1939 Buick Coupe overheating issue

[Guest Grant Magrath]

It's finally over!!!!!!

In an act of desperation, we took the hood off, pulled the water pump, and ripped the radiator out. Took it in to be rodded, and they found it to be 70% blocked. Rust scale and silicon sealant from the first long cruise we took it on. Stop start motoring on a stupidly hot day. We also replaced the 180 degree thermostat with a 170. Took it for a drive that it previously boiled on, and the guage was lucky to get halfway, and it's a warm day (22). Incidentaly, the water pump on the engine we have (1947) doesn't have a bypass valve, so whether it's a later pump, or they didn't have them in 47, I don't know. Couldn't get an answer in Post War. The smaller 39 pulley on the 47 engine sure flies! When you rev it, the fan sounds like an aircraft winding up!

Cheers

Grant:)

[danhar1960]

Glad to hear it. When all things are good, these old '39s shouldn't get that hot. I think the '47s didn't have a bypass valve but a fixed orifice of about 1/2" which is what the bypass valve clearance is when closed.

Danny

[Guest Grant Magrath]

Yeah. The neck narrows beneath the thermostat. Connected the heater hoses up at last as well. Just in time for summer! I'm going to have a look at the timing tonight and adjust the steering. If I get a chance in the weekend, I'll replace the front wheel cylinders. Then, all we need to do is replace the syncro from 2nd to 3rd. Probably do that at the end of summer.

Cheers

Grant

[Guest Silverghost]

Where the devil did all that silicone sealant come from in the first place ?

Silicone Sealant has it's uses but it can really cause problem issues in the engine's cooling & oil systems.

I try not to use much ; if any at all .

Most overheating is caused by radiator mineral deposits blocking water/coolant flow .

I always try to use distilled water in my car & truck engines to avoid any minerals.

Edited October 28, 2010 by Silverghost (see edit history)

[JCK55buick]

Hi, Grant,

I can sympathize with the overheating issues! Fought that all the way to Colorado Springs and back with my 39 in 2009. Before Ames, a friend helped me pull the radiator, took to a local shop where the tech replaced the core. No heating issues this year on the way to Ames and back, barely went past the middle mark on the guage. We were nervous about taking out the water pump, so we pulled the whole nose off to get the radiator out! WOW, that was a job! Poor girl looked pretty sad with her hood off, nose gone and headlights pointing backwards atop the fenders!

Cheers!

Jeff

[Guest Grant Magrath]

Hi Jeff.

You took the whole nose off? Wow! What was the issue over the removing the water pump? We had a small problem with the radiator clearing the headlight harness terminals, but other than that, fairly straight forward with the pump out. It's a good feeling when you see that guage reading right!

Cheers

Grant

[JCK55buick]

Hi, Grant,

My friend who teaches GM auto shop advised against it, thought the bolts may be rusty and break off if we tried to take out the water pump. Maybe he was just too cautious! And yes, it is a great feeling to drive her 400 or so miles and never have the needle creep up past the mid-mark! YES!

Dumb question, I have not been able to located correct hose clamps for 400 point judging. Bought some reproductions from Auto Hardware Specialties, they look okay, but the metal is too light weight and they won't tighten enough to keep the hoses from leaking. Getting tired of losing points for having modern hose clamps! Thanks for any advice you have!

Cheers,

Jeff

[Guest Grant Magrath]

I guess if your car is an unrestored driver, it would be practical to remove the nose, but we've repainted ours and lined all the panels up, plus the engine is freshly rebuilt, so not an issue.

Do you have a picture of the correct hose clamps? We don't have many shows with intense judging like you guys, so I'm sure someone here in NZ could help. The only thing that you might come unstuck with is the local content the govt at the time insisted NZ assembled cars had to have. There's a chance that the hoseclamps may have been sourced locally from new.

Cheers

Grant

[Barney Eaton]

In another post, someone suggested using a fan blade from a '50's engine..... more blades.

Last weekend the Alamo club visited Jerry Coulsons new shop and sitting in the corner was this engine with a 6 blade fan. It was '38 or earlier as the transmission was a floor shift.

What year Buicks used this fan and will it fit my '39 with or without modification?

[39BuickEight]

I'll be needing a new radiator for my restoration, that's for sure. Are they available or is it best to just have it redone?

[Guest Grant Magrath]

In another post, someone suggested using a fan blade from a '50's engine..... more blades.

Last weekend the Alamo club visited Jerry Coulsons new shop and sitting in the corner was this engine with a 6 blade fan. It was '38 or earlier as the transmission was a floor shift.

What year Buicks used this fan and will it fit my '39 with or without modification?

Hi Barney,

Allan is the 39 expert, and our 38 has a regular 4 blade fan. The air cleaner on that engine is the same as the one in our 39, but ours is a 47 Super one. Those fans go for quite good money from what I've seen! I believe it would fit because the four water pump pulley mounting holes should line up ok. I had no problems transplanting a smaller 39 pulley on to the 47 water pump and the fan still went on with no issues. I seem to recall seeing that fan in a factory parts group photo somewhere.

Cheers

Grant

[Guest Grant Magrath]

I'll be needing a new radiator for my restoration, that's for sure. Are they available or is it best to just have it redone?

Hi Billy.

We got ours re-cored. If your top and bottom tanks are ok, that's most likely the way to go. If you want a good cool running driver, a more modern core does a better job than the original style according to the place we used. I'm not sure of the availability of the original style cores over your way, if that's how you want to go. Might pay to make a few calls.

Cheers

Grant

[JCK55buick]

Billy,

I had mine recored this summer and it worked great! The shop said the new core was actually slightly thicker than the old one and would cool better, and it did! Drove it down the two lane highways from here (south central Nebr.) to the nationals in Ames, Iowa, and had no overheating at all! Good luck!

[39BuickEight]

Thanks Grant and Jeff. The one I took off looks like it was leaking everywhere. I'll have to check around. I know of one local radiator shop that's thought of pretty well.