My 55 Fairlane 272 was about the same situation.  Also a Ford-o-matic.  Seemed to run hot, especially if I had to idle for a few minutes.  Parades?  Forget about it.

I purchased a direct fit aluminum replacement radiator from an outfit in MN.  I can't remember the company, but they advertise in the CVA newsletter.  I could look it up if you want.  It wasn't too bad - about $240 as I recall.   I changed that and changed out the original fan for a 5 blade unit and it runs right in the middle of the gauge now.  I even had it in a Parade on July 4th!

Only wrinkle was the made-to-fit radiator was about 1/2 an inch too tall to fit with the hood closed!  Good thing it was noticed before it got slammed shut.  So I had to do some finagling to make it work.

My 56 acted the same..after much work I followed Greenbirds suggestion to look at the water in the radiator when the car was up to temperature and at idle in gear. If the water was not moving reach over and raise the idle to see if the water moves. It did then. His suggestion was to speed up the water pump but installing a smaller pully. I used one off a 289/302 early Mustang. I needed to space it out about 1/8" for the belt to line up. I bought everything from Summit but the shorter belt. Heat up problem was gone. I had changed the rad to a larger one and it made no difference. I was moving towards a fan shoud when I changed the pully. Good Luck



56 Vic, B'Ville 200 MPH Club Member, So Cal.

I did not read your whole post but , sometime when the heat riser on the manifold is rusty and stuck it will raise the temp of the engine if the car has been sitting for a long time there is a chance the riser is rusted in place its easy to check it either moves or its stuck inspect it when its cold

Thanks guys, I like your suggestions, maybe it does need a new radiator I don't know. I keep wondering if I got the wrong thermostat, I got it at O'Reily's and asked them to look up what the right one for a 55 would be.. would modern thermostats not open the same temperature as a 55's?

I'm kinda concerned now, before I was getting readings of overheating without any signs on the engine. Today though, after I did a valve lash adjustment on the engine, I took it for a test drive. On that note I can't tell if my adjustment fixed anything, the engine still seems to clatter when it runs especially when increasing speed.. I don't know how the engine should normally sound honestly.

Anyway I was nearing the end of the loop heading home when the car started acting up again. I noticed the car sounding.. different, hard to really explain as it's not very loud and kind of hard to hear from inside but the above mentioned clatter seemed to go in and out intermitently and I almost heard what sounded like a grinding.. at least I hope that's not what it was. The engine wouldn't stall out which was an improvement.. but it was running weaker. The most evident thing was the white smoke bellowing out of the tailpipe. ><

I got her home and shut her off, looked over the engine and I indeed heard that infamous bubbling in the radiator, sounded like it was frothing and churning in there and it was dripping out of the overflow.. not a ton just a bit of drippage.


I'm feeling really bad guys! I know this is a good classic engine, with low mileage, I don't want to destroy it by repeatedly overheating it.. I just don't know what to do, and I'm hoping really badly that I didn't damage something today.

Thermostats generally operate at the same range of temperatures, though modern cars do tend to run hotter by design.

It sounds like it is overheating.  What temperature rating is the thermostat you installed?  Did you install it in the correct orientation?  They usually have an arrow indicating the direction of flow or the words "radiator side".

If the radiator is original, it probably wouldn't hurt to take it to a radiator shop to be cleaned and tested.  It would be a good idea to replace all hoses to make sure one is not collapsing or full of crud, preventing flow.  If you don't know when the hoses were replaced last, then it needs to be done, anyway.  You can pull the pump to inspect it and make sure the impeller isn't rusted away.



Lawrenceville, GA

Having the heater parts off should not materially effect the heat in the engine.  Another way to check temperature is to run the car to where the high reading shows, shutting it off, removing the radiator cap (be careful here) and see what the temperature is with a meat thermometer or similar.  Remember the water will get hotter briefly when the engine is first turned off.


54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

Um I'm pretty sure opening a hot radiator will cause the coolant to explode out.. are older cars some kind of exception?

The thing is I don't even know, I was a novice back when I did that repair so I didn't even think to ask I just went with the one they pulled up on the computer at the parts store. As for the orientation, I just used the same orientation as the original, with the spring-side protruding rear-words into the manifold and the valve side inside the housing. Luckily I took some pictures of the thermostat I took out, and the one I put in.





Yeah I've changed all the rubber hoses, though I haven't inspected the coolant pump or radiator..

Hello there

"The most evident thing was the white smoke bellowing out of the tailpipe. >< "
head gasket trouble when up to temp. Maybe.
stuey