Hello guys,


This is my first post, I hope to make some friends here. I'm 27 and my family owns a 55 Ford Town Sedan, I've done all the work myself to get her back running again and we just took her on our first long high speed test-drive 16 miles there and back at about 55-60mph consistently. Anyway, the engine sounded great, when she's going she does great. We still have a bit of a problem with the ending wanting to stall out on a hot engine when we slow to a stop but as long as I feather the gas she keeps going. Probably a bad auto-choke. (this is a fordomatic btw).

Anyway that's not the real question. About 16 miles in when we were getting to our destination I noticed the stock temp gauge was reading a really high temperature, like just entering the red-line. Now firstly I don't know if these old engines are supposed to run at the same temp on the gauge as modern cars, should they stay about at the center of the gauge between C and H? Or do those old engines run hotter normally?


I had a friend with me, an older man who's good with car. When we parked her we opened the hood and he said that the engine wasn't overheating, he was touching the engine with his hand and said if it were he wouldn't even be able to do that. He said the radiator also wasn't 'gurgling.' I suppose yeah it wasn't SUPER hot, I touched it too. You wouldn't want to keep your hand on it, but yeah you could hold it on there a few seconds before it'd start to hurt.

I guess I'm just curious, could my old gauges be mis-reading? I know the gauges default to reading hot when the car is off, so maybe if it's mis-reading it'll naturally mis-read hotter rather then colder?

Assuming your car is still a six volt system, the temperature gauge typically runs slightly to the cool side when everything is normal.  If the car has been converted to twelve volts, then the factory gauges may not be reading as they were originally depending upon how the voltage to the gauges is being reduced.  Beyond all that, I’d suggest a known good mechanical gauge to get a better idea of what the actual running coolant temperature is.  If the engine is not losing or boiling out any coolant, then it’s not running hot enough to damage anything at this point.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Yes, she's an original 6v system, just replaced the voltage regulator and rebuilt the alternator as a matter of fact.

Well that's good to know, maybe I'll check to see if there are any temperature guns you can rent at the O'Riley's or Autozone and see what temperature I get at the thermostat housing like I've seen some people suggesting. Interestingly enough my fuel gauge doesn't work at all. I thought it was a flooded tank float, which was the case as it turned out, but I recently changed the tank out with a new one and it came with a new sender unit. It's the correct ohm rating and everything but the gauge still wont budge.

Alternator or generator?

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Sorry, I meant generator.

Welcome to the site. Just as an aside, you can buy infrared heat guns on Amazon for under $20.00. I did some A/C work at the house last week, and the cheapo gun read within 1/2 degree of the tech's expensive Fluke. They don't have the distance range, but they get close enough to check the upper/lower radiator, hoses, etc. Check it against a pot of water just coming to a boil, and you'll know where 212 F is, and that's close to our running temps at 180 or so.

And you can get the griddle just right to make perfect pancakes when you're in the kitchen.

miker
55 bird, 32 cabrio F code
Kent, WA
Tucson, AZ

Mmmmm......pancakes......Mmmm

Rowen
55CV
Woodland, Ca

You know, this idea just came to me. I have the heater fan and housing off the car for the moment, I'm going to get it repainted. but I'm wondering, would that effect the heat under the hood there, having the heater-core exposed in the firewall like that? I never thought about that..

Here's a couple pictures of my car for you guys to see btw if you're interested.

That sounds reasonable but I really have no idea on exposed core. This is just to say welcome and you have

Rowen
55CV
Woodland, Ca

Dang fat fingers!! I HATE this "I" phone!! Now, as I was saying before my fingers got in the way, nice ride!! These folks can and WILL help in any way they can! Enjoy your new Y block!! Rowen

Rowen
55CV
Woodland, Ca