Technical 49 fleetline overheating

Have just picked up a 49 fleetline with original 6cylinder motor. Has 5speed trans. Started it up today...went literally around the block and burning smell with cabin filling with smoke. Pull right over. Valve cover is steaming... Has antifreeze in radiator full. Upper and lower hoses quite hot to the touch.

Would like to troubleshoot and sure could use some things to check or suggest. Might it be an issue with waterpump or thermostat not opening? Sure appreciate.

Thanks GP

 

yessir original inline 6 motor. sorry if i didnt state that

 

OK inline 6, check oil level, does it smell like burning oil or hot anti freeze?

 

i can check tomorrow as im working now..and car is home. anything else to check? you thinking blown head gasket or something?

Was going to see if water pump is working tomorrow in the light ..maybe new rad cap fr a first easy test?

 

What does the temp gauge tell you ? Is there a leaking heater core in the (cabin)

 

of course neither of both. no heater box (just looped the heater line back ) and no temp gauge.. guess i should think about a better setup. just got the car last week.

 

Did you check the thermostat?

 

i didnt check anything really as i pulled it right around to the house and shut off. Then had to go to work...so didnt get a chance to do much. But did want to get a plan together as to what i should be looking at/for tomorrow. sure appreciate.

 

Got any history from the previous owner? Look for water in the oil, the coolant should look clean and green. Check the fan belt, quite possible the t-stat is stuck, may as well change it anyway. Look in the radiator, make sure coolant is flowing.

 

Pull the tip stick and see if the oil looks like oil or is a milky white color which could be a head gasket or cracks in the head.
How long did the motor run when it was steaming and hot?
This is very important because in many cases of over heating most of the damage can be done when someone keeps driving instead of stopping right away.

These along with checking for a thermostat that may have simply stuck are keys to what's making it over heat.
Jimbo

 

oil looks brown..needs a change as it is dark. Nothing milky or white about it.

Picked up a temp gauge.. where does sensor go.. on head? sure could use some help on this with photos as i never have done this.. thanks

 

"burning smell and cabin filling with smoke" are not signs of overheating.

 

I agree..but it happened so fast. I couldnt tell what was going on as i was trying to coast around the block to the driveway. Got in..opened trunk and smoke came out.. wasnt like black smoke.. just like steam/light colored. I was just trying to make sure i got it home...didnt process everything that second. Opened hood and saw valve cover steaming... I thought at the time it smelled like something burning.. and inside cabin it did have smoke/steam... into the trunk. sorry for the response..trying to recall.

 

Try starting it again after you get the temp gauge in. Then watch the gauge and look for smoke in the cabin again. Either you have a holey floor and exhaust was getting in, or something else was burning inside the car. It takes longer than a block for a car to overheat enough for the inside to fill with smoke. Might be burning wires? Be ready to shut it off in a hurry.

 

Thanks.. sounds like a good plan. I agree my story is a bit all over the place. but try to see it from my point. I just got car..drove it a bit with old owner no issues. So was not anticipating anything. Get around the block and think i smell something 'burning'. i then see smoke inside cab. not like black billowing..just like light smoke/steam which caught me by total surprise. So i just whipped around the next corner and slid it into the driveway. Popped hood and trunk and see 'steam' or light colored smoke from trunk! totally caught me off guard like why would anything be back there? Car has airride so i thought at first this was the issue like you said..burning something like wires. but then i saw the smoke/steam from valve cover... maybe even two separate issues. will do some testing over weekend.

One small test i did in driveway was to start it.. let it idle in driveway. Nothing happened for about 3 mins... squeezed upper hose and it was not warm at all. like never felt anything gushing through it. ***uming engine was not hot enough yet but after 3 mins in 90 degree weather i would think its warm enough for coolant to come through no? Shut off engine and a very fine steam came off valve cover. ugh.

Where does temp sender go..in head on driver side by mainfold? Photos would be most helpful.

thanks

 

The engine may have a lot of condensation built up in it and finally you are burning it off. Look for anything laying on the exhaust or too close to it. Make sure the firewall holes are closed up with grommets, also the trunk floor.

 

smoke and steam are not the same thing and not the same problem.

 

WE need pics of car, motor and steam/smoke

 

yes i agree.. smoke and steam different but in my haste to get home i didnt really distinguish. will do some testing and try to grab a video.

 

If you don't a heater, remove the thermostat and see if it helps.

 

Did you happen to notice any oil around the valve cover? It could be as simple as oil leaking out of the cover and burning on the block. Pop the cover off and see what's going on in there. Clean everything off really good, then see if it still leaks smoke/steam.

Sent from my SM-G920V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

so what did the "smoke" smell like? sweet smell= antifreeze, rubber smell = tires rubbing something, burning smell=wires burning. with smoke coming from trunk, i don't think it is only an overheating problem. you say smoking valve covers, is that smoke coming from a vent on the valve cover or is the smoke coming from the metal of the cover itself? if it is the valve cover itself is there oil on the cover? leaking valve cover gasket? we will need more info

 

If your 216/235 is old enough, valve cover is vented, yes? Engine blow-by from the crankcase is simply part of the charm. The Fleetline in my avatar had been parked since '74 when I put it it back to daily driver status in 2012. Lots of smells for awhile, old dust and dried oil burning off with repeated heat/cooling cycles. We eventually found stasis; a lovely potpourri of old horsehair seat stuffing, dried rat piss and 90wt dripping on the glaspack from time to time. Best 1000 miles I've put on any car in my life.

 

So i pulled off the neck and there is no thermostat but there is no heat in this car.. just a long hose in a loop recirculating the coolant. Should i put in a thermostat?

Pulled the rad cap off and it sorta looked like movement in there.. i mean should i see it really move or just like little movement?

thanks

 

Its coming from the top of the valve cover.. and the vented oil cap.. like steam... Will try to grab a video.

 

It seems to be cming from the top of the cover.. like the cover almost had water on top of it.. and it is steaming off.. but again it was all a haze as i wasnt expecting. I will have some time this am to grab a video..and seee whats up. Has an oil cap that is vented..does that matter? Not one that is tight to valve cover. No oil on cover.

 

ok so put in a thermostat.. didnt have one but it has no heater just a looped heater hose to recirculate. Filled antifreeze and left cap off. Does this look normal for water pump circulation: See video:



Ran car for like 5-10 min. Didnt see anything steam/smoke. Shut off. Then i see steam from oil cap: see videos:





Oil looks ok i think.. nothing milky/white that i can see.


Also.. i see a wire stuck out from a bolt.. what gauge would this be for?

 

The 'bolt' with the 'wire' is actually your temperature gauge. It is a br*** bulb, the 'wire' is a capillary tube that should run to your gauge; heat builds up gas pressure in the bulb, capillary sends pressure to gauge. Smoke/steam is hard to diagnose.

 

If you don't have a heater, you don't need that "loop" hose. Remove the hose and fittings that are on the block/water pump, and install some br*** plugs in place of those 2 fittings.

 

Hi .. could i pick those up at a local hardware store? Any idea on size or have a photo? thanks!