30 Coupe coolant loss

[30standardcoupe]

Hi Guys/ Gals,
I am having a coolant loss problem, and I am not sure what to do.
Here are the facts on my car:
1930 Coupe
Stock 4 cyl with Model B head, and Model B cam, leak less water pump.

Radiator is stock, and earlier this year, I had a (Trusted) local radiator shop go through my radiator, and they told me that, it was free and clear of any obstructions, in fact he said that thing could cool a big block V-8 eng with no issues.

I do run a 185 degree thermostat, and made sure it operates correctly before installing, and it is located in the upper radiator hose, as close to the radiator as possible.

So we took our car on a tour yesterday, and the car did fine, with the exception of coolant loss.

Prior to this, been doing city driving no issues!

We did enter a parade with it, and by time we were done, it was out of coolant.

Filled it with coolant, and headed home. As soon as we hit the canyon, my temp gauge- pegs, and rides their over the passes.

Stop for dinner, then after dinner, leave, and get half way home, and its boiling!

Stop and put almost 3 gals of water in it, and the rest of the way home runs very well, about 160 on the temp gauge, and doesn’t leak a drop. Right now, (The next day) it sits in the garage and not one drop of water beneath it on the floor.

So……… my thinking is that because we went up and down hills, that for some reason, when the engine reaches higher RPM’s for some reason, its pushing the coolant out the over flow.

Could this be possible?

Would a faulty leak less water pump cause this?

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!
TIA
Clay

[Dick Steinkamp]

It wouldn't (can't) push 3 gallons of water out the overflow.

If there is no big puddle of water under the car...ever...then it is leaking internally. Most likely a blown head gasket, but could be cracks in the head and/or block.

You can test by getting the engine warm and looking for bubbles in the radiator. It will look like this if combustion gases are getting into the coolant...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83C2IetkKew

[modelAtony]

Take the thermostat out. It will run lots cooler, you can put it back in during cold weather. Have fun modelAtony Lafayette, LA

[30standardcoupe]

Blown head gasket....... uuugghhhhh

Yes, that is exactly what it is doing in the radiator.

Ok, so I thought if you had a blown head gasket, you would smell it burning through the exhaust of the tail pipe when running? Or it would have a cloud of steam coming out of it?

So for the blown head gasket, I need to pull the head, and have it planed or shaved by the machine shop, and of course new head gasket, anything else specific to this I need to look at or do while I am in there?

@ modelAtony,
Thank you for telling me about my Thermostat, I will remove it when it comes apart,

TIA
Clay

[30standardcoupe]

Also........

Is the model A engine prone to blown head gaskets?

TIA
Clay

[Dick Steinkamp]

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Originally Posted by 30standardcoupe

.......anything else specific to this I need to look at or do while I am in there?

I'd check the head and the block deck carefully for hair line cracks. On the block deck, the most common is from a valve seat to the water jacket.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Drop a loose fitting, large head roofing nail in the top of the overflow tube & see what happens???? (TIP# 141--don't have a list, I just "make up" numbers)
Bill Tipster

[Charlie Stephens]

If you have a Model B head designed for use on a 1932 Ford (it will probably have a block letter "C" on the top but definitely will have a 3 bolt water pump) you need to run a Model B head gasket (NOT a Model A head gasket) as there are two holes for the coolant that are too close to the edge of the Model A gasket. I think they make a test kit (try Pep Boys) that will check for combustion gas in the coolant.

Charlie Stephens

[30standardcoupe]

How much can the car be driven with a bad head gasket?

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Originally Posted by 30standardcoupe

How much can the car be driven with a bad head gasket?

DON'T DRIVE IT
Bill W.

[Jerry in Shasta]

The thermostat needs to be as close the the head as possible, otherwise you may have heating problems.With the stat near the head the engine heat has a quicker and more direct influence on the controlling engine temperature.

That's why modern cars have the stat in the head not the radiator.

Just my W.A.G. at the problem.
JB

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Originally Posted by Jerry in Shasta

The thermostat needs to be as close the the head as possible, otherwise you may have heating problems.With the stat near the head the engine heat has a quicker and more direct influence on the controlling engine temperature.

That's why modern cars have the stat in the head not the radiator.

Just my W.A.G. at the problem.
JB

Jerry,
With her thermostat in the upper end of the upper hose, Minerva ran 12,000 trouble free miles--HEAT GOES UP (That's why they call us HOTHEADS!)
Bill W.

[Big hammer]

Originally Posted by modelAtony

Take the thermostat out. It will run lots cooler, you can put it back in during cold weather. Have fun modelAtony Lafayette, LA

Quick fix! Then when you reinstall a stat 160*, mine runs about 165 to 175 hot idling! IMO 185* stat is to close to 212* boiling point of H2O or 220* boiling point of anti-freeze IMO :-)

[aermotor]

What altitudes were you at? Water boils at approx. 195 @ 8000"

John

[john charlton]

Many years ago a friend borrowed my AA truck . It came back boiling, the driver had forgotten to advance the spark . When I looked under the hood the exhaust manifold was glowing a dull red . No harm done luckily head gasket survived ,this was some years ago and that head gasket has now been on since 1983 . Check your timing ,you never know .

John in nice summer evening Suffolk County England .

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by john charlton

Many years ago a friend borrowed my AA truck . It came back boiling, the driver had forgotten to advance the spark . When I looked under the hood the exhaust manifold was glowing a dull red . No harm done luckily head gasket survived ,this was some years ago and that head gasket has now been on since 1983 . Check your timing ,you never know .

John in nice summer evening Suffolk County England .

Good reason not to lend out something of real value. My cousin let a friend use his mint one owner 1941 Chevy 1 1/2 ton truck to haul some hay bales. He put a rod out the side of the block and never offered to pay. My cousin parked the truck outside until it rusted away and then he junked it.