54 V 8 overheating

Have it checked with a laser probe, make sure it really is overheating and that the sender and/or gage isn't giving a false reading. First thing I do with my cars is have the radiator redone with 4 rows, So Cal temps plus stop n go tend to heat things up.

Mark wrote:

I recently drove my 55 Commander in a parade that was going very slow and it got to the top of the white bar which is much hotter than it has ever run. Didn't boil over though. As soon as the parade was over I took it out on the freeway and after about a mile at 60 mph it was down to the lower end of the white bar and hasn't shown any signs of heating since.

I am seriously considering installing a 6 volt fan ahead of the radiator. The car is still running very well on 6 volts. Max Rad in Portland, Oregon has a 14 inch 6 volt fan, 15 inches overall by 2 inches thick that they sell for $89.00. With that fan and either a manual switch or a thermostatic switch, running in parades or sitting with the engine running wouldn't be a problem. Max Rad's phone number is (503) 777-4706.

Mark,

My thoughts and my experience are that you can put a 20 blade fan on your Commander and it will still run warm in the condition you describe. The C's and K's are so tightly cowled that there just isn't adequate under hood heat extraction on a hot day while sitting in traffic or moving slowly. As soon as you are able to increase the speed to 35 plus, they cool down. If there's a fix, I haven't found it.

Jack

This is a bit of creative reengineering but if a better fan and radiator aren't enough how about a rigging up a pump to spray water on the radiator? If it was done carefully it could be almost unnoticeable but in a situation like described it might be enough to keep the engine from overheating.

Jeff DeWitt

Hmmm....here's another take...

I've used nothing but distiled water...and working well I might add. Since Antifreeze does not actually help cool....I only use about a half gallon (in the cars) for a water pump seal lube and for it's anti-corrosion properties.

As far as "Water Wetter"...never again! I've used it in two bikes and two cars...both ran "hotter" thAn without it. Not by much...but they all ran hotter. And just a simple flush will not remove the salts left by the "Water Wetter". You have to flush it a few times.

Also for what it may be worth...I've forgotten why, but years ago I read an FAA (aircraft) bulletin, they do "not" allow any of the Water Wetter type additives in water cooled aircraft. If you look at the water jacket surfaces after using it for a while, the inner surfaces are white (or off white). This was part (some that I remember!) of the FAA decision, is that it does actually attract the water to the hottest surfaces (as designed), but it also puts a coating on the surfaces that act as a thermal barrier to not let the block (& heads) material help act as a heat transfer material like they would normally.

As for your running hot...as others have said, most any car without a high flow electric fan would run as yours did. Since it cooled right down after a short spin on the freeway, as long as there's no massive boil over, I wouldn't worry too much. Also as others have said, use the hand heald temp. gages or stick an automotive type mechanical gauge in the system to verify what your engine is doing.

As far as buying an electric fan...be wary of the "thin" bladed type fans...they don't push/pull enough air for the money spent.

Mike

Uh, distilled water is as pure as water can get.

I have always used distilled water for cooling purposes and most auto manufacturers recommend its use.

JT

dwcars wrote:

Seems to me spraying water on the radiator would mess up a nice engine compartment

Bob Whiten Wagonmaster

Yeah... Don't need any added incentive for "rust."

JT

Wag>

car will still get hot sitting in traffic on a 100 degree day.

Jack

The only way to minimize overheating in a Stude is to install a viscous drive fan, maintain a clean radiator and ensure that on c/k models, that flexible deflector above the radiator is in place. Three and four row radiators help but only if the rest of the system is in top notch condition.

A shroud on Larks is a plus as well.

JT

problem, the

Hi JT,

That is an accurate statement: " minimize overheating" as opposed to prevent overheating.

I have done all that has been discussed here on my GT including viscous drive fans and 3 core and heavy duty 4 core radiators. You can run the car as fast and hard as you want and it will never run hotter than 100 degrees above ambient sometimes even less. However if it gets dead stopped in traffic on a hot day the temp. will eventially start creeping up. Although it has never boiled over or anything like that, it eventially gets warm enough to vapor lock. This is with insulated fuel lines, cold air induction, phenolic (? how do you spell that) carb spacer, R 2 intake gaskets with a very small hole in both heat passages, dual electric fuel pumps, and no heat riser valve.

One very warm day, I was servicing the A/C on the Hawk in my shop. It was running 1200 - 1500 RPM's for a long time with the hood open. The temperature stayed normal. Only when I closed the hood did the temp start to climb.

Jack

problem, the

problem, the

That's why that little flex deflector attached to the radiator support is so important on c/k's. If it's missing (as it is on my Power Hawk), air that would be normally forced through the radiator bypasses by going above it.

On the sedans, that "open" space does not exist and the problem is less severe.

OTOH, my truck which has an original three row radiator with a '64 GT power train with PowerShift never comes close to overheating. It also has the five bladed/viscous drive unit. In fact, I have even given some thought to putting a 180° thermostat so that I have more heat in the winter even here in central Texas. But that won't be happening since it should be eBay bound in the next few weeks...

JT

'Couple of things I discovered over the years regarding 53's and overheating. Those rubber flaps that cover the A-arms restrict airflow out of the engine compartment. I had a persistent overheating problem under a variety of conditions with a turbocharged V6 powered '53 until I removed those flaps. The 289 with AC and water cooled automatic in our convertible would overheat in the conditions you describe until I replaced the fan pully with the smaller diameter model apparently used on AC cars and some other models.

S2DSteve

Mark wrote:

heating problem, the

I have one to put on the Power Hawk but have never gotten around to it. Hopefully, I'll get it done this winter along with getting the radiator re-cored. I guess that it's time after fifty years...

JT

On a "brand X" w/AC, I removed the standard fan and put an electric fan in front of the condensor. If the car go hot, a spritz from my water system (W/S sprayer) would result in an almost-instant drop of coolant temp. Two 8 or 9" fans should you for your car.Water needs refilling seldom. This was in San Jose

Gotta go. Karl

S2DSteve wrote: