'39H Heating Problem

My old '39 pulls very well, but does get hot. I don't think it has a pressure radiator system. I've seen cars with ONLY an electric fan for the radiator. Would mounting an electric fan in front of the radiator help? Do you think there'd be room for one? kelly
 
Before going the electric fan route, check the fan belt tension.
When was the last time the radiator was blown out ?
When was the last time the cooling system was flushed ?


Rodney 8)
 
Nothing wrong with an old Farmall with the non-pressurized radiator. I have an M that is non-pressurized and and H that is pressurized.

If all systems are operating normally they both work equally well.

an electric fan would be nothing more than a bandaide patch for covering for other issues

Radiator cooling fins clean from dirt, bugs, and chaff?
Radiator passages not limed up internally?
OE fan installed in proper orientation so in pulls air through radiator?
belts tight to fan and water pump?
thermostat okay?
Gage on tractor verified with a known to be good gage?
Ignition timing set properly?
Carb fuel mixture set so not too lean.
Some puller has not had the tractor previously and went super high compression with engine radical engine mods so it is now only suitable for 300' track runs instead of working all day in a farm field?

Just a few things to check.
 
Thanks for the comments. I've had the radiator cleaned (internally) at a radiator shop. I've used "cleaners" and washing soda through the engine. I think the engine passages are limed/crudded up. kelly
 
Use white vinegar as a flush to remove lime deposits. In this case I would use straight vinegar after a water flush. run it till warmed up and drain and flush twice with water till clear. Then re-establish coolant level to one inch over the core tubes. Jim
 
Most of these had to be pulled very hard for an extended time to even get the temp gage to move. Things to check. ignition timing, is belt slipping (with engine off try turning fan by hand), engine hot and running at 1/2 throttle look in radiator for circulation(water should be noticeably moving) if not is thermostat stuck closed or after near 80 years are the vanes rusted off the water pump, also possibly blown head gasket or cracked head. I have also seen where someone has put straight antifreeze in an engine instead of proper mixture, it is to thick to circulate properly and also does not conduct heat well. Other previous answers are good also, and I'm sure I missed a few possible causes.
 
I just did the vinegar trick on my 806D, then i took out some of the soft plugs, and it was lime free, down to the metal. But all i could get was the 30% vinegar.
 
Thanks y'all for the suggestions. I'll follow up on 'em. As to how I know it is hot -- it boils over when I pull it/work it hard. kelly
 
I was going to post what Kevin hinted at...as I recall, there's a cross-bar type thing that drives the impeller shaft from the big V-belt pulley. It has some springs and such, I think it allows the impeller to float in the stem packing rather than being forced to run on the same center as the pulley.

If the crossbar is removed the impeller is not spinning...
 

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