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Overheating

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vanscamp

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Hi. I'm new to the forum. I have owned several British cars, back when they were my primary mode of transportation. I now have a 62 BJ7 Healey, which is my toy. It's not perfect, but is a strong runner. I do have a question about overheating. When I am in summer traffic, it tend to run extremely hot. The temp gauge gets up to about 210, and the car doesn't cool down until I hit the open road, where it settles down to about 180. I have replaced the thermostat. Any ideas how to overcome this.
thanks
 
Vanscamp;
First, welcome to the forum. This is the best scource of info for Austin Healey's.
The situation you descibe is fairly common, but can be corrected. Take your radiator cap off and look to see if you can see the top plate of the core where the tube ends come thru. If there are chunks of goo partially blocking the tubes, it is time to have boiled/cleaned. Can't see thru the mucky antifreeze? Drain and change it, but look at the tube ends while drained.
The stock metal fan does not move a great deal of air at idle, and contributes largely to this problem. They are also notorious for fatigue cracking by the rivets and coming apart at speed, usually with catastrophic results.
Th North Texas Austin Healey Club sells the "Texas Cooler", a 6 bladed plastic fan that bolts right on for $45.00. You will need to remove the radiator to install. Check out at www.ntahc.org. I installed one two years ago on my 61BT7 that acted exactly like yours,(after witnessing one stock fan come apart) and have not gone over 195F since.I run the red high mileage antifreeze. I drove it to Wash DC this year for the Conclave in 90deg temps, and never exceeded 195F.
If the compression ratio has been raised much over the stock 9:1, this gets harder to solve.
Pete H
 
Van,
I think that Pete is "right on". If the car does not overheat at speed the problem lies mostly with the fan not moving enough air in traffic. A lot of folks have had good results with the Tx Cooler.
D
 
Hi. Sounds like great advice, and very logical. I will start looking for a better fan, and will plan on draining and cleaning the rediator in the process. Since the car is put up for the winter, it will have to wait until the Spring. Thanks for the help.
 
Let me say I am a Triumph owner so I can only speak generally, but your problem is similar to what one finds in TRs.

Certainly assuring the cooling system is clean is the first step and the suggested replacement fan sounds like a good way to move more air.

Another mod, possibly simpler and easily reversible, is the addition of an electric fan. I use one with a manual switch that I flip on if the gauge starts to creep up.

I have it clamped to the front of the radiator with some 1/4" threaded stock so it could be readily removed (important to some owners).

I suggest it as it is a quick way to move more air at idle though I expect the AH replacement may be less of a problem (clearance & balance) than the equivilant solutions available for a TR.

Here's a link for the TR application:

https://www.geocities.com/tucson_british_car_register/tr4-fan1.html
 
excellent advice but first make sure you have the correct thermostat (not referring to winter/summer type but length); following engine rebuild my bj8 started to overheat only at idle. Radiator was removed,cleaned and replaced and oil cooler was remounted closer to radiator. Continued to over heat until thermostat was checked and found to be incorrect: too short; when in open position the sleeve did not divert coolant to radiator. once replaced withcorrect part was used over heating stopped.
 
I was having high running temperatures on my BJ7 until I had the radiator boiled out. Then it seemed to run too cool but it turned out the temperature gauge bulb was slowly leaking. So it's a good idea to double check your gauge with an accurate thermometer. I pulled the bulb end from the block (best accomplished with a long socket cut to allow tube clearance), stuck it in a metal can with water and heated the can with a portable cook stove. I then compared the gauge to a cooking thermometer at different heat levels. There are professional restorers that rebuild the gauges if necessary.

Be aware that the Texas coolers will add fan noise and may need more clearance between fan and radiator because they flex more than the stock ones. Lots of happy customers in hot areas though.

I wouldn't put an electric fan on the radiator because you then block the air at cruising speeds.

Cheers,
John
 
Vanscamp: I had the same problem with my '59 and no amount of radiator repair, coolant or thermostat replacements and lots of other 'solutions' that I came up with would solve the problem. The Texas Cooler fan did it, though. I would recommend that your try the other solutions first, then get a Texas Cooler fan if the other suggestions don't work for you! AL Bradley
 
An electric fan took care of my car's overheating in traffic, but I could not solve the high-speed cooking until I got an upgraded radiator core--it has 180 5/8" tubes versus 150 1/2" tubes in the stock core. I can now run as fast as prudence or lack of law enforecement allows.

Best--Michael Oritt, 100 Le Mans
 
In addition to any other solution you come up with, use Water Wetter in your cooling system. It breaks up the surface tension of the water so it make better contact with the metal surfaces.

More contact = more efficient heat transfere = lower temperatures.
 
running a flex fan AND an electric fan on the front of the radiator(ford 289 BT7) wondering if the electric fan shroud is restricting the air flow.also have the CAPE SPORT cowling. seems ok at speed.seem to just loose a little water at a time until it boils. have the overflow tank. NO
thermostat at all. water wetter may help .
i'll try it. radiator has a new BETTER core.
really out of ideas. it has to be something that i'm missing. timing is right on. louvered
hood. should be getting rid of the heat. just wondering if a stiffer cap would help. got a
NAPA# off the site that slightly balooned the
top tank on the new radiator, have the stock Moss
cap. a couple of extra pounds and the wetter may
be the answer. just need to know what cap to try
 
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by fordhealey:
running a flex fan AND an electric fan on the front of the radiator(ford 289 BT7) wondering if the electric fan shroud is restricting the air flow.also have the CAPE SPORT cowling. seems ok at speed.seem to just loose a little water at a time until it boils. have the overflow tank. NO
thermostat at all. water wetter may help .
i'll try it. radiator has a new BETTER core.
really out of ideas. it has to be something that i'm missing. timing is right on. louvered
hood. should be getting rid of the heat. just wondering if a stiffer cap would help. got a
NAPA# off the site that slightly balooned the
top tank on the new radiator, have the stock Moss
cap. a couple of extra pounds and the wetter may
be the answer. just need to know what cap to try<hr></blockquote>

Lack of a thermostat may be allowing the water to pass through the radiator too quickly. You need some restriction there. If you feel you don't need a thermostat, take an old one and gut it (remove the valve leaving only the surrounding body) and install that.

You'll be amazed.

[ 01-11-2004: Message edited by: Randy Forbes ]</p>
 
WENT TO 14 POUND CAP TODAY!!!DROVE THE CAR FOR ABOUT 110 MILES IN TOWN AND ON THE HIGHWAY. NEVER GOT OVER 120. NO BOILING PROBLEMS AT ALL.
MUST HAVE HAD THE WRONG NAPA CAP NUMBER
BEFORE BECAUSE THIS ONE FITS FINE.
THANKS
GREGG
 
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