Hey there fellow Hambers...so I feel like this freaking car is cursed!!! 54 chevy 210 all stock og 235 that has been rebuilt to original specs...First it was not starting after installation, then it was not charging....and now that everything else is good its over heating...WHAT THE HELL? It has a rebuilt 235,stock headers,intake,carb New parts include belts,generator,head gasket,hoses,thermostat,water pump. Timing seems dead on...its idleling perfect.. My radiator is the og harrison which had a small leak and I took it to the radiator shop and was repaired ...The cap is a 7psi which I took from my running 49 coupe that does not over heat...so I say thats checks out..Please help was going to be a first run in about 25 years and the thing over heated as soon as I put the radiator cap on!!!!
Yeah I know John new parts go bad on the shelf...First off I think it opened the reason I say this is because the upper hose was hot I figured if it was not opening the hose would of been cold right?
Do you have a puke tank hooked up? How is the water flow? Have you pulled the plugs to see if the block is full of junk? I had a 350 running cool with that same 60 year old radiator.
It may be opening but after the engine is already boiling, then it can't cool it. I went through this with my 235 even after a grey beard told me to change it. Changed head gasket and still did it. Put a new one in it, no more problem. I do agree with 53sled, the radiator will puke some water out once it warms up. No matter how many times I add to it I always find mine about 1" down, doesnt hurt it to leave it that way.
Ummmm no radiator over flow...I think my water level was too high for starter according to another thread on here. I had it filled to the top...as soon as I put the cap on it started puking all of the anti freeze from the over flow tube by the cap..My plugs are good....block was fully rebuild and washed .Head was milled and hot tanked and tested for cracks...and it all checked out..The block got super hot ......I have no Idea where to start...Thermostat is good and I think that its opening since the upper hose got hot...My temp bulb broke (top of the head)when I removed the head before rebuild so I have no idea what the temp is which makes me a bit concerned to let it run ....I think I might have air in there...I hope to add water tomorrow and leave the level at about 3 inches below the top of where the cap sit and let it run and then cap it..what do you think???
Good point on the freeze plugs. I replaced all the freeze plugs on my 216 and when I removed the one at the rear of the engine block, it was all full of junk inside.
Yup I feel you those grey beards are always right...I just wish there were more around here on my side of town..Ok I think my thermostat is installed right..I installed it with the spring down...Is that right? Can I take it off and run it without it and see if it still over heats? How can I see opens ? Should I replace it? I know this much It aint the first time Autozone sells me a bad part
Yeah I get that but my block is completly rebuild..new freeze plugs etc O yeah and I have no leaks no where.. block was gutted and cleaned throught out...so no gunk or **** in there...Now that I recal I remember seing some gr*** inside the lower part of the radiator before I washed it all out...Might be possible that its plugged even though water flowed easily and was pressure tested at the radiator shop..?
What does your temp gauge read? Is it puking on initial start up or after it warms up? Is your advance working? How is the fan ****ing at idle?
Temp gauge is not working due to broken sending bulb line. It ran for about 6 minutes with out the cap..The water level raised a bit so I installed the cap and soon after it sarted puking its guts..I have not done the paper trick at the front of the radiator to see if its ****ing air. Advance is set at 0....As far as working the distributor dont move at idle but if I rev it a bit it moves side to side....
test t. stat in a pan on stove. should see it open and when you take it out it will close when cooled off. having a thermeter is handy to see when it opens. have you checed the oil to see if it is dirty? like a milkshake color. with rad. cap off and car running is there any bubbles in water?
The oil is fresh..This is like the cars 3rd start up since the rebuild...Oh yeah the oil is clean...I dont think its the head gasket...I think yeah there was some bubbles before I capped the radiator.
Could the thermostat be in backwards? I can't remember if it is possible to install it wrong. I do know that very thing happened to a 79 GMC van I had. A mechanic installed the stat backward and it would heat up and puke as it couldn't flow.
You can remove it and run it to see if that is the problem.The only reason I mention that it is a good possibility is that mine was about 3 weeks old and I was convinced that wasn't it. The pan of water on the stove works, and like he said a thermometer is helpful to tell you at what temp it's opening. A cooking thermometer, not a i'm sick and can't go to school type of thermometer. Just don't let your wife catch you using her pot and thermometer this way. Can get ugly.
Hahahaha You know my wife? Lol Yeah I believe I still have a digital meter from my hvac days...Ok I will try it with out the stat in there...when I run it with out a stat should I cap or uncap the radiator
Please enlighten me 53sled!!! Give me your thoughts!!! I want to drive her soon... By the way thanks too all for replying!
Good point, You said block got super hot but was there steam coming from the radiator? If not then engine is just adjusting water level as it heats water up and expands it.
If you run it without the stat you should cap it. Still, you need to know why it's puking. Look at the stat when you remove it to see that it can open in the position you have it. I'm still not sure if it can even go in wrong. I'm just throwing that possibility out there. Dom
Well you probably don't a thermostat issue. Drain radiator till you can just feel fluid with your finger and then start and let run. Waer level should raise a little but not pump out of the top of radiator. If you had a puke tank then it would just pump out when it gets hot and expands, then pull in when a cold start.
Yeah I will start there.. I will add some water since it spilled out most of it...Cap it and then knock on wood.. I also forgot to mention that I had tightened my valves up when someone suggested that maybe that was the reason for no start last week...Not sure if they are to tight since I did not use a feeler gauge...
I had a real bad over heating problem with my 54 Chevy and come to find out my timing was off and that was causing the over heating problem.
sounds like you have an air pocket somewhere. pull the upper hose and thermostat housing, pull thermostat, fill until water pours out of the housing, re-install. there's a good chance this will fix your problem
I will try all of thee above my gut tells me its air as well....I will give it a try tomorrow.....I will keep yall posted
Drill two 1/8" holes in the thermostat. This will eliminate the air bubble when you fill the system. Butch
Ok, there are alot of variables going on here with timing and valve adjustment. My suggestion would be go back the beginning. This site http://www.speedprint.com/deves50/doc/enginetiming.pdf shows the best way to set valves and timing. Set the valves with a feeler gauge, don't cost much and worth it, put distributer in like they show. While you have tools out throw a new stat in it, can't hurt. These engines can't be timed like a small block, they don't like it, I've tried. This won't take long and will save a huge headache in the longrun.
The Jalopy Journal
