Posted by Clint Dixon [172.70.100.207] on Monday, September 04, 2023 at 19:58:19 :
So some of you may remember that I had been chasing an overheating problem in my '51 B3PW for several years. Throughout that time I replaced the water pump, thermostat, belt and hoses, head gasket, checked timing, and swapped in a radiator with new core recently installed. I replaced the 4-blade fan with a 6-blade. I also pulled the water distribution tube and it was like new.
In the process I was continually checking the temperature on different areas of the head, block, radiator, and thermostat housing. I never was satisfied with the readings as my battery operated thermometer is a very cheap model.
So, a week ago Saturday, I drove the truck 114 miles nonstop at 56-58 mph on a 75 degree day. Today, I drove the truck 82 miles nonstop at 53-55 mph and the temperature was 95. Both times the temperature gauge never went over 185 degrees.
I replaced the temperature gauge with a NOS unit (capillary type) a month or so ago and have been taking short test trips since. Today, I pushed the truck hard enough that I was starting to experience a slight vapor lock after slowing for turns. (The fuel was boiling in the sediment bowl when I got home). But no overheating of the cooling system.
So the whole problem all along was a faulty temperature gauge. I don't know why it suddenly started reading wrong way back when.
It is not like I wasted any money chasing the problem though. It has been 20 years, and a lot of miles, since I had previously replaced most of those parts shortly after I bought the truck. The old temperature gauge was what was installed on the truck when new as far as I know.
Thanks all for the help.
Junior
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