Boiled Over In Winter.

[RalphG]

Well the heat gauge works on the Merc anyway. I didn't believe it was that hot. Checked the top hoses several times with my hand and they were not all that hot yet the gauge read nearly to the last dot. Ambient temp was around +20F at most so I had the rad covered to warm it up properly. Got a little bit stuck with the bald tires when I stopped to take a picture. In the process of rocking back and forth I lost sight of the guage and next thing steam came from under the hood. A stream of anti freeze was spraying from a weak spot in the tank over the engine, hitting the hood and soaking the coil wire to the dist. So now I know, trust the heat gauge.

[RKS.PA]

Ralph, love your pictures!!! That's a beautiful winter sunset or is it a sunrise??!!! Does that hay bale stay out all winter??

[50fordcoupeman]

When I was growing in NE Washington in the 50's, my Gpa never let us cover the radiators of any equipment as long as there was antifreeze in it. He said he saw too many engines ruined by overheating. He said let the thermostats do their job. Hope yours is ok.
I too love your photos!!

[RalphG]

That is sundown. I'm not a morning person :-). Covered radiators are pretty much compulsory here in winter on older vehicles. The Merc has no thermostats. This would not have been a problem today if I had just believed my heat gauge and uncovered the rad partially. . It really was that hot. Anyway, now I know where the radiator needs soldering. :-( Got some video of the day's driving here.
https://youtu.be/KO6QzVe_xGY

[Bulligen]

Yes, I hope your merc is ok! I always feel funny blocking the air flow, I had a radiator that was plugged up and boy my engine sure heated up quick! Also a steamer!

[RalphG]

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Originally Posted by Bulligen

Yes, I hope your merc is ok! I always feel funny blocking the air flow, I had a radiator that was plugged up and boy my engine sure heated up quick! Also a steamer!

No worries here. Its a life long practice. Used to be standard practice to cut out the right sized piece of cardboard to fit the grille or radiator when cold weather came. Some guys got elaborate and used a piece of carpet. I run my winter feeding tractor (Massey diesel) with the grille completely covered all winter. I ran an IH Scout all one winter with the fan removed. It was fine except stopped in city traffic the temp would climb a bit over normal.

[mercman from oz]

Lovely picture of the Mercury at sunset. Thanks for sharing.

[RalphM]

I had a 1970 ford truck that overheated here in Alaska at 25 below once. If something’s wrong, doesn’t matter how cold it is.

[G.M.]

You have either
1--- clogged radiator tubes
2--- wrong fan, pulley or belt slips
3--- compression leak
4--- water pumps not suppling enough flow

G.M.

[JSeery]

Originally Posted by G.M.

You have either
1--- clogged radiator tubes
2--- wrong fan, pulley or belt slips
3--- compression leak
4--- water pumps not suppling enough flow

G.M.

How about a covered radiator so there is no air flow?

[RalphG]

Originally Posted by JSeery

How about a covered radiator so there is no air flow?

You got it!
This is the first time the engine has boiled in the almost 4 years I have driven it. I wanted to get the temp up to normal on this cool winter day and its not easy with no thermostats. I've used the covered rad method many times and its never a problem as long as I watch (and believe) the heat gauge. Those top hoses just did not feel that hot to my hands so I left the rad covered. Now I know. The top dot on the heat gauge really is the boiling point.

[Mike in AZ]

Beautiful picture. Yep, cardboard in front of radiator. Adjust coverage as indicated by by temp gauge. Mike

[RKS.PA]

Ralph, right up your alley, had a John Deere B tractor once that had lever operated shutters in front of the radiator.....at least I think I remember it being that way!!

[shoe box Jack]

why no stats ? jack

[flatford8]

You always manage to find an adventure riding around that farm!!!...for the entertainment of the rest of us!!!... Great photo as always. I drive an ‘81 F100 with a cooling system in good shape. I end up putting card board over about half of the radiator when it gets real cold. Just to get a little more heat out of the old truck. Happy Holidays to you and yours!!!
..... Mark

[RalphG]

Originally Posted by RKS.PA

Ralph, right up your alley, had a John Deere B tractor once that had lever operated shutters in front of the radiator.....at least I think I remember it being that way!!

I know some tractors had the shutters but usually the cable failed and that was the end of it.
Shoeboxjack, the guy that rebuilt the engine about 35 years ago tells me it didn't have thermostats. The popular belief at the time was that they restricted the flow of coolant and would make it run hot in summer. .
Mark, I run my 81 Sierra Classic with a winter front ever since I bought it in 86.

[Tinker]

So in a previous thread a while back, a guy mentioned something, I really didn't think about... the mix. Slushy bad mix of anti-freeze... will inhibit flow. I guess now in the north I need one of them turkey basters with multi colored balls. No idea how they work???


of course a wayyyy cool picture! always

[RalphG]

Originally Posted by Tinker

So in a previous thread a while back, a guy mentioned something, I really didn't think about... the mix. Slushy bad mix of anti-freeze... will inhibit flow. I guess now in the north I need one of them turkey basters with multi colored balls. No idea how they work???
of course a wayyyy cool picture! always

The testers have a scale and a little rotating dial inside that moves in relation to the strength of the anti freeze. I had a GM pickup boil one cold winter day while driving into a sub zero wind. Weak anti freeze coagulated in the rad and stopped the flow. Another good reason for a winter front. But I should have tested the anti freeze in that one. The Merc has no problem that way.
It was the cat food bag over the radiator that did it.

[Tinker]

Originally Posted by RalphG

The testers have a scale and a little rotating dial inside that moves in relation to the strength of the anti freeze. I had a GM pickup boil one cold winter day while driving into a sub zero wind. Weak anti freeze coagulated in the rad and stopped the flow. Another good reason for a winter front. But I should have tested the anti freeze in that one. The Merc has no problem that way.
It was the cat food bag over the radiator that did it.

cat's can kill mice and rats, terriers are way better at it.


Your pictures are the best! When is the coffee table coming out Ralph?

[chap52]

Making lemonade out of a pile of lemons. Great picture, made me shiver. Of course here in Arizona it will be 65 with lows in the 40's today. Us locals as. Chap