JOHN DEERE UNSTYLED A (1937).

RON ALBART · May 15, 2016

John Deere un-styled A: having trouble with tractor running hot?
I have back-flushed system from both directions but does not make it run cooler? Noticed that upper pipe is hot (cannot hold hand on it) lower pipe very cool? Looks like poor flow thru radiator? Any way of cleaning radiator? BESIDES A NEW CORE, VERY EXPENSIVE?

Rusty wheel · May 15, 2016

Put a strong solution of vinegar and water in it and run it till it gets hot. Then drain it and see what U get out of it. Might have to do this two or three times. It's the old fashion way of boiling out a radiator. Might help. Can't hurt.

RandyB(MI) · May 16, 2016

May not be a circulation problem at all. Most real old radiators you will find that the actual fins between tubes are not actually attached to the tubes anymore. Stick a little screwdriver in some of the fins and see if they don't move up and down between the tubes. They can't dissipate heat if they aren't solidly attached anymore.
If bottom pipe is actually cold when top is hot,then it must be solidly plugged tho.

old · May 16, 2016

Drain the cooling system then fill with straight vinegar then fire it up and run it till good and warm. Then if you can back flush the system with a garden hose. Since that tractor does not have a water pump if I remember right it uses the thermospihoin (sp) system for make coolant flow so yes the top hose will be hot and the bottom one cool

Mark-Ia · May 16, 2016

It's working the way it was designed to work.

OldFarmall450 · May 20, 2016

(reply to post at 17:50:01 05/15/16)

Sorry I got to the party late; we had a 1937 mod A back in the 80's and farmed with it. The old gentleman we bought it from told us not to use antifreeze, only water in the radiator. It used something akin to an "evaporation" system, similar to a moonshine still. The water reached boiling temp, the vapor traveled up the top hose to the radiator where the fan cooled the vapor and it turned back to water. Antifreeze would increase the boiling temp making it run hotter.

The top hose was always to hot to touch, the bottom much cooler. Just remember to drain it come winter time.

I miss that old tractor, it was impossible in the pre-internet days to find tires for it. The tires had more boots than a dance hall! Dad traded it for some dozer work.

RON ALBART · May 22, 2016

Thanks for the info.
Drained antifreeze, filled with 7 gallons vinegar, ran till operating temp (150 deg.), about 40 deg. cooler with vinegar, drained, flushed backward and forward.
Filled with well water, probably will drain and fill with distilled water. Checked radiator core from top looks pretty decent for age.

JOHN DEERE UNSTYLED A (1937).

RON ALBART

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Rusty wheel

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RandyB(MI)

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old

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Mark-Ia

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OldFarmall450

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RON ALBART

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