1950 Pacemaker thermostat

thekenster
thekenster Senior Contributor
edited July 2012 in HUDSON
Hi, I searched a little on the site and did not see any info on this subject so I am posting now. I have a '50 Pacemaker 232ci and it runs hot. So I was looking around to see where I could buy a new thermostat and also ask if I should pull the radiator and have it boiled and flushed/cleaned. Anyone have any advise as to help cool the engine? Thanks in advance!

Comments

  • faustmb
    faustmb Senior Contributor
    I bought my thermostat from Dave Kostansek, but I think he's closed up shop. Have the radiator flushed is a good idea, but if you haven't done so yet you can drain and flush with a hose until the water runs clear. If your coolant looks clean to start, that may not help. In the past I've had cars that just needed a good flush to remove rust and corrosion buildup.

    Matt
  • Lee ODell
    Lee ODell Senior Contributor
    edited July 2012
    While you flush the radiator don't forget to flush the heater core. You might be suprised at the amount of crude comes out. One of my cars required flushing and back flushing the heater core half a dozen time before clean water came out.

    Check with Walt Mordenti to see if his Thermostat kit will work on the 232. I have the kit on my 308 and the engine never gets close to running hot. Email:: hetmmordenti@aol.com
    Drop the het from email address.

    Lee O'Dell

  • SuperDave
    SuperDave Senior Contributor
    The cooling system of 232-262-308 are the same. Use Walts bypass. And just for the fun of
    it..Take the radiator out and place it upside down to flush it with a garden hose. You might be surprised how many rust flakes were in the top tank blocking the tubes. Just kidding about the "fun thing". It's really not fun to remove the darned things.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    I have a 308 in my 47 and I was having heating problems. I flushed the radiator at great length before installing it, so I was thinking thermostat or water pump. I changed the thermostat and had no improvement. Then I decided to pull the radiator and get it checked out. Well to my surprise, the radiator guy took off the top tank and showed me the most plugged core he had ever seen. This was after I had flushed it over and over again until I got clear water flowing out. So after a $690.00 recoring job my problem is solved. I guess I'm saying, don't be so sure that flushing the radiator is always the answer.
    Chuck
  • faustmb
    faustmb Senior Contributor
    Chuck,

    We had that issue with my dads 46. Flushing didn't help, local radiator guy pulled the tanks, cleaned out the clogs and sealed it back up for $60 :). Worked like a champ after that. He said its very common with collector cars that are drained every season. He said the best thing to do is leave coolant in all the time, and flush every few years.

    Flushing may not work, but it may and it needs to be done regardless. I was not so lucky with the radiator in my 47 truck. Re - core was quoted at $400-$500, I installed a new Afco unit for a 32 Chevy for $500 instead. Great fit and looks good too.

    Matt
  • thekenster
    thekenster Senior Contributor
    Thank you so very much for all the advise! I will pull the radiator and have it flushed. I'll send an email to Walt about the thermostat too.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    I, too, have a 1950 Pacemaker that was always running hot - even at an idle. Since it sat for so long before I got it, I was unsure what was the cause. I found that the two head bolts holding the coil were not torqued to spec and did not hold it once warm. My mother-in-law told me her Dad always had a little cooling trouble with this car. He built a shroud out of aluminium to cover the fan and control the air flow which seemed to help.

    I had the water pump rebuilt and radiator checked. When I had the head off, I found that there was about 1/2 of gunk in the bottom of the cooling jacket. So I took out two expansion plugs and flushed even more stuff out the drain hole and sucked out using a wet vac.

    I took off the head, cleaned all the bolt holes, ran a tap in and out to make sure the threads were OK (no metal shavings that I could find) and then used new Grade-8 bolts and washers from PAULLARGETYPE.

    I can't tell you if this worked yet or not as I just finished buttoning it up. I will put coolant into Saturday and install the battery (which had to be special ordered) and try to start it in the afternoon.
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