Overheating issue - Ever heard of a "heat reducer"?

Capt. Zorro has recommended that I try a heat reducer to help with my overheating issues in the RPU.

At 50 mph I seem to run about 210. Push it faster and it heats up to around 220, 230, 240, . I'm thinking at any speed over 40 this thing should practically cool itself just with the air passing through the radiator but speed seems to cause more heat.

I'm running a 180 degree thermostat. Me & Zorro are wondering if the water is passing through the radiator too fast at speed. He suggested a heat reducer in one of the radiator hoses - basically a piece of pipe with an OD the same as the ID of the hose. Weld a washer inside that pipe with a hole about the size of your finger. This should slow the water down.

My question is, should the heat reducer go in the upper or lower hose? If it is in the upper hose will the radiator empty faster than it fills? Or will one reducer anywhere slow the flow through the whole system enough to make a difference? Zorro is a smart guy and he thinks it shouldn't matter much.

TIA, JH

 

What motor/trans are you running? How big is the radiator? Are you using a mix of coolant & water or straight water? Is it timed correctly?

 

In order...

.030 over 283/'39 Ford

Little

Coolant/water

No

...the timing will be addresses but in the meantime, where should heat reducer go? I'm afraid just setting the timing alone isn't going to cut it.

JH

 

It doesn't matter where you put it...A restriction in the system in one spot will slow the flow through the whole system...I think top hose is just easier to access...EVILT

 

The thing is, you SHOULDN'T need any sort of reducer, get the thing timed right, use Water Wetter, maybe check into a bigger radiator, or at least have your current one professionally cleaned @ a radiator shop, what about air flow over the rad? any blockage? I had a .040 302 in a shoebox that never, ever got above 190* even on the 110* days we have here, there's definitely something amiss in your combo, take the time to fix it right, or get used to seeing the side of the road

 

If the setup flows too much, especially where the thermostat is at, the water doesn't have time to exchange heat in the radiator, and hot water just keeps cycling. I'd believe that it would heat up when you speed up, because the water would be moving even faster than at idle, basically like you have either no radiator or a very small radiator.

The washer idea would work great for this purpose.

 

Put one in the top and one in the botom and the not worry about where to put it.

 

As said .... 'First get the timing correct'

What the restriction does is increase the block pressure so air bubbles don't form inside the head castings around the exhaust valves.Air doesn't conduct heat away in this area as well as water....more air forms and more heat... NOT SLOW THE WATER SO IT COOLS BETTER!!! HONEST!

If you really think the water is moving too fast you change the pump speed
BUT this will also reduce the block pressure.
A simple water pump can spin too fast and not push water as it should.I don't think that's the problem here

If you don't believe me go look at Smokey's ''Power Secrets'' It's an easy book to find

 

i have to agree.
also make sure your timing chain isn't all stretched out.

 

I had the same problem with my 53 ford when I first got it running. I had 351M and was using a Maveric 6 cyl radiator because it fit in the stock radiator opening. I tried a lot of things but finaly cut the opening bigger and used a bigger radiator and presto everything was better.

 

Where does this "air" come from?

 

You say you have a 180 thermostat so you have all the restriction that you need. I'd try a 160 thermostat. Maybe your "little" radiator isn't enough. You'll never know until you get the timing where the engine needs it first.

What kind of car and grill configuration would go a long way in getting inteligent responses to your problem. Someone may be able to recommend a suitable radiator.

On a late model that over heats at speed it usually means that the radiator is partially clogged (reduced capacity) It is possible that your "little" radiator is too little.

Your device sounds like snake oyl to me. Do they make male "enhancement" and diet pills too?



They made these fuel saving devices in the 30's and they are still making them today for the modern fuel injected engines. They didn't work then and they don't work today...snake oyl

 

Here's a link to an excellent article about engine cooling.

http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/54879/index.html

 

No one has touched on this yet.
At least I didnt read it anywhere.
I'd guess your advance isn't working worth a shit. The higher rpm requires more advance and if those needs arent met you have a hot tomalie.
I agree... don't mess with a reducer until a last resort.
Does the engine stay cool in traffic at idle??

 

Little update...

I put the reducer I made in the upper hose and drove it to work today. I know it isn't the best fix and the timing needs to be looked more than anything but I had it and throught "what the hell". At 80mph on the interstate it hovered around 200/205. That was good. I did notice that when I pulled off the interstate it heated up to 220 or so and I dripped a fairly steady stream of water into the parking lot here at work. The reducer did help but isn't the (complete) solution to my problem.

And yes, an overflow can is in the works.

Hopefully a little adjusting on the timing, a fan shroud, and pushing the fan a bit closer to the radiator will get it a little better at the lower speeds after running it fairly hard. I've never checked the advance. I'm no mechanic.

Oh yeah, the radiator is 12"x16". Custom made by US Radiator with their "Desert Cooler" core. I knew I was pushing it on the size so I tried to go all out on a good radiator. It does heat up at idle in traffic.

JH

 

Timing, fan shroud/fan placement will work wonders. Please head the words of most the posts, timing, timing, timing.....

 

If your getting the weather we are.. it's alittle cooler these past few days.
If it stayed at 205 now it definitely wont be there at 90 degrees outside.
If its overheating at idle check your plugs for richness, Your carbs may be the problem. Check your advance and see if its increasing at higher rpms.
Another solution. I dont know what radiator your running but the older ford radiator necks are not designed to be pressurized. The overflow hole in the neck is below the radiator cap and a pressurized cap will just force the water out of the overflow. In order to pressurize those radiators you have two options...
Either have a newer designed neck installed on the older style radiator or installl an inline overflow check valve. Skip Haney in Florida makes and sells these.
This will pressurize your system and should help. Just throwing out ideas here.
Cooling is a delicate balance.
Opps,,
I seen you do have a later radiator. Duh.....

 

Get the thing timed properly, that may solve your problem. If that doesn't fix it, it sure sounds like a radiator capacity problem.

 

Yes...TIMING should be adressed FIRST !! That IS an awfully small rad also ... one thought ...MAKE SURE you have a "spring" in the bottom hose or the pump can suck it CLOSED !!!

jersey Skip

 

Also ...I use FREEZE PLUGS for a restrictor placed in the upper hose...you can put them in and remove them EASILY and you can drill them to different sizes ...and they are CHEAP ....

jersey Skip

 

How much rear gear you running?

 

That radiator should cool a 283 IMHO. I've run a few 283's on similar sized used old Ford radiators. Yours should be more efficient.

BTW...nice ride!

 

Oh they work - to line the pockets of the shysters with cash!

Set the timing right and I'll bet your radiotr is too small or you just don't have enough airflow across it. Look at those situations. Swap in a 160* thormostat to see if that helps. It's fast and easy.

 

This was the first thing that popped into my head....

 

Unless the "heat reducer" has a hole smaller than the hole in the thermostat, it did nothing. The old wives tale about water going through a radiator too fast to cool is just that, an old wives tale. what a restriction does is induce turbulence, which causes more of the coolant to touch the surface of the radiator where the delta is the highest, to shed the most heat. And it's more effective at low speeds where there is not as much air flow.

Normally if it's in good shape, even an A radiator will cool a 283 just fine. if it heats more the faster you go, it's one of three things. Cam timing. if the cam is retarded from a stretched chain, or improperly installed tht can cause it. ignition timing is not as big a factor, unless the centrifical advance is stuck.Vacuum advance helps cooling more at idle. Second, air flow. If there is not enough air passing through the radiator it won't cool. In spite of opinion, shrouds are traditional, they were used on some cars in the teens. A properly designed shroud can make all the difference in the world. It had to fit the fan properly. And you have to have a good fan too. If it's a flex fan that flattens out at speed, it won't draw air through the radiator, and you're back to the air flow problem. a 5 or 6 blade fixed blade fan may be the answer. And third, radiator size. A good shroud and fan can correct this, but it may be part of the problem.

 

jim,

if all the other issues are up to snuff (timing, etc.), and you determine that the 12" x 16" radiator is just too small, you might consider adding a remote auxilliary radiator under the car at the back. somewhere where you can hide it. with its own electric fan if possible. that whippet grill shell is just too cool to change.

 

Air bubbles come from the water boiling at the seats More pressure=Higher boiling point

 

the "restrictor" thing is snake oyl, as mentioned above....if you have a functioning thermostat, that's all the restriction you'd want.

Ignition timing is important...check it, check the vacuum advance mechanism, check the centrifugal advance mechanism. The last 289 and the last 390 I worked on both had stuck centrifugal advance and non-fuctioning vacuum advance, it's a common problem in old 60s Fords!

If the engine is working right, it's possible the radiator is too small, although the SBF engines usually didn't have a very big radiator.

Also if the car has steep rearend gears this will make things worse at speed, one guy I know fixed his 351C powered 47 Ford's highway overheating problem by going from 3.70 to 3.00 gears.

 

maybe they're steam bubbles? like he said, where does this "air" come from?

Air and steam are different things....

 

I love my Whippet shell.

I have a 6 blade solid fan on it.

Rear gears are 3.78.

I started with a 160* thermostat and it had the same problem.

I haven't thought about a spring in the bottom hose.


This isn't a "hot" engine. Just a .030 over, Duntov-cammed 283. I think the radiator SHOULD cool it. It is running cool enough now (thanks to either the weather or my "heat reducer") that I can at least get it over to Zorro's shop. We can look into timing, advance, and build a shroud there.

The engine is newly rebuilt. Could I still have cam timing issues? I know it got a new timing chain when it was built.

Please excuse my ignorance. I have mananged to screw together a fairly cool little car here but I know nothing about mechanics.

Thanks guys.

JH

(Hope married life is treating you well atch.)