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Yeah it would be easy to lose 3qts in few seconds if it get hot enough to pop the cap. But if its running okay now (we haven't really established that yet lets just say its better) if it had proper water levels at the boilover time then water level probably wasn't the issue....maybe it was always low? so you only lost a qt at boil over because it was already 3qts low and thats why it got hot.
In a perfect world it should draw water back from the res as it cools that doesn't seem to work out so well. You should get a new radiator cap too if you have not. I like the lever vent styles a 13lb cap. I think water recovery is based on rad caps...something about a valve system..Ive never used one I just have a simple recovery tank to stop any small amount of rad puke from getting on the ground. Its really a catch can.
After letting it cool down and checking, the water was just at the top of the core. I added about 2 more cups of water to get it back to 1/2 inch above the core. Here is a pic of my rad cap.
I'm considering taking the car out on the highway to see what happens at higher rpm.
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your pic is fuzzy look for a number like 8, 12, 13 etc.
yes, take it for a drive but just go 1 mile and back and 1 mile and back etc so you are close to home.
also, you may very well need a $400.00 rad or even a $600.00 one if you have water passages in the heads that are plugged etc . . unless someone is psychic and can tell the exact condition of the inside of your engine withoit actually seeing it, it seems like it would be impossible to tell, but i wouldn't know because i am not psychic.
that being said, my guess is that you can get away with a 3 row non high efficienxt brass rad . . it is way BETTER and far more INTELLIGENT to buy a rad that might be a bit bigger than you need then to buy one that might be a bit smaller thsan you need, especially considering that the last time i looked, it was the middle of february and in most places that i know of in the us and canada [alaska doesn't count], it is still WINTER, which means it is likely around 30 to 70 degrees cooler now than it will be in the middle of summer.
also, haveing a bigger rad than necessary allows you to add hp to the engine, change to a numerically higher gear ratio, add AIR CONDITIONING etc WITHOUT having to buy ANOTHER one.
Also, 99.999% of the ebay rads it was suggested you buy are chinese amnd ALL chinese rads including champions have tubes that are at least 25% smaller than a us made rad.
if you buy cheap, you get cheap.
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Last edited by barnett468; 02-21-2015 at 06:35 PM.
im new to all this and i cant figure out how to post my own post so im sorry but i am jumping in on this one for my rant. i have a 71 mustang with a 351c 2v with a weiland xcelerator intake holley 650 headers. i had to replace the timing chain and gears reasontly because the stretch was getting obvious (backfiing ect) so i installed an oe timing chain and gears correctly aligned. went to fire it up it barely starts.runs rough(backfires) timing light says 10* btdc moved the distributor around with no better results.ive replaced distributor wires plugs even valve springs in worry that i had floating valves.distributor is in correctly pointing toward #1 plug and true tdc was found countless times.rocker arms were torqued to specs along with everything else.im at a loss so anyone/ everyone please comment
Sorry, trying to hold the light at the right angle and take pic at the same time. One part says "15lb close" and another part says RC-27.
ok, that is the cap i would use.
it should NOT allow water into the overflow tank unless the rad is filled more thsan arpound 1" from the top . . 1/2" is too little.
if it is filled to 1" and it allows water out, then it is bad or your engine is getting around 250 degrees...not good.
you don'y have white steam billowing out so you do not have a head gasket leak.
look sat your dipstick . . if the oil looks cloudy/milky, water is leaking into the pan but i doubt it.
your rad is obviously plugged so my guess is that you have the typical plugged rad syndrome and possible some narrowed passages in the block . . your water pump impeller may also be eroded away . . i have seen this on rare occasions . . the passages to the pump may be narrowed with calcification . . this is not rust and is best removed with something like clr as opposed to citric acid.
one plan is this.
do the flush i suggested.
do another flush with clr
grsb the fan blade and wiggle it . . if iot wiggles much at all, replace the water pump because it will soon go out.
if you remove the pump, you can see if the passages in the timing cover are plugged and poke them so they they are clear.
if the fan does not wiggle, take it for a test drive.
if the symptoms improve, you "can" use a smaller rad than i suggested if you want . . you "casn" also just get yours cleaned out and install the shroud and it will possibly be ok until the weather gets hot.
pliugged rads, passages and bad water pumps are very common on these thing but safter you fix it, it your cooling system will likely be fone for arother 80,000 miles or so unlike gun jams because he keeps buying chinese made water pumps from oreillys.
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Last edited by barnett468; 02-23-2015 at 02:35 PM.
The fuel pump is fairly new, maybe 2000 miles on it at most. I don't mind spending the extra $200 now if it saves me headaches later.
Is this the flush you are referring to?
Originally Posted by barnett468
one of the ways to flush a pretty rusty system is to drain it, fill it with water, drain it, dissolve some mercedes citric acid rad flush in warm water . . put it in the system and drive the car around for a while then let it sit for several hours or overnight and drive it around again then flush it out.
02-21-2015, 10:36 AM
