VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1933-1936 still have overheating problems with my 34 chev

hi there Tony,
yesterday I finally bit the bullet and dismantled the front cowl and radiator complete. It was a difficult job by oneself but after much huffing and puffing, I managed it.

Unfortunately all the radiator places are now closed and I wont be able to have it tested and cleaned until at least next year.

I have also removed the water pump whilst all is bare. I though that my engine was a 34 but the head is a 35 so I guess that the rest of it is a 35? How can I determine positively what year it is?

In looking at the gasket section in TFS the water pump gasket is definitely not for the 34 std.....wrong shape

I also suspect that the timing cover may be leaking at the very bottom, but upon inspection, the front pulley has to be removed to gain access to the cover. I dont have a big enough puller for the pulley! is it something that can be hired for the day over here?

Peter

Peter
I doubt you will be sorry about actually pulling the radiator but the time you did it maybe slightly upsetting. I am surprised the radiator shops are closed now (my local is closing lunch time monday, reopening thursady).

Servicing the water pump wont do any harm though it may be easier to cut your own gasket even though The Filling Station delivery times are generally good (sometimes better than some local suppliers).

The timing cover itself rarely leaks but there quite often is a leak around the harmonic balancer seal. I am not sure about the type of puller required for the 34/5 balancers but now that the radiator is out of the way now would be an ideal time to sort that leak. As for hiring the puller the only place I can suggest is your local general mechanic shop (not a dealer) and ask him (take a pic with you to help identify the puller needed).

As for engine year identification post the numbers that are cast into the block and head as well as the stamped numbers near the distributor.

Tony

Hi
I don't know if this has been brought up or not but now that you have your water pump off take a look inside the block and see if you have the brass baffle installed. If it is not there the water will not be circulating correctly and you will have heating issues. The engine below apparently ran without the baffle for sometime and it was eaten away a little. I had a hard time installing a new one and had to drill and tap the interface to keep it from popping out in the future.

You know that if the head was busted in the past that they made heads many years afterwards. Could be a replacement head made the next year.

Just in case the radiator was not the problem, there is a simple
test to check for a cracked head or failed head gasket. With the
valve cover removed, loosen all the rocker arm retaining bolts
so the rocker arms no longer open the valves. Remove the spark
plugs and install a compression guage adapter that has a quick-
couple connector ( available at almost any parts store). Fill
the radiator to the top and leave the cap off. One at a time,
connect your air compressor hose to the adapter and pressurize
each cylinder with 120 PSI of air. It cannot harm the engine,
but a crack or failed gasket will be visible as bubbles in
radiator filler neck. No bubbles, no leak! I have been using this procedure for 60 years as a professional mechanic and it
hasn't failed me yet in diagnosis! Phil Lipton

Now that the area in front of the engine is clear, you could hook up a known good radiator (doesn't matter what year) and see if the heating problem goes away. Just use baling wire and wood frame to hold the radiator in place. This test would be proof positive that the radiator was the culprit.

I imagine you could even buy a new radiator from a parts store and then return it after the test. ;-) Or, maybe a buddy has a good radiator to loan you.

Good luck, Dean

hi there,
Thank you all for your helpful replys.
here are 2 pix of the front end and the radiator removed.
The brass baffle is in very good condition and needs no attention.
With regard to the flywheel and a puller needed...
once it is removed, how is it replaced on the shaft, it it takes so much force to remove it, it must need an equeal force to replace it? true or not?

You can buy harmonic balencer sets . One is the puller and the other is the installer. The installer has a large bearing and the tool is used to push the balencer back on.

Most people would do not own the correct tools will take a block of hardwood and bang it on with a heavy hammer.........not smart. !!!

My set is sitting in a cabinet waiting for me to use it for the first time. Your friendly mechanic might have one he will loan you for 1-2 hours.

You could also make a tool if you know exactly what it looks like.......i can take a picture of it if you want.....
mike350@rogers.com


mike lynch

CORRECTION ...Your crankshaft does not have a threaded area on the end to use a harmonic balencer installer tool. You will have to resort to original GM recommended method. Probably heavy hammer and block of wood.

mike

I have run across rust plugged coolant passages in the head and block several times in dealing with cars that have sat for years. If you pull the cylinder head, 1 look will tell all.....JIM

Might pay you to check the height of the water pump impellor vanes on your pump,and compare them to a new impellor.Just a thought.

While looking at the pump impellor check the clearance between the fins and housing, more than 3mm is too much.

Tony

I installed my harmonic balancer with a fixture I made out of 2"x4" hard wood. 2 verticle legs as close to center as possible and clear the hand crank casting. The legs are connected with a cross piece; it is "C" shaped when complete. Mike the crank snout and the inside diameter of the balancer. This balancer is press fit. Remember that for every .001 interference between crank and pulley it takes 1000 pounds of force to install. I would not go tighter than .015 (1500 pounds force). To remove the balancer, I used a 3 jaw gear puller with great care; take your time on this step....JIM