another overheater

[stude3]

Hello fellow bird enthusiasts. We just obtained a very pretty and well maintained peacock 56 for my wife. It has been 105F here this week and humidity less than 10% here in North San Bernardino,Ca. The car does not boil over but does run rather hot and does have a heat-soak problem once the car has heated up fully esp after running fast and then shutting off.

We do have the desire to add air-conditioning sometime in the future but the cooling performance will have to be improved. we have talked about the pros and cons of more original type systems vs the smaller "hotrod" style air sytems.

I read most of the early-bird posts and have somewhat devised a plan. This would be to replace the radiator with the best possible unit. It appears from the various catalogs there are several 4 row radiators available. Is there a unit that is most highly recommend? For example, is the "optima 4 row" for $500 beyond the point of diminishing returns?

Does anyone have comment on value of the stainless steel water-pump anti recirculation baffle?

The 7 blade steel flex-fan makes sense. I do see a fiberglass lower shroud extension which provides a better seal against the lower-inner face of the radiator. This would appear to help especially at idle?

Is there a way to determine if the carb to manifold spacer/insulator is proper or is there a worthwhile improvement. i did read and understand about the electric fuel pump addition but would shy away as a last resort( dangerous in case of mechanical diaphram failure)

We do love the car as it is completely original except it has a trigage setup under the dash currently which does add some feeling of security on the additional information it provides.

We would greatly appreciate comments from all ( purist and or non-purist experimenters) as your experiences and viewpoints will surely help to guide our path. Thanks Frank & Rita

 

[nomadbird]

"Hot" is a relative term. You haven't lost any coolant, so it's not "too hot". I assume one of those accesory gauges under the dash is a temp gauge. What did it indicate while the engine was running between 1500 and 2500 RPM?

Until you add A.C. to your car, the original cooling system is entirely adequate. You just have to make sure all elements are functioning properly. This includes, but not limited to items such as; depth of fan inside the shroud, make sure distributor vacuum advance is within spec, fuel mixture not too lean, etc. etc.. I have driven a '57 in Phoenix many years ago for more miserable hours than I care to remember in temperatures up to 118. I have recently used my warmest running of three Birds in temps past the century mark without any drama from the temp gauge. So they do just fine as long as everything is as it should be.

There are some terrific folks who belong to the Inland Empire Chapter of CTCI near you in San Bernadino County. Joining their ranks would certainly enhance your ownership experience. There are also two other Chapters nearby, but I'm not sure I know any of their members.

Keep Kool, Tom D.

 

[stude3]

guage reading

to Tom D. yes the lower temp gauge reads almost 200F running down the freeway. but it gets iffy when you then move into stop and go after that. Up close to 240 and not recovering any too fast. if you shut it off in this mode it will exhibit some irratic behavior after restart in the first few minutes. I understand this phenominae very well as i have had several hotrods and other stock fords which behaved similarly. my 68 falcon 6 cylinder is very similar in 100+ weather. it will actually burp out some coolant if you shut if off right after running down the freeway for 15 miles on a 100+DAY.
We have been told that the U.S.Radiator Optima 4 row is currently the ultimate
available non-stock radiator.(other than aluminum) U.S. also makes the "desert cooler" radiators and they told me that the optima is considerably better. I am hoping that with the addition of the lower shroud-closure the 7 blade fan will also grab more air.
We havent looked into any clubs yet, but It sounds encouraging what you say about the local club. we do plan to at least check-out the big t-bird meet in sept.
Frankie

 

[nomadbird]

I agree. It is running just a tad warm. What bothers me is its' inability to recover after reaching an elevated temp. First of all: these critters aren't happy (in stock form) unless they're running in the 1500 - 2500 RPM range. Outside of that 1000 RPM operating range, you will usually start to notice an increase in coolant temp. There are a Jillion snake oil "fixes" out there to try to change that. You'll find everything from smaller water pump pulleys, various fans, and better lower fan shrouds to improve cooling performance at the low end of the RPM scale up to water pump baffles and jumbo radiators for everything else. The simple fact remains: If everything is as it should be, it will cool just fine.I strongly suggest you take care of everything in a stock condition before you start adding band aids. EXAMPLE: Does the rubber seal on the upper fan shroud fit against the upper radiator tank; or is there an air leak there? You really need someone who knows these cars inside-out to look at the car. Preferably someone who isn't trying to sell you something. This is why I recommended joining one of the CTCI Chapters in your area.

After you have brought everything to where it should be in the 'as built' state, then you are ready to start with the AC. For openers, start with an alternator to take care of the extra electrical load of the AC fan and the radiator cooling fan(s). When you come to that point, I suggest you contact Don Hyde in Plano, Texas for advise on what to do. I understand he is a source for a "bullet proof" radiator for the small Birds. I believe Prestige Thunderbird in Santa Fe Springs also handles a super radiator

Winter is coming, Tom D.