I want to check out the thermostat in the '59 292 in my Model A.  I have read that chemical cooling system flushes are not great for older engines.  I have watched videos where they use a garden hose to spray out the engine (with thermostat removed).  I REALLY hate antifreeze and don't want to put my dog- or anyone's- at any kind of risk.  

It isn't running hot- quite the opposite- so I have no reason to believe anything is gunked up.  

Am I just overthinking this?  Should I just drain it, check out/replace the thermostat, and refill it with new 50/50 antifreeze and distilled water?

My opinion - if the coolant is running clear ( no rusty signs), just change it.  As far as the thermostat, since you are not experiencing any problems with it, leave it be.

If you properly store and dispose of the old antifreeze, there is no problem using it..  Not knowing where you live, if you have cold weather, you need antifreeze.


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

If checking (or replacing) thermostat just drain the radiator from petcock into a clean container, and if desired reinstall that very same coolant right back into the radiator when done. If it's more than 2 years old then changing it is adviseable. Anyway this should yield about 2 gallons, more than enough to drop the coolant level enough below thermostat housing for maintenance.

What are you running now? If it's running cold try a 195° F. That's all I run now year round, never had any luck at all with a 180° F. thermostat in wintertime in terms of good heater output, it makes a big difference. I think it runs better too. I suggest though, whatever temp you prefer to use, sourcing a genuine Motorcraft or period NOS, at least some of the well known aftermarket thermostats sold today are now said to be of dubious quality. I don't hate antifreeze but it is kind of a pain to mess with so no substandard parts for me thanks, don't want to have to go back in there very often!

Thanks Gents.

Tedster, you're speaking my language.  It seems that anytime I expose antifreeze outside of it's sealed system it goes absolutely everywhere...and it's the most dangerous stuff to animals in the engine.  I hate the stuff and only want to mess with it once.

I am not certain what is in it.  I have had the car (1930 Model A) for a little over a month and it was initially running hot.  I swapped in the smaller water pump pulley and now it's COLD...right around 160.  I am just worried that it isn't getting hot enough for the moisture to evaporate out of the oil.  I have always had luck with 180*.  There's no heater in the car anyway so my only concern is evaporating the condensation.  

If I had to guess, it's a 160* thermostat and the reason it was running hot before is that it opened and stayed open and the water didn't stay in the radiator long enough to cool off. (???).  The new pulley spins like 23% faster so that negates my original hypothesis...I don't know.  It used to be up around 220+ in the head while driving around town and 200 in the thermostat housing....now it's around 160 and 170, respectively.  

Is that hot enough to burn off the condensation?

The old temp readings of 220 in the head and 200 at the thermostat suggest that at least one of the gauges is inaccurate.  The thermostat area will be the hottest of the two.

The current 160 and 170 readings could be about right for a 180 degree thermostat, and considering the time of year.  The thermostat is not instant open.  It might start to open a little before the rated temp and be fully open some point after the rated temp.

My temp gauge with the sender in the factory location (head) tends to indicate around 160 during the cooler months and 180 during the hotter months.  That's been with multiple 180 degree thermostats and temp gauges over the past 20 years.

I don't know what the temp should be to ensure condensation evaporation from the crankcase.  I imagine oil temp, measure the oil pan temperature?


Lawrenceville, GA

What I don't understand is the "fear" of antifreeze. Yes, I know it is dangerous to anybody or animal that drinks it but if handled properly and disposed properly it is no more dangerous that most of the other liquids used in an engine. 


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

The antifreeze manufacturers now add a bittering agent to ethylene glycol, to help prevent animals from ingesting it. It tastes sweet otherwise.

Sorry to drag this one back up...Is this the plug to drain the antifreeze out of the passenger side of the block just to the right of the freeze plug?  The drivers side one is obvious (at least on mine) it doesn't have an oil pressure sender sticking out of it!

Make sure you cycle your heater occasionally when you drive your car or start it to get things up to temperature.  I never use my heater here in San Antonio in the Thunderbird, and last week, I drained the anti-freeze to R&R the engine, and when I pulled the heater hose off at the intake manifold, it was full of rust.  The rust was localized at the fitting, but still, if I had been cycling the heater occasionally, that would not have happened.  Also, if you do flush the system, make sure you cycle the heater radiator open to flush it at the same time.  Many times the rust and scale from the engine ends up in the heater radiator and plugs it before plugging the engine's radiator.  BTDT.  Joe-JDC

JDC

The only heat in this car is rolling up  the windows.  Supplemental heat is offered by additional layers of clothing!

I drained it today and it came out much cleaner than I would have thought so I don't think I'm going to try to hose it out.