crazy sighting
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jan 2012
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From: Queen Creek Arizona
crazy sighting
well yesterday i changed my radiator and today i changed my thermostat but i happily noticed
, that there was no thermostat in my car so im wondering what kind of damage could this have caused over the 8 or so years we have owned it 6 years of non op.
, that there was no thermostat in my car so im wondering what kind of damage could this have caused over the 8 or so years we have owned it 6 years of non op.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jan 2012
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From: Queen Creek Arizona
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 21,543
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From: Park City Utah
OMG!!! It's going to overheat b/c the "coolant will flow too fast and not cool!! Put a thermostat in there immediately so it will run cooler!! 
Seriously, I saw that you put one in and it's running hotter (which actually makes sense). Check your radiator when it gets hot; if the radiator is hot everywhere, you water pump is working.
Seriously, I saw that you put one in and it's running hotter (which actually makes sense). Check your radiator when it gets hot; if the radiator is hot everywhere, you water pump is working.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 605
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From: Queen Creek Arizona
OMG!!! It's going to overheat b/c the "coolant will flow too fast and not cool!! Put a thermostat in there immediately so it will run cooler!!
Seriously, I saw that you put one in and it's running hotter (which actually makes sense). Check your radiator when it gets hot; if the radiator is hot everywhere, you water pump is working.
Seriously, I saw that you put one in and it's running hotter (which actually makes sense). Check your radiator when it gets hot; if the radiator is hot everywhere, you water pump is working.
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Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 21,543
Likes: 3,216
From: Park City Utah
What does that mean, "My radiator was boiling"?
Your radiator can be COLD, and you can still hear boiling, and have "boiling over" in the over flow tank from heat in the ENGINE. We need to confirm your water pump, by confirming that water is circulating. This can be identified by observing a relatively even temperature though out the entire cooling system, once up to temp. If you engine is 200* and your radiator is 85*F, water is not circulating.
Your radiator can be COLD, and you can still hear boiling, and have "boiling over" in the over flow tank from heat in the ENGINE. We need to confirm your water pump, by confirming that water is circulating. This can be identified by observing a relatively even temperature though out the entire cooling system, once up to temp. If you engine is 200* and your radiator is 85*F, water is not circulating.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 605
Likes: 2
From: Queen Creek Arizona
What does that mean, "My radiator was boiling"?
Your radiator can be COLD, and you can still hear boiling, and have "boiling over" in the over flow tank from heat in the ENGINE. We need to confirm your water pump, by confirming that water is circulating. This can be identified by observing a relatively even temperature though out the entire cooling system, once up to temp. If you engine is 200* and your radiator is 85*F, water is not circulating.
Your radiator can be COLD, and you can still hear boiling, and have "boiling over" in the over flow tank from heat in the ENGINE. We need to confirm your water pump, by confirming that water is circulating. This can be identified by observing a relatively even temperature though out the entire cooling system, once up to temp. If you engine is 200* and your radiator is 85*F, water is not circulating.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 17,551
Likes: 26
From: El Paso Texas
There isn't much to your cooling system. A radiator and fan, hoses, thermostat, water pump, heater core and hoses, and the water jacket in the engine. That's it. Ensure each is working OK.
If the coolant is circulating at proper speed, the radiator is unobstructed internally and externally, and sufficient air is flowing through the radiator, it won't overheat. Period. Well....with a couple of exceptions.
If the cooling system is 100% and it's running hot, check for three things; A vacuum leak, exhaust obstruction, and retarded ignition timing.
My old 84 (with a manual fan switch) would idle all day long in heavy traffic at 195 degrees in 110 degree ambient temps. Click off the manual switch, and it would cycle between 228 and 213. Yours should do the same.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 21,543
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From: Park City Utah
So....the entire radiator was HOT? You're not really answering the question. The ENGINE is what will boil the water...not the radiator. THe water in the radiator could be COLD, and the bubbles created by boiling water in the ENGINE would migrate to the radiator (no where else to escape) and make it LOOK like the "water in the radiator is boiling", when in fact, that is not where the water is boiling.
If you want us to help you, help us. Give us some specific info and more info on the conditions under which it over heats, please.
If you want us to help you, help us. Give us some specific info and more info on the conditions under which it over heats, please.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 17,551
Likes: 26
From: El Paso Texas
Idle? Cruising? Highway?
Is the fan kicking on? Coolant circulating? Heater working? System holding pressure? What is base timing set at? How many inches of vacuum at what elevation?
Throw us a bone.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jan 2012
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From: Queen Creek Arizona
cruising and the fan stays on all the time
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 17,551
Likes: 26
From: El Paso Texas
Why? Previous owner wired it to run continuously? Sounds like they were trying to fix an overheating issue without bothering to trouble shoot it.
You said you replaced the radiator, so I'm assuming there's no debris on the front of it. Once you put a 50/50 mix of coolant in, ensure that it is circulating. Once you know it's circulating, ensure that the system is building pressure and holding it. Also, check your hoses and ensure they aren't collapsing, particularly the bottom hose.
You said you replaced the radiator, so I'm assuming there's no debris on the front of it. Once you put a 50/50 mix of coolant in, ensure that it is circulating. Once you know it's circulating, ensure that the system is building pressure and holding it. Also, check your hoses and ensure they aren't collapsing, particularly the bottom hose.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 605
Likes: 2
From: Queen Creek Arizona
Why? Previous owner wired it to run continuously? Sounds like they were trying to fix an overheating issue without bothering to trouble shoot it.
You said you replaced the radiator, so I'm assuming there's no debris on the front of it. Once you put a 50/50 mix of coolant in, ensure that it is circulating. Once you know it's circulating, ensure that the system is building pressure and holding it. Also, check your hoses and ensure they aren't collapsing, particularly the bottom hose.
You said you replaced the radiator, so I'm assuming there's no debris on the front of it. Once you put a 50/50 mix of coolant in, ensure that it is circulating. Once you know it's circulating, ensure that the system is building pressure and holding it. Also, check your hoses and ensure they aren't collapsing, particularly the bottom hose.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2010
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From: Crystal Springs MS
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: Park City Utah
Racer
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 296
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From: Derby (Wichita area) KS
Just to be clear..the car will overheat without a thermostat. The thermostat serves two very similar functions..when the engine is cold it allows the engine to warm up obviously but it also cycles on and off as you drive under normal circumstances think of it this way....
Engine heats up coolant in block, thermostat opens allowing hot coolant to flow to radiator and "cold" coolant to flow into block. Thermostat closes briefly. During this moment the radiator is removing heat from the "hot" coolant the the whole cycle repeats. Without the thermostat the flow is never interrupted which reduces radiator efficiency and thus the ability to cool (remove heat) from the coolant. Now on most days this might be fine but under extreem use all heat is transfered throughout the cooling system without interruption for heat removal resulting in overheating. Not as quickly as a closed thermostat but it will overheat nonetheless.
Hope this makes a little sense.
Dave
Engine heats up coolant in block, thermostat opens allowing hot coolant to flow to radiator and "cold" coolant to flow into block. Thermostat closes briefly. During this moment the radiator is removing heat from the "hot" coolant the the whole cycle repeats. Without the thermostat the flow is never interrupted which reduces radiator efficiency and thus the ability to cool (remove heat) from the coolant. Now on most days this might be fine but under extreem use all heat is transfered throughout the cooling system without interruption for heat removal resulting in overheating. Not as quickly as a closed thermostat but it will overheat nonetheless.
Hope this makes a little sense.
Dave