cooling system plumbing Q

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cooling system plumbing Q

Postby jethro » Thu Jun 02, 2016 2:20 pm

1-st gen 12 valve in a f-350 chassis---- using the ford 6.0 radiator and degass bottle.

I notice if I start cold with the water in the bottle near the "full-cold" mark (with the cap off)
the water slowly expands as it warms up-- and it ends up overflowing about 1/2 to 2/3 of the water in the
degass bottle. next day (cold) the water is near the bottom of the degass bottle.(estimate lost about 2 or 3
quarts)

Am i supposed to be using another additional tank that the degass bottle can overflow into and then suck back
when cooling down ????????? (like gassers seem to have - I can make one easy---- )

Seems like more vollume than I would have expected from just thermal expansion of the water.... (?)
wondering if my radiator might be partially blocked from having 175,000 miles on it--- would that make the water
want to back up from higher resistance to flow ?????

Hoping some of you have dealt with degass and overflow question before ........

any thoughts and guideance appreciated......
Tim
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Re: cooling system plumbing Q

Postby CumminsPower59 » Fri Jun 03, 2016 5:07 am

Have you done this with the cap on and tight?
Ike

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Re: cooling system plumbing Q

Postby jethro » Fri Jun 03, 2016 11:35 pm

That is next.

What i did do yesterday as a test ------
Filled tank to about between max and min (ford tank)
ran a 3/8 hose from the de-gass.....(to catch overflow water) ran engine till thermostat opened (idle) (not pressurised yet)
Noted that water came up to about 1/2 inch from filler neck. (expanded up about 1 inch in bottle)
Increased engine RPM to about 1200 for about 3 min. water came out- I had a jug on small hose to catch
it to see how much comes out. Got maybe 3/8 inch in bottom of gallon plastic jug. When I let the idle back down-
the water levle went back down in tank.

Checked next day when cold- poured water from jug back into tank--- levle exactly back where it started.(cold day before)
(I believe that tells me I am NOT loosing water into the oil pan or sending it through the motor and out the exhaust. That is
maybe eliminating a head gasket water leak- I hope.
Motor runs GREAT--- no smoke or steam out back end- no pressure from crankcase vent- super smooth-super quiet )

I am about concluding this- without any system pressure--- the water passing into radiator is only going THROUGH
the rad tubes due to gravity. When i rev rpm up some - the water rises in the tank. To me- this must mean the water pump
is now pumping more gallons/min than the radiator can flow using gravity alone. At idle - it looks like it is just about
evenly balanced. (maybe cummins water pump is higher flow than ford as I read dodge uses about 1/2 the water vollume
as ford ????? )

The rad has about 180,000 miles on it---- and now here in florida we are routinely 95-99 degrees durring day.
I am guessing the old rad probably MUST be a little stopped up just due to its age alone. I can get a new one
for about 150 $------
So i am guessing the best course is to put a new rad on.........
Cheap ones are about 150----
All aluminum (no plastic) ones are about 350$
Expensive mishimoto ones are like 450 $
never had any trouble with the plastic ended ones so i may just go with the cheap one

I think it will do fine if I run it with the cap on and pressurising--- but i would like to know I have FULL FLOW
in the radiator considering how hot th eweather is here.

Does it sound like I am making a correct diagnosis here ?

Tim
(ps -- previously checked engine oil-- no water - no cloudyness or discoloration (milky) - just crystal clear like
out of the bottle---- looked perfect)
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Re: cooling system plumbing Q

Postby PToombs » Sun Jun 05, 2016 2:45 pm

I think I would put it on the road and drive it to see how hot it runs before I spent money on a radiator I might not need. Add an overflow bottle to the degass tank and so it can suck back in what overflows and go from there.
pete

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Re: cooling system plumbing Q

Postby jethro » Sun Jun 12, 2016 11:37 pm

I have replaced the rad with positive results. Runs way cool. I could just dip my fingers in the water in the bottle after driving
and it was about 95 degrees out that afternoon. I think the old rad was way clogged.

I have thought about adding an overflow bottle---- but it looks like the ford de-gass bottle doesnt have any means
to control the water that might come out--- I think it just comes out the top of the cap through where the spring loaded plunger is.
Not like a regular cap where it routes it out the little side port. i think i would have to build an aluminum de-gas bottle and put
one of the bayonet type caps on it to gain the ability to route the expeled water to another bottle.
I am hoping that it is running sp cool now it wont ever boil over.
Tim
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