Technical 59A flathead thermostats

Some time back I installed thermostats in the 59A engine in my '29 AV8. Recently it has started having what I assumed was stuck thermostat(s) and getting hot rather quickly and pushing water out. I blamed it on cheap thermostats and ordered Stant brand 14157 170 degree units. Installed them yesterday, added new antifreeze 50/50 mix, fired it up and waited for it to get to temp and open the stats and top off the radiator. It took forever and the chrome upper radiator tubes/hoses never got close to warm but the temp gauges went up beyond where they should have been and it started pushing cold coolant out of the filler neck. Let it cool down, went through same procedure with same results. What did I do wrong? Not my 1st flathead by any means. My '40 has a 286 stroker flatty and never had any problem with stats in it. As a kid 47 years ago I put them in backwards in my '39 coupe w/ 59ab. Boy that didn't work! Learned that lesson! I am thinking maybe I need to drill a small hole to act as by-pass until they open as air is trapped below them and won't let the coolant get to the stats? If so, what size hole to drill? Any help would be appreciated guys.

Thanks,
Dave

 

1/8" hole.Are stats opening? put them in a pan of water,heat till they open.Use a meat or candy thermometer to check temp.Don't tell your wife.

 

Thanks Texas Webb. No, I didn't pre check them but will when I take them out to drill. Made the mistake of thinking they would "just work" ! That's why one buys new brand name stuff right?

Dave

 

Check them before you drill them, in case you need to take them back to the store.

 

Using washers with varying size holes used to be a way to avoid the worry of thermostat problems. Back in the day thermostats were a bellows type which worked rather well if I remember correctly, not sure if the pellet type today are as dependable.

 

I had to put an 1/8 " hole in mine and they work fine just enough to let the air through but like they said check them in a pan of boiling water first off

 

Thanks guys for the replies. If it doesn't snow too much tonight and tomorrow I will drain it again and check the stats and if good, will drill them and try it all again.

Dave

 

Crap, snowing like crazy! Not pulling outside today I guess.

Dave

 

When you put the stats back in, make sure the hole is at the highest point so all the air gets out.

 

Okay, I couldn't stand not going ahead and fixing this so I got out a big tarp and covered the car and rolled it outside. Drained the coolant, AGAIN, and pulled the upper hoses. Took the stats in the house and heated up some water in a gallon can, avoiding using the wife's pots of course! Both stats started opening at 170 as they should. Cooled until they closed and repeated. Both work perfect. Drilled an 1/8th inch hole in each and reinstalled, being careful to even locate the holes the same both in the stats and in their locations in the head. Filled it back up with coolant, noting that this time it gurgled as it filled telling me the holes were letting the air escape. Ran it for probably an hour or more and never got over 170 degrees and no blow-back through the filler neck! FIXED!

Thanks again guys for the help. BTW, BJR, the tops of the water outlets on the 59AB are level so no problem with having hole at the highest point.

While it was running, 3 guys stopped by to check out my lineup of old cars out front. 2 from Walla Walla WA. and the other was from Denmark and I think he said he is Ford29 on the HAMB. Was nice to meet you guys!

Here are some pics from doing this job today and a couple more from the other day.

Dave

 

Great to hear the help of the Hamb worked! Happy motoring.

 

I came late to this party but sounds like you did the same song and dance I did with my '49 haha.
Ran cool every time I drove it after.

Man, I still just love the hell out of that sedan.

 

Thanks Old-Soul! So do I. I am very honored to be the current caretaker of it.

Dave

 

Glad you got it solved.

 

love the 50 Buick taillights...... had em on my 32 way way back...........

 

Glad it worked. That gurgling was probably a good sound you wanted to hear.

 

I was late on seeing this post but right away I was thinking it needed the small holes in the thermostat, mine did exactly the same thing ! - glad it's fixed!!

 

Did you place the thermostats in the hose at the outlet of the heads???


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Thanks Jer!

Jeff34, yes I did. That's where I always put them. I use another hose clamp just above them to keep them seated.

Dave

 

Thanks, Dave. Been thinking about adding thermos to my 48 flatty. Just not sure how to keep them from moving around.


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scroll down a bit on this link to the photo. some guys just leave the wire hangin and cover with the hose, and some drill two small holes at the top of the head and stainless wire them on. https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=227985&showall=1

 

use 2 of these

 

Jeff, if you look at the picture of my engine you can see the second from the bottom hose clamp just above the cylinder head. That one holds the stats in place.

Also, I don't advocate putting the thermostats in the upper end of the hose or at the radiator as I think the coolant temp may be a little lower there than at the head. Who knows? Just my guess.

Dave

 

Adding a couple of photos for anyone researching the topic of venting thermostats for 59a.

 

Interesting. I had forgotten about the “vent” holes even though it was mentioned in a thread I posted back in March.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/ford-c59-flathead-thermostat-installation.1311808/

I installed my thermostats using pcs of copper pipe I was using to route the coolant to my rear mounted radiator. The coolant hose goes over the copper pc. The copper pc keeps the thermostat seated against the head. Some pics and a link to the posts on my build thread for those interested.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/my-gn-cycle-car-tribute-build.1131795/page-24

 

I have Robert Shaw thermostats in my avatar and in the 59A in my '41 p/u. They have a bypass built in.

 

I have never used thermostats in my flatheads, and never will.

New style pumps are too efficient. Water is flow too fast when engine is warm -> heat need more time to move from water to radiator,.. to air

15mm hole to alum. washers. Installation inside of upper rad.hose, near radiator.
What else needed?

aulis

 

Interesting. I heard/seen lots of discussion of water passing through too quickly. Lots of controversy on that subject for sure.
In this thread, I did a “theoretical” calculation of heat load on engine, and based on all the ASSUMPTIONS, and one data point by the OP of a 8F delta in coolant temp in/out of the radiator, the stk pumps flow more than twice what is needed (at hwy cruising speeds), and newer pumps would flow even more than that. So, I can understand the thinking that the coolant could flow too quickly to allow the engine to maintain proper operating temps.
In some articles I came across, an 80s era type Corvette required about 14 hp (net) to cruise at hwy speeds. In my assumptions, it was was 17 hp (net) or 50 hp gross to cruise at those speeds.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/flat-head-heat-temps.1327350/

 

I have a big flathead @ 292 c.i. I'm using Skip Haney's modified water pumps and Walker radiator. I've run the motor three ways. No stats, NOS Robert Shaw 160 degree stats mounted in the upper hoses and Stant Super Stats 180 in the heads.

Shaws had hole already in there. I drilled the holes in the Stants like mentioned in this thread. In all three combos, I have to run without a fan since the motor runs too cool. It runs best with the 180 degree Stants in it.