flathead heat fix!

OKAY, I know that this is a long fought problem that we all have heard about or chased. I am new to the Flatheads and posted yesterday on this to ask what to do. I then found some threads in here and read them to the fullest extent and found that know one really knows how to fix the warm issue of a flathead.

I found a way with my new 51 shoebox to make it run in the middle of the temp guage and it ran at the top prior to this.
I thought I had a T-stat hanging up or something, when I pulled them out I found they were both newer (a year old I would guess) 160's. I drained and flushed the system installed new 160's but before that I drilled a 1/4" hole on each side of the flat piece (big saucer part) so that there is no "burping" operation causing air pocket and you also have constant water flow of some sort even when the T-stats are not open, and more when they are. I then filled the system with 2 bottles of water wetter, 3 gallons of distilled water, and one gallon of regular antifreeze (so it doesnt freeze in the winter). I dont claim this to be the all around fix but it did fix my problems, I drove it last night and it stayed cool! thats good enough for me.

 

Too bad the water's the ONLY thing hot about a flathead!

Glad to hear it's working out for you... I can't wait to check it out!

 

or your gauge or sender are going bad, do you know what the actual eng temp is, middle of the gauge dont mean nuthin

Larry

 

I feel the same way about the guage, no numbers so I have no Idea, i could drop some temp gauges in the heads to check them (the moon eyes ones)

 

I tried water wetter in mine and the old girl kept boiling over.
so I drained all the coolant put in just water and it runs fine. gauge says about 210 and it doesn't boil over.
why I don't know.

 

Make sure you've got enough coolant. My '47 calls for 22 quarts! That's almost 6 gallons friends, probably is 6 with the heater. FWIW the middle of my stock gauge is 160 in real life, and pegged is 200. I don't run thermostats, it runs about 170 in 85 degree weather if I keep moving. An electric fan would probably help in traffic, but I don't hit much traffic with it.

 

Drilling the thermostats is a great idea! I've used water wetter with good results also..........whatever works!

But, I've found the best way to 'cool' a flathead is replace it with an overhead valve!!

 

Hmmm! The age old hot flathead debate. They didn't do that when they were new! Check yer timing. Get some real guages. Flathead Fords usually don't run hot unless there is something not right.