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So started to do a good tune like suggested on a recent post of mine. Car hasn’t run for about a month. Started up and after about 5 minutes smoke started coming from the thermostat housing area. Shut off and went to radiator cap, cool to touch and removed. Had pressure and fluid with decent color visible. Overflow tank empty. Bad thermostat , Water Pump? Is there a way to check water pump functioning. ?
thanks.
Mike
I'm not sure what "smoke coming from the thermostat area" is. Was it steam from leaking coolant, or something else? Is the car overheating or not? Are the radiator hoses hot or cool after the engine warms up? If the car is overheating, and the radiator hoses do not get hot (especially the top one), then the most likely cause is a thermostat that's stuck closed. Everyone wants to change the water pump, but there are almost no pump failure modes that can cause overheating. The most common pump failure mode is that the front bearing goes bad, which wears out the seal. The large puddle under the car will make this obvious. Yeah, there is a remote possibility that the impeller came off the shaft. You're more likely to hit the lottery. On the other hand, I've had a number of t-stats come apart and fail closed.
In order for smoke to be existent on the thermostat housing there would have had to be moisture there to start with. The smoke is in essence condensation that appears due to the engine heating up. Fill the overflow if it is set up as an actual overflow vs a puke tank. Leave the radiator cap off with the engine idling and wait for the thermostat to open and see if there is waterflow.
In order for smoke to be existent on the thermostat housing there would have had to be moisture there to start with. The smoke is in essence condensation that appears due to the engine heating up. Fill the overflow if it is set up as an actual overflow vs a puke tank. Leave the radiator cap off with the engine idling and wait for the thermostat to open and see if there is waterflow.
Easiest way to check the t stat is take it out and put it in a pot of boiling water...(make sure you use pliers). It either open or it won't...if it doesn't, time for a new one.
Easiest way to check the t stat is take it out and put it in a pot of boiling water... it will either open or it won't...if it doesn't, time for a new one.
The easiest thing to do is to get the engine warm and feel the upper radiator hose. No tools required.
No coolant leaking. Steam/ smoke coming from around the housing and slightly in front of it. I did not leave running that long cause I didn’t want to go to full overheat if that what was happening. I go at with some of these suggestions and a new thermostat on hand if that is the issue. The upper was not that hot but like I said I turned it off before anything went crazy. Concerned about the smoke / steam.
thanks.
Looks like thermostat was the issue. Next up timing confirmation. All I’ve got is the 4 tooth alligator and what appears to be black marker that is lined up in a more prominent vertical edge. This may come under don’t mess with it , if it ain’t broke , it is running quite smooth in idle I would like to know the numbers or close anyway. I have the old fashioned T light , no dial back. Do I need to get one of those to confirm where I’m at.
Stock 72 350. CS. That vacuum port had a hose on it I removed for work on T stat. Have not started tune and timing work yet just preparing. But the timing prep I’m trying to get schooled on. 10-12 start but all I have is the hard to see alligator teeth. No white mark on wheel. Black magic marker I think. Looks like with the old timing light has in idle the flat part of magic marker right in center of teeth. Again I was just looking at it after I put tStat back together. Been reading up on the timing curve and checking idle and the two,advances but not sure how that will work with the Mark and old fashioned light I have , thus my earlier question will it be necessary for me to use a dial back timing light. ( never used one)
Thanks for info Norm. Any tricks on cleaning the timing clip. I tried but could not get my hand or arm near it. Tried with a rag and screw driver but that was not too helpful. Also when I do get it cleaned up, can you see actual numbers on it or is it just graduated to certain degrees from the center “ V “ and each notch away from center represents x amount of * BTDC. Going for the finger nail polish 2 mro. Thanks.
Thanks.for the tips I’ve got some work ahead mine is completely black. Also I was going to change fuel filter anyway, when putting back together is there a recommended thread lube or leave it dry ? Thanks.
Mike
is there a recommended thread lube or leave it dry ?
If you're asking about the fuel fittings, I use a tiny dab of anti-seize on the threads for the fuel filter fitting to carb body and the flare nut fitting on the fuel line. I also put a small amount of anti-seize between the tube and the flare nut since they do tend to rust there, causing the tube to seize into the nut. Obviously be careful not to get any anti-seize in the tube flare or inside the filter fitting.
Stock photo but is this the grove or slit on the balancer that is used for reference to the timing indexed tab. I was going to paint it with a white mark to see it better as suggested but then started 2nd guessing myself. Is this suppose to be easy to see with light If it came this way. ??? Didn’t want to paint till I confirmed. than I can see exactly where I’m at number wise. I’m thinking it’s close to 12 because running well but from what I’ve been reading dwell timing vac should be checked once in a while. Dwell, close as my cheap gauge can read is on 30.
December 14th, 2020, 10:06 AM
