1927 Radiator trouble

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2014: 1927 Radiator trouble
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jeff V on Friday, August 15, 2014 - 09:30 pm:

OK, I'm either doing something completely wrong or there's a piece of information I have wrong. Here's the story.

The radiator on my '27 TT is shot six way from Sunday, so have an almost new radiator on my '23 Fordor that sitting waiting for funding for new babbit, so I figure I'll take the '23 radiator and put it in the '27 (they should interchange right?)

So the first issue is the '27 radiator is a 3 tube and the '23 rad. is a 5 tube and the fan on the '27 sticks out about an inch farther to be up close to the 3-tube (is this an accessory or standard? I don't know) and it interferes with the thicker 5-tube rad.

I happen to have an old '26 engine laying around, so I grab the more standard looking far off that and install it on the '27, radiator interference problem solved.

Now the fan sits closer to the engine and it's hitting the top or the upper radiator hose, not by a little, but by a lot. So I start to draw the top of the radiator in using the rod that connects to the firewall.

Before I can get the fan to clear the hose, I've already drawn it in too much and the hood won't fit. So now I've thrown up my hands for the night to fix it via the six-pack method.*

so either I'm doing something horribly wrong or the radiators are not supposed to interchange.

*For those unfamiliar, fixing a problem via the six-pack method to wait until you're really frustrated, then back off and open a six-pack. After a while the problem doesn't seem so bad any more.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jeff V on Friday, August 15, 2014 - 09:36 pm:

Sorry, the message was riddled with typos. Serves me right for typing while frustrated.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Terry Woods, Richmond, Texas on Friday, August 15, 2014 - 10:46 pm:

Jeff, If my memory serves me right, the early 23's used the low radiator/hood/body and the late 23's used the high radiator/hood/body (late in the model year so chances are better that you have a 'low'), so depending on whether you have an early or late is going to make a big difference. Also, I think that I remember reading just last night that in 24 and 25, that 4 and 5 row radiators were used. In 26 Ford equipped some with a flat tube two row core, necessitating a fan pulley with a long extended snout, but most were 3 or 4 row cores. In 27 they went back to 4 and 5 row cores (all information from the MTFCA Encyclopedia). Hope this helps.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jeff V on Friday, August 15, 2014 - 11:05 pm:

Terry, while you are correct that the the early '23's used the low radiator, this is the later '23 high radiator that is the same height as the '27 radiator that was removed. I looked at the encyclopedia first thing and didn't see the bit about the long snout fan, must have missed it. Even so, substituting the more common 'short snout' fan shouldn't cause it to hit the radiator hose like that, I would think. Maybe I'm wrong.

Anyway, I've got another 3 tube radiator that looks like it's OK. I'll have to see if it holds water this weekend and if it does I'll install it with the 'long snout' fan hub that will clear the hose with no issues.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Terry Woods, Richmond, Texas on Saturday, August 16, 2014 - 12:46 pm:

Jeff, The long snout fan hub was used with only the two row flat tube cores (I think), thus using one with a thicker core would undoubtedly cause the fan to hit the radiator core. Make sure you have all the correct radiator mounting studs, thimbles, etc. in place. Other than this, someone else will have to chime in.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hap Tucker in Sumter SC on Saturday, August 16, 2014 - 03:32 pm:

Jeff,

If you put a shorter fan belt on, will that move the fan blades enough so they don't hit the upper radiator hose? And as a temporary fix -- as long as you keep moving you probably don't need a fan. For sure with the cars you can get by without them if you avoid parades in the summer.

Also do you have the proper spacers and mounting parts to mount the radiator to the frame properly? For cars they are different for the improved cars. For Ton Trucks -- I don't know if they remained the same 1919 - 1927 or not. for the radiator? Please see page 38 of Ford Service at the web site: http://mtfci2002.readyhosting.com/manuals/Model_T_Service_Manual/mtsm.html (thank you MTFCI!)

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Gregush Portland Oregon on Sunday, August 17, 2014 - 12:05 pm:

Which water outlet do you have, the early style or 26/27 style? Does your timing cover have the tab for the fan arm adjusting bolt? Do you have an early style arm, mounting bolt and fan shaft on hand? If so, maybe you could install the fan on the early setup and use a shorter belt. If you don't have the belt you could get creative with an old belt, bell wire, pocket knife and sharpened finishing nail.


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