Pulled my recently purchased 65 small block in the garage today after a nice drive around the neighborhood and steam began billowing from under the hood. Anti-freeze was all over the garage floor, coming from the cooling system. Hoses looked ok. Any thoughts will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Chris

 

I have been through the mother of all overheating problems and here is how I would proceed:

1. Make sure there is "headroom" in the overflow tank. It should not be filled much more than a third of the way up

1a I forgot - check the timing of the engine

2. Make sure the thermostat is not stuck

3. see if the water pump leaks

4. see if the radiator is leaking and get a new rad cap - no pressure = low boiling point

5. take the radiator to a shop and have them pressure and flow test it

That should do it.. If not , you have to spend money on:

New Water pump

Check the head gaskets

A new rad


Good luck, maybe it was overfilled....

 

A small pinhole in one of the hoses can cause this problem. I had this happen to me and found a small crack in the hearer hose where it connected to the water pump. Cut the end off and re-attached. No more problem. But you need to first off find out if it is coming out the overflow tube or a leak.

 

Was your temp gauge reading high when you were cruising around?

 

It's officially Spring...

First overheating post of 2010..

It's been said already but just to reiterate..

Timing..

Then order a DeWitt's Radiator if you don't know how old your radiator is or if it's a Copper replacement.

Dave

 

By the time you read this it will have cooled down. Clean up everything you can in order to remove any old coolant from anywhere on the engine. Check your dipstick for milky looking oil. This will be VERY BAD, a sign of a blown head gasket, or a cracked block or head. Let's hope it's not one of these. Check for coolant in the over flow tank. If it's empty, don't put anything in yet. Unbolt the thermostat housing and remove the thermostat. Put it in water, boil and check to see if it opens. If not, that's your basic problem. If it's OK your rad and water pump are the next two suspects. But still get a new thermostat. Water pumps are cheap compared to a DeWitts correct aluminum rad at about $700, but WELL worth the entry price. While your in under the hood, why not replace all the hoses if the age is unknown. When taking the hoses off of the heater core, slit them and peel them off carefully. When replacing, clean the outlets with sandpaper, then put a dab of grease on and coat them, then slide the hose on carefully. This is not a wrestling match. Get your antifreeze and distilled water. Fill the block first slowly through the thermostat opening, bolt on the new gasket/thermostat and housing, then continue filling through the tank. Run the engine up to operating temp, then check your coolant level. Hopefully, you will be road ready. Dennis

 

I have a bright idea..............................

Raise the hood. Top off the radiator surge tank to about half full. It's located just above the right hand battery. Close the hood, start the engine and drive around the block like you did the first time.

When you shut the engine off, raise the hood and see where the steam is coming from. Don't spend a dime, turn a wrench or worry one bit until you try this.

Don't make something that could be very easy, very hard.

 

When all remedies are exhausted, become familiar with Dewitts radiators and related items.

http://www.dewitts.com/pages/categor...ts.asp?catID=1

 

 

How come you always take the fun out of these things?

 

That's how most of us having been doing it for decades.

Some of us also just start the car with the hood open and watch for leaks

Larry

 

Think this was covered on the third post..........

 

It was but then, the train kinda' jumped the tracks.

 

I had a '66 Mustang radiator blow along the top seam and it would only 'jet' out a stream of hot water under full pressure after a hot run...and aimed down and forward so it was real hard to see....took a couple of days to find that puppy.

 

Hey I just like to watch the wreck...

 

Well, you did bring up a good point about the first "overheating" post of the season. Beat me to it!