Overheating and can't find solution
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,077
Likes: 500
From: Kenai
Here’s a story then another suggestion. I had an 8N tractor that continued to run hot then boil over. Didn’t matter, glycol or straight water. Different radiatior, pump, thermostat, all same result. Pulled the soft plugs and was full of mud and grit from years of straight water. Rodded out the coolant passages until water ran clear, reinstalled the plugs and no more issue.
Have you flushed the system?
Have you flushed the system?
3 recent engines (2 390's and a 460) I've cleaned up in the last few years, all with little use in decades, had the lower water passages completly gunked up with rust, scale, whatever it is. Pull all the lower freeze plugs and clean it out the best you can.
FTE Legend
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 30,952
Likes: 4,126
From: Angier, NC
The block is full of rust and yes I have flushed it many times till running clean still over heats.
The rust sitting in the block is so bad it had rusted the core plugs / freeze plugs and even 1 in the head.
When the plugs were removed I cleaned the best I could but it is still bad.
This mud keep the heat from transfering to the coolant and why it over heats.
The only way to fix this is to pull the motor and send it out for hot tanking but the car at the time was not needed so it sits.
Buddy also had non Ford motor over heat for the same reason, hot tank and put back together and all was good.
Dave ----
Cargo Master
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 3,260
Likes: 1,322
From: Pryor, OK
1. How long before it overheats? Does the temp stop at all at t-stat temp? Or does it go straight through it to 230+?
2. Head gasket. These head gaskets are easy to put on wrong. Are you sure that the head gasket was installed right before putting the heads on? Embarrassed to say that I have done this.
3. Probably not the issue, but how old is the rad cap? An old one can be weak and allowing pressure relief too soon causing an overheating problem.
2. Head gasket. These head gaskets are easy to put on wrong. Are you sure that the head gasket was installed right before putting the heads on? Embarrassed to say that I have done this.
3. Probably not the issue, but how old is the rad cap? An old one can be weak and allowing pressure relief too soon causing an overheating problem.
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 7,898
Likes: 2,372
The radiator is the problem 90% of the time. have it rodded or re-cored or replace it with a new plastic/aluminum one they work fine.
The thermostat is worth a look. but if your radiator hasn't been rebuilt it should be anyway that's just routine maintenance.
The thermostat is worth a look. but if your radiator hasn't been rebuilt it should be anyway that's just routine maintenance.
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