Radiator coolant level

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: Radiator coolant level
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dennis Hoshield on Monday, July 02, 2012 - 11:55 pm:

Hello all ...
I'm a reasonable newbie to the 'T', but have been reading and searching for a bit. Usually, the answers are here! I apparently did the nob thing, and added water when the radiator boiled over ... then did a search and ... duh ... no .. leave the water 'low', basically (from what I'm accustomed to, anyway). It's been upper 80's and low 90's here of late, so have been taking it out for spins after work .. mostly to get accustomed to the shifting, stopping, starting, etc. The last couple jaunts, it hasn't boiled over, as I've not 'topped it off'. I haven't measured the fluid level from the top, but it is about 1 1/2" above whatever a dip stick hits when I put it in the filler cap. I assume it's the top of the fins .. but it appears to 'rattle' when I put the stick down on it .. like a loose plate. Should this be?

Thanks,
Dennis


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Peter Borland. Bathurst. NSW. Australia. on Tuesday, July 03, 2012 - 12:18 am:

G'day,
Water level sounds about right, they spew out what they don't want. As for the rattle try to retard the spark a little and see if that helps.
Peter


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By mike_black on Tuesday, July 03, 2012 - 12:19 am:

When I look into the radiator, I see a hole about the size of a 1/2 dollar a couple of inches below the neck. As long as I leave the level below that it does fine. I drove it about 5 miles Sat when it was 104 here and it didn't even gurgle when I stopped. I added water to it today and drove about 6 miles and it spit out some when I stopped. After that, I had 3 adults and 3 kids in it and drove about 10 miles and it didn't gurgle at all. It seems to do well with the water no more than half way up in the tank. I think as long as there is water over the tubes and it doesn't run hot, it's ok. This a newly built engine and new radiator. All my other T's also seem to seek the level that is correct for them.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Peter Borland. Bathurst. NSW. Australia. on Tuesday, July 03, 2012 - 12:19 am:

Should have put my glasses on to read. Sounds like you have a plate loose in the top of the tank, nothing to worry about.

Peter


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Norman T. Kling on Tuesday, July 03, 2012 - 10:22 am:

This is the way I fill mine. I fill it level with the Ford logo on the front of the radiator. The water tends to expand with heat and it also rises very fast as the engine warms up. That causes it to reach the top of the tank where the overflow pipe is located. Some of it goes down the pipe to the ground. When the level is a little lower, but over the core of the radiator, it will not rise quite so high, and so will not spill out. If you get steam, your engine is too hot. No steam but just spill over it is ok.
Norm


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Norman T. Kling on Tuesday, July 03, 2012 - 10:26 am:

I would also add: If there is no water, it could also cause no steam. In that case, the engine will seize up. Very bad situation. So before you start out, check the water level. Fill to the Ford logo. After it cools off a while, check the water level. It should still be at the Ford logo same as you started out.
Norm


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dan Treace, North FL on Tuesday, July 03, 2012 - 10:55 am:

The Ford will 'burp' a pretty good volume of coolant up into the holding tank when the engine block and head get too hot, that is the thermosyphon means. That is why the upper hose is larger than the lower hose.

The coolant doesn't constantly circulate, but moves in large flow, from time to time as the engine builds heat. Of course at full out, or hard pull, the flow cycles will occur closer together.

So you need to have a 'space' for that large burp of coolant to go into the upper tank, that is why you keep the coolant level about at the base of the baffle plate, well below the filler neck.



We went on a 1 hour run in 97 degrees F. on Monday, and no issue on the '24 with new radiator. On the '23 with used radiator, I noted some 'drips, and bubbles from the cap' when running, at stop the upper tank did gurgle for a few minutes with rolling boil, a little steam.



What had happened was I changed out the radiator cap to another, it had bad threads and didn't seal off the gasket, so I got some spitting and loss of coolant. Topped off to the baffle, as the coolant was low, and used a better cap. All is well now.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erich Bruckner, Vancouver, WA on Tuesday, July 03, 2012 - 04:29 pm:

Dennis H, most T radiators I've seen have a loose baffle in the top tank. Why, I would love to know. It is normal though. As you have read above, Lizzy will spit out what extra coolant is in the tank. Just check often enough to keep from getting to low (down to the top fins).

I always have a jug of antifreeze/coolant and a couple jugs of distilled water for top offs.


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