Running hot

[Charner]

I have just restored an 8N that had been sitting several years. After getting it running for several minutes, suddenly the water belched back out the radiator, no cap on. Typical bad water pump symptom. I put on another water pump, same thing. Tractor was running hot. Opened block drain valve and a small trickle of dirty water came out. Water was still cool in radiator and some steam coming out the drain valve. Seems to be blockage in block. How do you flush it and is there some flushing chemical to use? Thanks.

 

[Dell (WA)]

Charner.......the "belch" is typical when the top-hoze thermostat is mounted BASSACKWARDS (don't ask how I know) The current top-hoze thermostat "pointy end" toward the radiator.

As fer cleaning the block water, there are radiator cleaning chemicals you can buy ...or... try pint bottle of white vinegar from grocery store. (much cheaper than NAPA stuff) You do know you can't just pour the chemical in the top of the radiator, don't you? Gotta run the engine. Just follow the directions on the NAPA can. Simple, eh? .........the cool Dell

 

[Tom N MS]

Is thermostat in backwards-pointed end should point toward radiator.Do not overfill radiator-just cover top of tubes you see down through the fill neck. Some folks use vinegar to flush em out.

 

[Bob Purinton]

For flushing out radiators the one thing I"ve seen recommended more than anything else is vinegar. I"m not sure of the dosage but I think a gallon will do it mixed with water until full. nothing exotic; just cheap vinegar.
Your thermostat is located in the top radiator hose. I don"t know if it is possible to remove this hose without taking off the hood, but, I"d try that first. If it"s an old hose cut it and replace that too. When installing the thermostat wire tie it to keep it from "floating" up the hose.
Good Luck.

 

[Tom N MS]

Follow Bruce's advice and u will have it clean as u can get it without a trip to the radiator shop.
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[Charner]

Should have told you, the thermostat has been removed. The blockage seems to be in the block. Radiator fills and drains correctly.

 

[old]

Not restored then because if it was the engine would have been rebuilt and the block dipped.
That said no thermostat is a problem. Sounds like you need to do a vinegar flush. Drain the system fill with white vinegar and run it with the cap on till good and warm let it cool then rig up a hose fitting to the block drain and use your garden hose to back flush it.
By the way I hate the term restore since to me that means back to factory new specs on every thing not just a paint job

 

[Bob]

Charner, you posted "Typical bad water pump symptom."

HOW did you come up with that statement?

In 45 or so years of wrenching, I have only come upon one "bad" water pump that had lost it's impeller and was not moving water.

Of course, there's been HUNDREDS of pumps that have lost a seal and/or bearing, or have snapped a shaft and tossed the fan, but seeing a water pump that does not leak or have lots of slop in the bearings and doesn't pump water is extremely RARE!

Or, has your experience been otherwise?

 

[Tom N MS]

Any update??