MTFCA Forum

Hi folks
Just a quick question about over heating. I just got his 22 running for a friend that inherited it from a step father. Beautiful car. The story was the car had a rebuilt engine when they got it. I just fixed the carb from setting for a few years. Car starts and runs great (have not drove it yet) but in about 5-10 minutes it will start spewing out the over flow tube. At one point the radiator tank was pulsating like it was extremally hot. I do have a head gasket leak detector I will try on it this weekend hopefully. If you have any other suggestion I would appreciate it. Would a water pump possibly take care of this issue? It does not have one on it at this time but my 26 does not have one on it and I have never had an issue with overheating (knock on wood).
Thank you

If you do fill the radiator to the top, start the car and in the time, water will drip out of the overflow tube simply because water volume expands when it gets hot. ..Since the New engine has very few miles on since the rebuild, it may run a little hot..... I'm sure you're running the engine with the spark lever at least halfway down during this extended idle..... A good check on cylinder head tightness will be to retorque the head bolts after the engine cools down.

A rebuilt engine in an enclosed garage Will boil in 10 minutes. With the radiator cap off can you see coolant circulating above the tubes ? Yes on the advancement of spark lever. Fan turning ? Ford advised 5 pounds of fan blade pull should revolve fan pulley under the fan belt. Thermosyphon system really requires a headwind flowing over the radiator fins…..

what kind of core --new/old? May be partially blocked. I don't recall where you live but running hot when standing still is not that unusual for some cars

The 22 was a transition year from the low radiator to high radiator. I have one with a low radiator and have not had an overheating problem. Torquing the head when hot or cold depends on the head. If it is a steel head, torque to 50 ft lbs when hot. But if if it has an aluminum head, torque when cold. And all bolts should be checked to be sure they are really torqued against the head. If the bolt is a bit too long, it might be bottomed out before the head is actually down tight. If you have a clean block and cylinders, the engine can still overheat if it is running too retarded and also if the fuel air mixture is lean. In fact it can get so hot the exhaust manifold gets red hot. So check all these things. If you live in an area with hard water, be sure to use distilled water or you will build up deposits of line and minerals. I personally like to use a mixture of 50/50 green antifreeze in mine. This will raise the boiling point of the coolant and also protect from freezing in cold weather although it rarely gets below freezing temperature, here.
Norm

Norm - I beg to differ regarding pulling a head bolt to 50 lbs. HOT - I've built many a T engine & re=torque only after complete cool-down ! I wouldn't pull a T head bolt no more than 40 - 42 lbs. unless you like to Helicoil.

Blairgr wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 19, 2025 11:27 am

Hi folks
Just a quick question about over heating. I just got his 22 running for a friend that inherited it from a step father. Beautiful car. The story was the car had a rebuilt engine when they got it. I just fixed the carb from setting for a few years. Car starts and runs great (have not drove it yet) but in about 5-10 minutes it will start spewing out the over flow tube. At one point the radiator tank was pulsating like it was extremally hot. I do have a head gasket leak detector I will try on it this weekend hopefully. If you have any other suggestion I would appreciate it. Would a water pump possibly take care of this issue? It does not have one on it at this time but my 26 does not have one on it and I have never had an issue with overheating (knock on wood).
Thank you

What coolant is in the radiator, just water or an anti-freeze solution. How much coolant in the radiator above the tank shelf ? I would expect the presence of steam if overheating.
Since the car is stationary you can expect some more heat than normal.

Is the radiator a round tube radiator? If it is it could be original to the car. That could be your problem. More than a few T’s have had the engine rebuilt with the original radiator still in it. A mistake is thinking that if the radiator looks good it’s OK. But not always. After over 100 years the they get less efficient. They do wear out.

I went and Looked at the car this morning and tested for combustion leaks in the radiator and it did not indicate any issues. I also retorqued the head and they did turn about 1/4 turn. I guess I am leaning to a radiator. We have no history on it being cleaned or tested so maybe the next step is the 4 second test as mentioned in the post earlier or maybe take to a radiator shop and have it flow tested or just replace with a new one. If it is the radiator what are the recommendations of where to purchase a new one or would it be better to have a new core installed?
Thank you

Not being able to see the condition of your radiator, if you think that you should take it to a trusted radiator shop in your area, I'm sure they could advise you the condition and what has to be done.

I'd drain and flush the radiator and block, then fill the system with plain water and go drive the car on the road at moderate speeds, varying the speed and loads on the engine, following Ford's recommendations for running a new engine. Take 3 gallon jugs of spare water and a quart of oil with you. Be sure the fan belt is adjusted. Be sure the crankcase is properly filled with clean, light bodied oil, such as 10W30. Drive the car on the open road at moderate, varying speeds, and be sure to adjust the carburetor and spark advance as needed. If it still overheats, further attention will be needed, such as a more thorough flush with an appropriate chemical. If there is anything on the radiator, such as badges, lettering, a license plate, or whatever, take it off to allow full air flow. Also take a look under the car and check for dents or kinks in the exhaust system. Sometimes, mufflers can clog with rust, rodent debris, or dirt dauber nests. That can contribute to overheating and poor performance.

I'd also make sure that no one put a thermostat in the car. You do NOT want a thermostat on a T that has no water pump.
With the system empty, it should take about 3 gallons to fill it.

If it is the radiator what are the recommendations of where to purchase a new one or would it be better to have a new core installed?

For a totally new radiator, the only game in town is Brassworks. A recore may save you a few Benjamins IF you can find a shop with somebody old enough to know how.

Even if the tube are clear and it flows good it still may not cool. Over time the the fins are no longer in good contact with the tubes and can not dissipate the heat. As noted Brass Works is the only one making new radiators. They do have a back log.