Over Heating Engine.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 27,298
Likes: 1,059
From: NM
To be honest, the only thing likely to suddenly change is the thermostat. They can and do fail suddenly, in a variety of ways. I just had to replace one that would not fully open. It was that way for a year or more before I realized it, on a long trip at higher speeds. It was fine around town.
Put it in a pan of water and bring it to a boil, and monitor with a cooking thermometer.
Put it in a pan of water and bring it to a boil, and monitor with a cooking thermometer.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,773
Likes: 169
From: Pt.St.Lucie , Fla.
Just replaced both in he stock truck . One was sticking & showed higher than normal until it opened down the road . The trip to the car show sat. morn was normal operating temp . like it used to be . Am glad the 2 were changed out . Also let me route the heater hose from the water pump correctly while the h2o was out .
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Tuned
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 345
Likes: 23
From: WACO
The one thing that keeps sticking in my mind. There was a lot of rust scale in radiator. Even though I keep anti freeze/ coolant in cooling system. Maybe rust scale keeps breaking off and clogging cooling system. I'm don't know. Maybe grasping at straws.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 4,995
Likes: 422
From: u-rah-rah Wisconsin
I would pull the thermostats out and just run it. If the overheating stops, there's your issue. If it doesn't, I would look at the radiator condition and then the water pump impellers.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 815
Likes: 29
From: Richland, WA.
If it was me I'd do as suggested and check the stat, if it seems okay then maybe drain radiator to save coolant then test and see how fast water poured through runs out. If slow or not sure then I'd try to be safe and have it rodded out.I had a truck that had the cooling fins packed with dirt on the fan side of radiator. they didn't look bad and only ran slightly warm at idle but going down the road it got real hot.I got them clean but that's another story....
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 815
Likes: 29
From: Richland, WA.
Earl yes that is possible but depending on temp on temp of stat these old fords only had like a 3 psi cap. should not make it run that hot. cavitation on the water pump may but I still think check and verify stat as Ross said and then look at efficiency of radiator. Keep in mind that anti-freeze can get acid or basic I do not remember but we had a test for it with PH paper, this can lead to the scale and if radiator had it on the bottom of the tubes it may not be noticed. I still say rod out the radiator and see what happens. Not like this thing is a new truck or radiator, or did I miss something.
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 2,068
Likes: 7
From: Moyie, BC Canada
Yes, that also if the rad and thermostats are original old. I have to remember that my truck has a new rad.
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More Turbo
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 551
Likes: 19
FleetGuard makes a product called Restore+ that does wonders on scale/rust in the radiator/engine. Last summer I bought a '49 that was running warmer than it should. I pulled the stats and discovered it had 195 stats in it as it came from MN and I assumed they were put in for aiding the heater. I flushed the system and ended up with 180 stats. Temp now stays very close to the middle.
I have read all of the posts within this thread and am leaning towards a water pump issue, either a blockage within the system or a faulty impeller. Start with the easy and work your way out, pull stats and try to flush system with Restore+, you have to drive 60-90 min. that will give you a benchmark of coolant blockage or faulty stats. Flushing a nearly 70 year old system is never a bad idea as it has to have at least some crud.
I have read all of the posts within this thread and am leaning towards a water pump issue, either a blockage within the system or a faulty impeller. Start with the easy and work your way out, pull stats and try to flush system with Restore+, you have to drive 60-90 min. that will give you a benchmark of coolant blockage or faulty stats. Flushing a nearly 70 year old system is never a bad idea as it has to have at least some crud.
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Tuned
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 345
Likes: 23
From: WACO
New post to an old thread. Found the old radiator shroud in the barn. Going to get it sand blasted. Paint it and install it. I believe that will help in the over heating problem. Will keep updated. As official winter starts in like 5 days. 
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