f100 Member Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Alamogordo NM Posts: 39	Re: Over heating. Can't figure this one out. I pulled my radiator and filled it with cleaning vinegar - got alot of rusty gunk out - soaked it for several hours

10-17-2022, 12:58 PM	#20
TMarsh Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2019 Posts: 131	Re: Over heating. Can't figure this one out. Does not seem to hot to me, but I am in Texas and you are in Oregon.