The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 42 216 cooling problems

I ran the dump truck again yesterday, and yes it was hot out but the trucks dash gauge showed 180 most of the time. On the 3rd haul it started climbing a little so I checked the rad, steam was purging from the cap, it would pulse steam then be fine, pulse, fine, pulse.... Anyway we took it back to the house, sprayed the rad with water and then refilled the rad. Then it did fine on the next haul and only got just under 180. It's not leaking but just steaming after awhile. It sat for at least 20 yrs, could there be rust blocking a water path or something causing a hot spot? The rad was bought off Ebay and seems to be NOS and isn't clogged, new wp and 180 thermo. I'm gonna pull the thermo and see if that helps.
No water in the oil, and I have great power but still wonder if I have a cracked head or something.

216 engine overheating: install a 160 degree therm or lower if you can find one per early truck manuals. Drill a small hole in the therm next to the spring to enhance filling and burping of engine. Take out petcock on side of block if no water/antifreeze gushes out - dig out with coathanger and flush until clear. Refill with a true 50/50 mixture. Flush out the radiator until clear. Check timing to see that it is not too far advanced. Dial in the octane selector after timing without vac advance. Check spring on side of exhaust manifold to see if it is opening as it should.
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IWL BCNU, if you take the thermostat out it may not cool as well. Removing it can allow the water to pass through the radiator too fast to pull suffent heat out of the coolant. The stat and the rest of the cooling system seems to be working properly. It sounds like a crack or a head gasket. Good luck. Mike

I have a complete 1952 216 engine on engine stand in garage. Runs uses no oil. From an earlier project. Interested?

If you have a cracked head or blown headgasket, you will probably have air bubbles in the radiator when the engine is running. Have you tried a 160^ thermostat?

See if you can take it to someplace to have the cooling system pressure tested.That will tell you if you have a leak or crack and where.Also might try a 160 thermostat as the other guys suggested.

Bummer--I can relate to that problem. My 42 1.5 ton has a 216 made in 1952. Up until this summer it's reliability has been flawless. I just work the heck out of it and it keeps coming back for more.

Last month I pulled my tractor to a parade 30 miles away. It was 105 when I left McCook but I thought nothing of it because the truck NEVER gets hot and I have done things like this before. I made it to the parade and was almost back to McCook when I began to smell hot coolant. My old radiator finally went the trip. No big deal, I thought, because I would just put in the spare radiator I have in my '41 parts truck. I washed the replacement radiator inside and out and put in the '42. After I loaded another tractor across town and pulled it home, I noticed the temp guage in the red AGAIN. This time it was boiling. I cooled the radiator off with a garden hose and got the engine cooled off. Upon opening the cap I saw the remainder of a mouse nest I didn't get flushed out. The next night I backflushed the entire cooling system and fished out all the mouse nest. Thinking I had the problem solved I took the truck to the farm, where it started overheating just as I arrived. The cooling system now has bubbles when the engine is running and warm, so I imagine I have a bad head gasket or maybe a cracked head. DANG!!! That was the first time the old girl let me down

The bright side to this is that Dad found me a pan so I can finish my long awaited 261 and get it in the '42. I am still evaluating my options on radiators--the one I have in the truck now looks to be in good shape. I am considering having it taken apart and rodded/cleaned. Is a 'stock' radiator from a '41 Chevy 1.5 ton enough for a 261 that will get worked hard? Do I need to upgrade to something else?

Carl - I'd look for a 4 row if you don't have one.

looks like some of the old guys i've talked to were right. one common problem to the 216's were cracked heads. my 248 has a crack not too far from a valve seat, but k-w block seal solved the problem. another common problems is rust closing off the holes in the block, causing hot spots that lead to the same result. i'm thinking every now and then using a good heavy duty flush ain't no bad idea. probably every year just to be safe. after 50 plus years of rusting, ain't no telling what goodies can break loose and trash an engine.

Keep in mind that this sat over 20 yrs untouched.
I couldn't find a 160 locally so I went w/ the 180. There wasn't one in it when I pulled it apart. Dad said he never had problems before, BUT that was over 20 years ago. I don't know if he parked it with water or antifreeze. A mouse had chewed the rad hose in half so I hope it had antifreeze.
I don't see air bubbles when it is running, but I don't see much flow either, not like I see with my Broncos.
I tried back flushing but didn't get much out, it turned clear real quick.
It takes about 1/2 hour of running to start the steam surging, doesn't that sound like a long time if I had a problem? Plus after we cooled it back down it was fine for the next 1/2 hour.

Do you get any water out through the side drain in the block? Real common place to be plugged, usually can be cleaned out with wire. My favorite method of backflushing these is to pull the heater hoses at the heater, plug the lower and put a hose barb in the upper. Take out the thermostat and put the cover back on. Remove the block drain cock and leave the radiator cap on and the radiator drain cock closed, then slowly turn on the water. If nothing comes out, start rooting around with wire until you get sprayed in the face. Then its time to remove the lower radiator hose and complete the flush.

FWIW, the latest Vintage Truck mag has an article on antique radiators. Writer recommends against using commercial stop-leaks, says to use a handfull of ground black pepper.