What should the water level be in a cold radiator? My 351C 4V in a '71 Grande radiator's water level is about six inches below the filler when the engine is cold. The car has never overheated and typically runs in the lower 1/3 of the temperature gauge.
mike
Probably about right. You can't overfill an older system because it will just be pushed out when it gets warm anyway. Shortly after this era, the automakers got a little smarter and started using a recovery system with the overflow tank. It kept the air out of the radiator by sucking coolant back into the radiator when it got cold and pushed the excess coolant out when it got warm. You could install this sytem on your car also, except it wouldn't be "factory". Just make sure you have a good working radiator cap and the rest of your system is working correctly and all should be well.
"goodnigh" wrote in news:kLSjh.3689$yx6.2511 @newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.net:
I f you look closely at the radiator tank, you will see a "cold fill" line. Your's sounds just about right anyway.
I did not see a line on close inspection, but the coolant needs changed! Thanks for your advice.
My '73 ford shop manual lists a 351C-4V in a mustang at 15.7 quarts. Both
351's have that value.The illustrations show two different radiators that might be the type you have. One with a recovery bottle and one without where the filler is on off to the side of the radiator rather than centered on the top. The one without shows a cold fill line at the bottom of the first outward bossed 'rib', the one with the bottle looks like it should have the cold and hot fill lines molded in it.
No bottle and filler off to side. The water is at the level you describe although I still can't find a "line". It is a large outward bossed rib. My glove box manual states 16.25 gallons.
Thanks
quarts I'm sure...
:)
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