Hey group!

Thick brown foam? As in 'engine oil' brown foam? You may very well have a blown head gasket. Pull the cap off while COLD and stick your finger inside. If that brown substance is indeed oil, it's time for a rebuild.

-JD

_________________________________ JD's Locally-Famous Mustang Page: http://207.13.104.8/users/jdadams Please note: UCE is deleted at the ISP server level. Unless your address is on my 'accept list', your mail will never reach me. See my website for more information.

I just checked that. I parked it hot without venting the cap and just let it cool by itself. The water level is where it should be and there is no oil visible in the water and nothing feeling like anything other than water when I stick my finger in the radiator.

Gumby619

Good deal! It's probably just time for a new radiator. I suggest a newer aluminum variety; they can be had for about $150 new. I've always had lousy luck with 'rodded-out' radiators. The old copper/bronze jobs don't cool very well, and scraping out the innards is only a band-aid. We put a new aluminum radiator from Autozone on the wife's pickup a couple of years ago, and even in

105+ degree weather with the A/C on sitting in heavy traffic, it doesn't even come close to overheating. Highly recomended.

-JD

_________________________________ JD's Locally-Famous Mustang Page: http://207.13.104.8/users/jdadams Please note: UCE is deleted at the ISP server level. Unless your address is on my 'accept list', your mail will never reach me. See my website for more information.

What?? No antifreeze? I'm still confused about where you saw the "thick brown foam". Before replacing the radiator I'd do a thorough flush and refill with the correct mix of antifreeze. Also would replace radiator cap with the correct pressure rating.

I'd get it pressure tested first to see if there is any head gasket leaks. ( Your leaking timing cover may nix that idea though)

I'd drain the entire system and flush it out with clean water. I'd also take the drain plugs out of the rear sides of the block. As you say the car has sat a while so rust and scale will settle and clog things up down there ( this may be your brown foam) When I did an EFI swap on a friends '68 289 we yanked the motor to clean it. One frost plug had been replaced by a rubber job so we redid all the plugs at that time. The amount of rusty crud we washed from that block amazed us! The seeping leak makes me think the acidity of the coolant was bad at one time so blasting the crud out would be a good idea.

Personally, I'd probably replace the rad and water pump so I know it is all fresh but that's me. Add a shroud too, they help.

BTW check the block casting number above the starter it will at least tell you the block casting year and put you in the ballpark of the motors vintage.

StuK

Had a similar problem with my '66. Cleaned out the radiator, changed the hoses, thermostat. Still ran hot. So I changed the radiator. Still ran hot. Then I replaced the new lower hose with another new lower hose. Fixed the problem. Apparently, the lower hose was defective and was collapsing at speed.

"Gumby619" wrote

It ran just fine till about a week ago. I now have

A sudden overheating problem in a car that sat for one year, then was driven for awhile with no prob, THEN started overheating, and has brown coolant (i.e., no antifreeze), strongly suggests a rust-clogged radiator. With the engine hot, press your palm on the radiator at various locations. (It's best not to have the engine running when you do this.) The radiator should be too hot to hold your hand on it for very long. Cool spots indicate a clog.

You should replace, rather than rod out. If you can find a $150 aluminum radiator, as JD Adams suggests, go with it. I don't think aluminum is better than brass, but at that price aluminum would be just as good a deal as brass, if it fits properly. If you go brass, I got a "heavy duty" Modine brand unit from National Parts Depot that has worked well.

Also, use one of those filters in your upper radiator hose, at least until all the rust flakes are caught. Note that this filter will end up clogged too.

Other fixes for overheating include a high volume water pump -- $75 to

150. Use as little antifreeze as you can get away with in your climate. If you have a clutch fan, make sure the clutch works. Or replace it with a flex-blade fan --$50 to 100. Use Redline Water Wetter or similar additive. Use a fan shroud that fits as tight around the fan as possible. Get one of those plastic radiator support spoilers, like they put on '80's Camaros and Firebirds, and mount it on your radiator support. Back off the base timing as much as you can without getting soggy tip in. Always run a thermostat -- 160 degrees is ok.

To make sure you're actually running hot, get an Autometer or other reliable temp gauge. You can mount it under the hood, if you don't want to clutter your interior.

There is a "small" seeping leak in the timing chain cover but it

Always, always, always repair coolant leaks. To replace a leaking front cover gasket is way cheap.

A 302 "A" code? I mean, you can go ahead and tell people it's an A code, which means a 289 4-bbl with hydraulic cam, but since it doesn't have that engine anymore I'd skip it I were you. No offense, but it sounds a little ignorant.

180 Out TS 28

I checked the lower hose this afternoon and it doesn't feel like the spring (wire coil?) is there. It's been a long time since I've done my own repairs but I remember all lower hoses in my old beaters had a spring/wire coil in them. Could this be the problem? It doesn't really run hot until I climb a hill or put it under load. normal flat and downhill driving keeps the gauge right in the center.

Gumby619 POS 65 pony

I was told the "A" code meant it was a pony, with the 289 4bbl etc. mebbe I got bad info?other than the motor swap its still a pony (see pics) I dunno....just shoot me

:-)

Gumby619

In '65 there was a C code 289 (2 V, 200 hp) an A code (4V 225 hp) and the K code Hi-po 289 ( 4V, 271 hp) Your car had an A code from the factory if that's what the VIN says and unless it got a '68 J code 302 ( 4V 250 hp) swapped in then it just has a Lo-po 302. I didn't mention a BOSS 302 as the Cleveland style heads would give it away! Not sure what you mean by "pony" unless it has the deluxe "pony" interior, which has nothing to do with the engine code. StuK

So I can find out what year the motor is from the numbers by the starter (I think that's what I was told)?

Gumby619

Its a 65 'stang, other than that I'm not qualified to comment yet

K code Hi-po 289

you mean by "pony"

"Gumby619" wrote

Here, this might help:

. Take alook at the door tag riveted to the edge of the driver's door. Thefifth character in your car's VIN is a letter of the alphabet, used todesignate the engine that the car came with from the factory. That'swhere these terms "A code," "K code," "R code," etc., come from. Theterm "A code" does not refer to trim or any option other than theengine. The code for your car's "Pony interior" is included in the"Body" code on the door tag. A coupe with a Pony interior is bodystyle 65B.

Make a note of this web site, vintage-mustang.com. This site's board, commonly known as Vintage Mustang Forum, or "VFM," will give you alot of help as you go through this car.

180 Out TS 28

"Gumby619" wrote

Oops, I just posted the abbreviation for "Vintage Mustang Forum" as "VFM." That's the forum for dislexic Mustang owners. The rest of us hang out at "VMF."

180 Out TS 28

Yep, it was me that posted that info. Look for a raised set of numbers by the starter that should say C8AE or D2AE or something similar to that. The first letter stands for the Decade C= 60's, D = '70s, E =

80's etc... the second digit is the year in that decade so C8 would mean 1968. This is the year the casting DESIGN was made. Be aware that this casting could be used for a few years, hence the motor may say C8 but could have been made in 1969 or possibly even later. However it will at least give you an idea as to the rough vintage of your motor.

Here's good site explaining Ford part numbers if you're interested.

StuK