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09-12-2021, 07:55 AM | #1 |
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Pressurized Radiator
Does anyone out there run a pressurized radiator? Can you tell me how and where to mount the overflow tube?
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09-12-2021, 08:25 AM | #2 |
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Re: Pressurized Radiator
My car had one on it when I bought it but I took it off. It was leaking. I also had issues with leaking head gaskets. The Bergs radiator I bought to replace it is atmospheric pressure and works great.
The advantage of a pressurized radiator, as most people know, is that the boiling point is raised so that the engine can run hotter. The disadvantage as I see it is that any leaks will be more pronounced. The overflow tube on my car had a rubber hose attached and ran down to under the car. Lots of people run an overflow tank with a pressurized radiator. You can buy overflow tanks that mount vertically next the radiator.
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09-12-2021, 06:56 PM | #3 |
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Re: Pressurized Radiator
You are just asking for trouble. With a free flowing radiator, you won’t hav a cooling issue.
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09-12-2021, 08:34 PM | #4 |
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Re: Pressurized Radiator
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09-12-2021, 08:53 PM | #5 |
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Re: Pressurized Radiator
Run the normal nonpressurized radiator, then chuck a hose on the overflow tube and run it to the overflow tank. then make sure your rad cap is sealed tight, and have an unsealed cap on the overflow tank. Best of both worlds. You don't need to raise your boiling point, if your radiator is good it will run cool. If your radiator is partially plugged all you'll end up doing is ruining your engine. Speedway makes a nice one: https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Speed...Tank,2954.html
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09-12-2021, 08:57 PM | #6 |
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Re: Pressurized Radiator
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09-13-2021, 06:49 AM | #7 |
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Re: Pressurized Radiator
I am tired of carrying around 3 gallons of water with me every time I i go out because the A belches water all over the place.
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09-13-2021, 07:03 AM | #8 |
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Re: Pressurized Radiator
First off how high are you filling the radiator? It will spit anything out above the baffle.
If you are at the correct level, your radiator should not be doing that. Once it finds its level it should stop spitting. If it keeps coming out of the overflow tube, something is wrong with the tube.
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09-13-2021, 05:13 PM | #9 |
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Re: Pressurized Radiator
John, when you top it off, and let it run at fast idle, does a bubble occasionally appear in the water when you look into the radiator?
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09-13-2021, 05:32 PM | #10 |
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Re: Pressurized Radiator
I hope this helps you.
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09-13-2021, 05:39 PM | #11 |
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Re: Pressurized Radiator
I have a unpressurized radiator with 160 degree thermostat. After filling it several times I decided to let it go and see what happens. It finally seeked it's own level about 3/4 " above the core. Runs cool and no water all over the neighborhood. It is a new radiator BTW.
John |
09-14-2021, 04:11 PM | #12 |
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Re: Pressurized Radiator
Hi John
I don’t know about pressuring your system, but I had the same problem as you. I would have to add a qt or more water every time I stopped. Our club tech guy said to add a 160 degree thermostat. I can’t explain it, but since I installed the thermostat last spring I have only added water once this season. Maybe eight or ten ounces to bring it to the baffle. Roy |
09-14-2021, 04:36 PM | #13 |
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Re: Pressurized Radiator
I bought my overflow tank from Brassworks. It fits nicely between the radiator and shell. https://thebrassworks.net/collection...1930-1932-ford
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09-14-2021, 07:03 PM | #14 |
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Re: Pressurized Radiator
Remember a pressurized radiator will probably cause your water pump to leak.
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09-14-2021, 07:50 PM | #15 |
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Re: Pressurized Radiator
This thread has filled with a lot of misinformation. The original poster asked about mounting the overflow tank, there are only a couple of responses related to that.
If you have a leaking head gasket, water pump, or other items because of a pressurized radiator, you have other issues that need to be addressed first. Adding a pressurized system at the typical 4-7 lbs isn't the cause of the leak, it just helped you find it. If your head gasket can't hold 4-7 lbs of coolant pressure, it's not holding back 50+ lbs of compression pressure. I'll never run a non pressurized radiator again, the advantages are numerous. Besides the previously mentioned higher boiling point (which is only 12-21 degrees higher at 4-7lbs), it reduces damaging pump cavitation, water loss from evaporation and steam, helps maintain normal operating temps at high elevations, and eliminates the mess from leaking radiator caps and atmospheric overflow tubes |
09-14-2021, 08:04 PM | #16 |
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Re: Pressurized Radiator
No tank was mentioned in the original post: "Does anyone out there run a pressurized radiator? Can you tell me how and where to mount the overflow tube?"
I answered that by explaining that on my car a rubber hose was attached to the overflow tube and run to underneath the car. However, the information about overflow tanks is still valuable and may help John with his coolant spitting issue. All modern cars have a pressurized radiator. But a pressurized radiator is not going to magically solve cooling problems for a 90 year old car that was designed to use an atmospheric radiator. If you have a leak proof water pump and the engine has no issues then a pressurized radiator will work. I am still of the mind that it is not needed. Regarding the mess made by a leaking radiator cap, I put an oversize O ring on my cap which makes a good seal.
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09-14-2021, 08:28 PM | #17 |
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Re: Pressurized Radiator
Interesting thread but I think you need to address the reason your Model A "belches water all over the place". It shouldn't be doing that and I doubt a pressurized radiator will cure your problem.
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09-16-2021, 08:02 AM | #18 |
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Re: Pressurized Radiator
I have two Model A's with 4# pressurized systems. With leakless pumps and the sealed expansion tanks, I seldom need to add water. Seldom means seasonally. I run both of these engines at highway and freeway speeds often. Before I updated the system on the Phaeton, I was constantly adding water. It was likely a combination of too much water through the pump, restriction from the radiator or combo of both. I was also getting close to the boiling point during a hard run or very hot day. Obviously, no issues now with either engine/car.
The two overflow tank locations I chose are shown below. I like the radiator mounted location the best. There are many other spots to mount them. Just look for available space, think about the routing of the coolant hose and how to secure the tank in its location. The photo on the left is of the '29 Phaeton we have with 98,000+ miles on since installing the engine, pressurized radiator and Mitchell overdrive. The expansion tank/tube is mounted to the firewall. Great car to tour with. Photo on the right is a Serr Miller Hi-Speed head on a brand new Burtz engine(#7 of the first batch). 4,800 trouble free miles on this one since early summer. Lots of power to pull a camper while touring. The expansion tank/tube is fastened to the lower radiator to shell fastener and one additional location on the shell above it. Last edited by Dave in MN; 09-16-2021 at 06:59 PM. |
09-16-2021, 09:35 AM | #19 |
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Re: Pressurized Radiator
I have a 4lb cap on mine. I don't have any pictures. But I love having a closed system. I literally do not know the last time I checked my coolant levels. I have a temp gauge but it never heats up. I went 8 days through the mountains of colorado and never added a drop of water this June. But also my temp gauge never got above 190*.
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09-16-2021, 12:03 PM | #20 |
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Re: Pressurized Radiator
I guess no one is interested
Last edited by Benson; 10-26-2021 at 04:02 PM. |
09-16-2021, 03:42 PM | #21 |
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Re: Pressurized Radiator
Sounds like "other" trouble to me; hope you find it.
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09-16-2021, 03:43 PM | #22 |
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Re: Pressurized Radiator
I wonder if Evans Coolant would help after a thorough cleaning. Just wondering.
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09-16-2021, 05:08 PM | #23 |
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Re: Pressurized Radiator
I have fitted a pressurised radiator and a bearing non leaking water pump. I am unhappy with the radiator which has not offered any advantage above non pressurised system because it still over heats. I have fitted a chrome cylindrical over flow but have not run it for a summer as yet. It looks likely I will remove the petition between the radiator ducting from the top tank.
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09-22-2021, 03:43 PM | #24 |
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Re: Pressurized Radiator
See correction to my post # 20 ... in BLUE...
Last edited by Benson; 09-25-2021 at 01:00 PM. |
09-24-2021, 08:12 AM | #25 |
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Re: Pressurized Radiator
I will be running a pressurized radiator on my Model A pickup because the old radiator leaks and has junk in it. I will be dailying my truck in sometimes stop and go traffic down in SC. so I need all the cooling I can get. I am going with a Brassworks extreme touring 11fpi pressurized radiator with an overflow tank. A six blade fan that i also bought will help as well. No thermostat, cause it barely drops below freezing here
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09-24-2021, 06:59 PM | #26 | |
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Re: Pressurized Radiator
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Quote:
I have a radiator with a honeycomb core which is nice and clear but honeycomb is not as efficient as a modern core. I'm thinking seriously about having it re-cored with a modern 3 row core. I expect that will be so efficient, I'll have to use a thermostat for ordinary running but I' I'll have plenty of cooling up my sleeve for when I towing in the heat up north.
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02-01-2022, 03:33 PM | #27 |
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Re: Pressurized Radiator
The thermostat acts as a restrictor the water pump is pushing water too fast to the top of the radiator and it’s going out the overflow
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02-01-2022, 04:44 PM | #28 |
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Re: Pressurized Radiator
Just a thought...but if a new radiator is not cooling the engine...then you might want to check that your head gasket is not leaking and that the inside of the block and head water passages are clean or mostly clean...water pump impeller is another place to check...Ernie in Arizona
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02-01-2022, 05:33 PM | #29 | |
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Re: Pressurized Radiator
Quote:
If water is coming out of the overflow after the system has found equilibrium, there is a problem like exhaust gasses getting in there (blown head gasket or cracked block). |
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02-04-2022, 07:55 AM | #30 |
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Re: Pressurized Radiator
I have run a low pressure coolant system using an orifice in the radiator's overflow line and a snug fitting radiator cap. The weak link is the water pump. It will leak, so be prepared to adjust the packing on a regular basis. My orifice technique did keep the coolant nearly constant until the pump started leaking. No overflow tank was necessary.
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02-06-2022, 04:21 AM | #31 | |
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Re: Pressurized Radiator
Quote:
The pressurised radiator has the filling cap on a goose neck. Square one so it is not possible to get a visual check on water level. Shown in posting number 18 left picture. I have an overflow tank fitted, granted a small quantity one as in the picture again submitted by Dave in MN, submission number 18- the centre picture, the long chrome cylindrical tank. It doesn’t hold all the water from the overflow. Maybe a little more than half a gallon lost. This radiator is my ’28 ute. My ’28 tourer has an atmospheric radiator which runs cooler. Both have the same temp gauge and measuring point the same, ie on return to the top of the radiator. The unpressurised radiator is of bigger capacity, but I don’t know how much bigger. I probably will have the baffle removed to hold more volume. Much of my summer running is in temps over 75c, frequently up to 100. When it exceeds 100 I stay home. Melbourne, as you know, because that's where you live, is mostly cooler but with hot northerly winds temps are the same as ours which I have listed.
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02-06-2022, 09:14 AM | #32 |
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Re: Pressurized Radiator
Dave, I love that Burtz engine with the dual downdrafts. What cam is in it?
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