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Re: 1975 Midget Trouble...HELP

To: "Tracey Converse" <converse@centurytel.net>, spridgets@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: 1975 Midget Trouble...HELP
Date: Mon, 20 Aug 2001 17:32:11 -0400
References: <002301c129bb$6ad0b350$73cbced1@brianux7za7uyf>
Tracey,

You have described fairly normal behavior. The temp always goes up at 
engine shut down. Once the engine is shut down, heat from the metal 
parts will still transfer into the coolant until equilibrium is 
reached, but without the fan turning or coolant circulating, temps as 
measured at the probe almost always spike. Mine stays good and hot 
for a long time (over an hour).

As for the sand at the freeze plugs - doesn't sound good.

You can straighten the rad fins on some rainy day.

Did you actually check the thermostat action? Put it in a pot of 
water with a candy thermometer. Bring to boil. As it gets to the 
thermostat rating (160, 180, 190, or whatever) you should see the 
thermostat plunger pulling back to open flow.

You can check the temp gauge in a similar fashion by putting the bulb 
in a pot with hot water with a candy thermometer. You can pre-boil 
the water on the stove and/or use a propane torch on the pot (not on 
the temp bulb!). Also, be very careful unscrewing the temp bulb from 
the head or radiator. Use lots of Liquid Wrench first. The bulb is 
made of glass and will break if you twist the line running from the 
bulb to the gauge. The two threaded collars should turn independently 
of each other. Lots of Liquid Wrench, Busty, or Kroil.

Jeff

At 4:02 PM -0500 8/20/01, Tracey Converse wrote:
>Okay gang...I've got a problem and can't figure it out. Here goes...my
>precious, little darling AKA The WENCH...is overheating. (Granted I live in
>Arkansas and temp is pushing the mid-90's.) So far, here's what's been
>replaced...
>
>Thermostat
>Fan Clutch
>All hoses are new
>The Radiator has been flushed and seems to be clear, however, the fins on the
>front are in terrible shape.
>The freeze plugs have been pulled out of the motor and a handful of sand
>flushed out.
>
>The temperature does fine now going down the road but skyrockets quickly when
>the motor is turned off. Even idling doesn't seem to cause the rise in
>heat...but once the motor is shut off the temp goes from normal to over 225
>degrees.
>
>Luckily, I haven't blown the head...yet. There are no fluid leaks and I'm not
>losing any water. The motor is still strong and I hate the thought of talking
>my husband into paying for a rebuild.
>
>Ideas???? I need a miracle here in Arkansas!
>
>Tracey


_____________________________________________________________
Jeffrey H. Boatright, PhD
Assistant Professor, Emory Eye Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
Senior Editor, Molecular Vision, http://www.molvis.org/molvis
mailto:jboatri@emory.edu



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