1951 pickup running temperature


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Yard Art
Yard Art

Posts: 53

Joined: Sat Nov 04, 2017 4:31 pm

Post Sun Nov 05, 2017 10:18 am

1951 pickup running temperature

I have a 1951 L110 with a Silver Star 220 motor and the only thing that I can't get right is the running temperature. The truck gauge reads hot, I've flushed both the rad and motor replaced the thermostat with a 180. After running I checked the temp with a laser and the motor reads 210. Does anyone know what the running temperature for these motors should be?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 2028

Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2016 4:52 pm

Post Sun Nov 05, 2017 11:23 am

Re: 1951 pickup running temperature

You're a man of few words...
210F, when? After a long run uphil in the mountains? After idling in neutral for a few minutes? After a short drive to the store?
WHERE do you take your "laser" readings? Shiny, silvery surfaces supposedly don't work well for the "heat gun". A black radiator hose is better, more accurate target.
ANY other signs of oveheating? Puking coolant? Pinging? Carburetor boiling fuel? Can you HEAR the coolant boiling? Does the truck run poorly at 210F?
Does your truck leak coolant? Is the waterpump fan belt tight?
Are you running a pressure cap with a overflow reservoir?
More info, sheesh!

Yard Art
Yard Art

Posts: 53

Joined: Sat Nov 04, 2017 4:31 pm

Post Sun Nov 05, 2017 11:45 am

Re: 1951 pickup running temperature

Sorry about lack of information new at this. The truck runs good and the readings I tock were after driving around for 30 plus minutes. No signs of puking antifreeze, the rad cap is 4lbs with no over flow, don't know how to check if the carb is boiling fuel. Next time I will check the top and bottom rad hoses temperature :m03104. Thanks

Site Admin
Site Admin

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Location: Nampa, Idaho

Post Sun Nov 05, 2017 1:12 pm

Re: 1951 pickup running temperature

I brought your other post over to the regular L, R, S thread. Best to post questions in one area. We have some folks on here who are highly technical and knowledgeable in their areas and experience. You also have others who will have differing views, Welcome to our Group. Generally, when you have a question, the more information you can give, the better someone might be able to direct you in a good direction. Pictures always help and Pictures of your vehicle are also liked. It takes a little to get into the swing of things, again, Welcome.

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 2028

Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2016 4:52 pm

Post Sun Nov 05, 2017 1:40 pm

Re: 1951 pickup running temperature

Sorry, I didn't mean to be overbearing...
I hear "my car is overheating" everyday. My point is that there's overheating and then there's OVERHEATING.
A really badly overheated engine burns the grease and oil right off it, sizzles and boils, pukes coolant and steam, stinks to high heaven, cranks slowly if at all (unless it lost compression and then it cranks too quickly), rattles, pings, etc. Gas boils in the carb and floods the intake manifold...You get the picture.
"Is the vehicle using coolant?" is a very pointed and good question...do you have to add coolant, often?
Blown headgaskets are a EPIDEMIC.
Is it leaking coolant? What kind of ethylene glycol mix do you have, approximately?
When you open the rad cap is it like a volcano or does it barely make a sound?
If you squeeze the rad hose is it brick hard from pressure or does it collapse easily before you remove the cap?
Does it seem to run cooler at speed or vice versa? Running cooler at speed points at a air flow problem through the radiator. In other words, no cooling fan can compete with a 50 mph gust coming through the radiator at speed.
Does the temp creep up at long lights or drive-thrus?

Yard Art
Yard Art

Posts: 53

Joined: Sat Nov 04, 2017 4:31 pm

Post Sun Nov 05, 2017 2:31 pm

Re: 1951 pickup running temperature

Thanks for the reply. The truck doesn't have any of those symptoms it runs good. The temperature goes up slowly and stays at the H side of the gauge during a highway drive it will come down slightly.

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 2028

Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2016 4:52 pm

Post Sun Nov 05, 2017 2:54 pm

Re: 1951 pickup running temperature

OK, so it isn't OVERHEATING, it's....o v e r h e a t i n g....
This condition may be harder to diagnose but at least you can drive the thing.
Owners of old vehicles often report really dirty cooling passages and spaces between cylinders. Without removing engine you can remove freeze plugs (core plugs) and pressure wash inside the cooling system. It's a MESS and you take the chance of creating leaks where there never were any, but there it is.
Ignition timing and engine temp are directly related (so is lean mixture). Retarded ignition means that the spark occurs LATE and so engine heats up due to being lower on power and the increased exhaust heat affecting things. A good timing light will help spot this. You have three kinds of ignition advance: initial, centrifugal/mechanical and vacuum advance. Many, many, many old vehicles have STUCK or inop advances. I should know. I see it all the time.
All-copper IHC radiators are awesomely long-lived but not very efficient compared to a newer plastic and aluminum one. Swapping to a newer aluminum one might cause cool running, who knows?

Yard Art
Yard Art

Posts: 53

Joined: Sat Nov 04, 2017 4:31 pm

Post Sun Nov 05, 2017 3:19 pm

Re: 1951 pickup running temperature

Thanks for the info will look into the timing and try one more flush.

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

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Joined: Thu Dec 27, 2012 12:45 pm

Location: Canada's left Coast

Post Sun Nov 05, 2017 3:38 pm

Re: 1951 pickup running temperature

I you replace the OEM radiator with one of the new and more efficient aluminum radiators, make sure you continue to use the OEM steel loop that the radiator mounts to. If you mount to the light alloy radiator it is at great risk of being pulled apart in a few kilometers. The steel loop helps support the inner fender aprons, the grill and the fenders.
I would rather have tools I do not need than to need tools I do not have
Thinking risks being controversial and possibly being offensive

Yard Art
Yard Art

Posts: 53

Joined: Sat Nov 04, 2017 4:31 pm

Post Sun Nov 05, 2017 6:05 pm

Re: 1951 pickup running temperature

I tried to attach 2 pictures of my truck.
Attachments
interior big red-3.jpg
interior big red-3.jpg (8.89 KiB) Viewed 4519 times
big red-4.jpg
big red-4.jpg (7.85 KiB) Viewed 4519 times
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