Well I think I might have gotten a bad temp sending unit because when you try and tighten up the wire that goes to it it turns on the inside. I called the manufacture and they are sending a new one out. It was the one on the left side of the flathead 8 that was reading 266' yesterday. This is all being done with just water in the radiator and no antfreeze hate to waste that every time I take something apart on the engine. Tried the truck again today and took the 160' therostats out to see how it ran and it got even hotter on the gauge. I have the 180' therostats now and tryied to see if they would open on the stove with a pot of water and they did so I will put them in. Ken F2 said I should check the old water pumps also to see if the fins are still in good shape as there isn't much (if any) water moving in the radiator with the cap off. I hear that the new water pumps have six fins instead of the old four fin ones so they help cerclate the water more. Poor water cercleation in the radidator. I also put a electric fan in the front of the truck to help push the air through the radiator with no luck there either.

I am also thinking there might be a cloge somewhere in the engine so is there any way or anything you can put through the radiator that will maybe clean the inside of the engine while the truck is running. The water at the top of the radiator looks a little rusty after the truck runs.

If anyone can come up with some ideas I will aprecated and I will try.

Larry Brauer
713-410-7481
braular@yahoo.com

 

firstly i would use anti-freeze not water.... it can be drained out and reused if you need to take something apart. water does not have the same cooling effect as antifreeze and if you don't use a 50\50 mix it will mess with you aswell. this is just a minor thing though you may be on the right track with the water pump not hard to pull it and look at it.. maybe upgradeing to a newer pump might help if the cost is right. as for the engine being clogged up its possible but very rare, ive actually found a screwdriver down inside an engine before.

 

Water cools better than antifreeze, no problem running straight water for a while.

Larry, only change one thing at a time -- so try the new thermostats. Make sure they are pointing the right way, see how it does.

Yes there are all kinds of cleaners you can run to clean up an engine and radiator. Personally I prefer the kinds that you run for 1/2 hour or so, flush and then neutralize, then flush. They use real acids.

 

Ross is right!

Stick with one fix at a time. You may be at a point where the fan shroud will bring it down 10degrees, the thermostats will bring it down 20 degrees, the sender may inprove the reading on the gauge (although you got that reading with your ray gun right so a bad sender is only related to gauge reading). And you may find a water pump thats not so hot. But elliminate possibilities one at a time. This could be a little of each.

And when you get it finessed down to the right temp, let me know and we'll set your gauge so it reads dead center at the right temp that way you will know if it's a little warm or not.

One side note. Yes water will absorb heat faster than coolant. But the reason you use coolant is to prevent freezing or boiling. If your engine is running above the boiling temperature of water then it will flash steam and NOT absorb as much heat off the engine. Also, a coolant mixture is more viscous and your water pump impellers will move a coolant mixture more effectively than plain water.

I would be doing this trouble shooting with the engine in as close to driving conditions as you can, and I'd use the coolant at a 50/50 mix for this.

Just my opinion.

 

Coolant also reduces the rusting process. Try adding a chemical you can buy from Autozone or similiar it is called "Water Wetter". Should bring the temps down about 20* Do a google search on the product.

 

Next time you take the thermostats out, unhook the lower radiator hoses from the water pumps and stick a garden hose in the head opening, back flushing the system on each side and see what comes out.

 

Well it is getting more frustating as I go along. I put in the 180' therostats this afternoon and it ran hotter. I put the point top of the theromstat up in the housing facing up turd the radiator. I have put those in other cars and trucks before so I know that is right. The water temp with the cap off read 210' but at the thermostat housing it only read 197'. Temp gauge was past hot and I took readings all around the engine and the heads read about 197' front middle and back.
This weekend I will try and look at the water pumps to see if they are alright. I guess I better go spend some money and get one of those sunpro mechical gauges and see if it is really that hot or not. I hope they provide good instructions because I know nothing about them. How do you hook one up?
Good point Julie one thing at a time but I am getting tired of the darn thing doing this no matter what I try. have never had so much trouble with a car or truck before.

Ok you all think I should put antifreeze in it to see if it makes it any cooler. Is this what I am reading or am I just so frustated that I'm not listening to what you all saying.
I found out that one water pump is runnig cooler than the other one on the other side.
The water in the radiator was so hot that it was bubbling so I don't know if that is the hot water or I have a head gasket problem.
Oh remember one thing at a time you fool.
Anyways thanks for the information I really appreciate the input and help from you guys so don't give up on me with all this crap I'm writing.

larry Brauer
713-410-7481
braular@yahoo.com

 

Did you google the additive I suggested called "Water Wetter"

 

Again, we already know your gauge reading is useless, so quit looking at that. ;-)

So is the truck just sitting idling in front of your house (or somewhere like that)? How long does it take to get warm? Does it get warm and level off at the high temps you're reading? Or does it just keep going up, up, up, with no end in sight? Putting anti-freeze in it at this point isn't going to change anything, imo. I wouldn't waste my time or money with that at this point. If you do really have a problem, we need to find that.

My thoughts are if you have a head gasket, or worse, issue, it wouldn't have run at 180 yesterday without the thing boiling over like crazy, at some point. I'm still not convinced you have a serious issue.

 

Check your timing. I am not a flathead person but with any other engine if the timing is advanced a good amount you will run alot hotter. Once again, not sure if this applies to a flathead but I would think it wouldn't hurt to check it.

 

yes I did google water wetter and read some things on it but do you still run antifreeze with it together or not?

 

I did check the timing and it is dead on the mark.

 

I did run water in the thermostat holes in the head and held my hand over the water pump hose untill the head was completely full than removed my hand and water came gussing out of the hose and didn't see anything come out with it.

 

If your going to use the Water Wetter I would also use the antifreeze/coolant. That way you don't have to drain it all out to put the antifreeze in for this winter.

 

Have you run a compression test? One side hotter, bubbles in the rad, runs hot with no thermostats... Sounding like a head gasket... unless you have massive air pockets. which doesn't seem real likely...I have NEVER seen bubbling water in a radiator.

Wayne is right tho -- you need a mech temp gauge stuck in the side you think is running hot. Can't diagnose with bad data.