51 Commander Overheating Problem

--Shiva--

Try removing the radiator and backflushing it (from the bottom neck with the radiator upside down) When you do the flush on the car, all the junk that gets loosened, ends up sitting on top of the tubes at the top of the core. If you don't get much out, it would probably be a good bet to get a radiator shop to pressure back flush it. The suggestion about cleaning the gunk and core sand out of the back of the block is also a very good one.

If you have not removed the core plugs and flushed the block that would be the first thing to do. Just flushing won't do it. After removing the core plugs you will need to use a stiff peice of wire to scrape it loose and then flush some more.

Define OVERHEAT.

I thought my cruiser was until I checked the actual radiator temp with two long cylindrical kitchen thermometers.

On a 1962 Lark, 3/4 of the way to "H" is 185º

Dave Miller

P.S. the water tube idea sounds good. I hear they corrode and collapse

I have noticed this too I think that the gauges were factory calibrated so that the thermostat rated temp. was 1/2 scale. e.g on your '62 it would have been 170F. thus it can be at more than 1/2 scale and still not be considered "overheating."

nate

Classic symptoms of a plugged radiator. Unless you have had it rodded lately, it may be time to visit your favorite radiator man...

JT

Dave not trying to be a smart ass but a 51 Commander would be a V8 and they don't have a water tube.

Yeah, like it or not, the dreaded block clean out along with radiator rod out sounds like the cure... Don't be surprised if your radiator falls apart when they try to rod it... Hot weather is around the corner for some and already starting for others. As many as I have done, that job still sucks. After I finish doing one I always think about raising my price for the job... Is Matthew listening? He needs to suck it up and do this on his new ride BEFORE the Cairo show....every time I mention it to him he ignores me.... Over the years I have noticed that each engine seems to be different as far as running temperature even when all is clean. Some run hotter than others even though they are the same engine in the same car with the same accessories, etc. I think this is due to differences in the block and/or head castings. Studebaker George PS here in the hot south larger fans, smaller diameter (the one for factory AC cars) water pump pulley, fan shrouds and bigger radiators are sometimes needed to keep things cool... I noticed that T Bow is selling V8 Lark fan shrouds that might also be a help for Lark owners.

Yep, after fifty-one years, the core of the Power Hawk was extermely "shaky" according to my old time radiator guy. So, I had him do a three row recore of course when copper prices were through the roof! $425!!

My old T-Cab had a three row radiator (NOS) and that vehicle never exhibited any tendency to overheat. Two row versions though are a real crap shoot in these heeyah pawts...

JT

(Oh, and five to seven bladed fans help a lot!)

OVERHEAT in my case is defined at temperature gauge pegged over at the "H" end of the gauge, and steam pouring out of the engine compartment like a locomotive. Removing the cap results in steam pouring up from the neck.

Since posting the initial posting, I have tracked the problem down to the wrong type of radiator cap. Once I replaced it with a pressuized type the overheating ceased and there has been no coolant loss or other problems, both at local driving speed as well as Interstate speed.

-George-

-51 Commander Land Cruiser

-56J

-63 GT Hawk

-63 Champ