Howe Radiator Overflow?

[chrlsful]

“... use... for aluminum heads..."
iron block/head
mixture
alloy block/head
all take a different antifr/antiboill. That’s Y they have so many types now (asian pink, green all purpose, etc)
When testing the customer’s squawk re: overheating (he/she dosent realize that term only applies to puking out
‘coolant’ not a “scary hight needle on my daayish”, I put on the pump-up tester. Old skol system I dont pressurize too hi. I fear blowing the tank off the fins 12/15 lbs +. On new systems (I C alloy/alu rad.) I’m not as cautious (19-21 lbs). No 1 ever instructed me (but experience) but I’m cautious. It’s not my car, I dont have the free time (or $) for replacements. Besides, I’m not a real mechanic, just a garage rat...

 

[ba123]

Went for a decent drive yesterday after adding some coolant to the overflow and checked today and it was empty so, SCORE! It's working how I want it to.

Just added more and will see after the next drive but I think the change was a good one.

 

[ba123]

I'm back to this part of my project since it seems as though my anode connected radiator cap failed and I have the stock Howe 22 lb cap back on and happy with it and plan on keeping that one on.

But...now I don't have any way to put the anode in and looking for ideas. I CANNOT use the drain plug anode. I bought one but it doesn't fit in the Howe radiator.

Thinking I could put something stainless in the neck of the radiator and connect the anode off the cap I removed.

Maybe a stainless tea ball strainer?
Some Stainless mesh that I cut so it stays on top and doesn't hinder flow?
I might be able to put it in the thermostat neck as I have one open port but unsure if it would fit and that might be a pain anyway, not ideal, but a possibility. I don't have any other ports.

Anyone come up with any creative solutions? (I do not want a discussion about whether or not it's needed. It might not be but insurance can't hurt)

 

[gclauson]

I'm back to this part of my project since it seems as though my anode connected radiator cap failed and I have the stock Howe 22 lb cap back on and happy with it and plan on keeping that one on.

But...now I don't have any way to put the anode in and looking for ideas. I CANNOT use the drain plug anode. I bought one but it doesn't fit in the Howe radiator.

Thinking I could put something stainless in the neck of the radiator and connect the anode off the cap I removed.

Maybe a stainless tea ball strainer?
Some Stainless mesh that I cut so it stays on top and doesn't hinder flow?
I might be able to put it in the thermostat neck as I have one open port but unsure if it would fit and that might be a pain anyway, not ideal, but a possibility. I don't have any other ports.

Anyone come up with any creative solutions? (I do not want a discussion about whether or not it's needed. It might not be but insurance can't hurt)

FWIW, I have had a Griffin aluminum radiator in my Bronco for 15 years. Instead of an anode, I connected a ground wire between one of the shroud mounting bolts and the body. No sign of corrosion in the tubes, nor leaks. I also mix the green Prestone coolant 50/50with distilled water (not tap water).

 

[nvrstuk]

FWIW, I have had a Griffin aluminum radiator in my Bronco for 15 years. Instead of an anode, I connected a ground wire between one of the shroud mounting bolts and the body. No sign of corrosion in the tubes, nor leaks. I also mix the green Prestone coolant 50/50with distilled water (not tap water).

15 yrs? Gotta be a record! My buddy and I have gone through four of them in 4 years

 

[gclauson]

I doubt I am as hard on it as you are, Brian!!!!
But about 25,000 total miles and probably 1,000 miles of rocky Colorado shaking, bending, and vibrating!

 

[ba123]

FWIW, I have had a Griffin aluminum radiator in my Bronco for 15 years. Instead of an anode, I connected a ground wire between one of the shroud mounting bolts and the body. No sign of corrosion in the tubes, nor leaks. I also mix the green Prestone coolant 50/50with distilled water (not tap water).

Yeah, mine is grounded and my entire Bronco very well grounded as well but I would rather be overcautious than deal with corrosion where I can't even see it.

In the 1.5 years I've had the anode in there it is barely touched, but I want it there just in case.

 

[nvrstuk]

I have driven at least 2,000 miles with this leaky pos radiator this summer and the only way I can is to have the cap on but not on "tight" so it doesn't develop any pressure. Even then the water level in the rad is appr 4" below the neck but I still don't overheat.

Got some things to do this winter but no hurry...

 

[Yeller]

15 yrs? Gotta be a record! My buddy and I have gone through four of them in 4 years

Still have my original in the bronco. But like you they were in a 8 month change out in the J Truck. Fingers crossed, the be cool unit is still holding strong been 8 or 9 months.

 

[SLOWnEASY]

If you still have the non fitting sacrificial drain plug I wonder if it would work to just cut the zinc off and drop it into the radiator. What happened with the anode cap when it failed? To me 22 pounds is too much. Personally I would worry about over stressing the hoses and heater core.
If you really want to protect your cooling system probably the best thing to do is to change the coolant every 2-3 years. And only use distilled water in the radiator. In my youth I used to say phooey to using distilled water in a radiator as an extra expense. But really, I can buy distilled water for $1.50 a gallon at the supermarket. So for a whole $3 my radiator is now running a 50/50 mix of coolant and distilled water.

I'm curious about your overflow bottle experience. Did you ever get the bottle to stay full of coolant? It should have eventually equalized and kept fluid in the bottle.

 

[ba123]

I thought about just dropping it in and it would prob be fine but I don’t want it to jam in there…the way it’s shaped isn’t great but I could prob do that with the one attached to the rad cap. I’m leaning toward either finding something I could drop in with it that stays on top and I could pull it out, or add an inline fitting in a hose somewhere or see if it’ll fit in the pump neck fitting. I could always cut it shorter and out there if it doesn’t fit.

When the anode cap failed, it just boiled over into the overflow and then all over the ground multiple times. Was really annoying and a lot of coolant. It was like running an open system. Fine while running but once off, it boiled over.

I do agree that 22lb is a load of pressure but that’s what the Howe radiator came with. It would suck if something else gave way instead though.

I only run distilled when I add any water but the stuff I’m currently using is already premixed with distilled.

I did get the overflow to stay at a certain level with that 16lb cap. Surprisingly, it did seem like it took the coolant out of the overflow with the 23lb cap on the last run which is surprising to me. Might be a couple weeks before I put the trans back in and can try again and see .

Once I know everything is good and I decide on the anode I’m doing a coolant flush.

 

[ntsqd]

On the Ranchero about 30 years ago I made a SS tube upper radiator plumbing due to converting it to a cross-over type of radiator and because I could. I had planned on adding a sacrificial anode and had made up all of the pieces, but lost TIG welder access and it never got installed. I had one like this: https://www.westmarine.com/sea-shield-marine-pencil-zincs-anodes-P004_122_002_502.html

Earlier mention of the needing to tighten the hose clamp made me think of a certain other NorCA EB owner who has gone to these constant tension hose clamps on his 408:

One possible vendor for those: https://www.mcmaster.com/products/constant-tension-hose-clamps/
There is a good reason why Ford uses those spring clamps that seem to be universally hated. Snowball has some still on it and I thought that I'd get the right tool to deal with them rather than replacing them. Have the tool, haven't had need to use it yet.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00V3B82L4/?tag=classicbroncos-20

Been looking for a coolant recovery tank for the Wagon and have yet to find one that I like.

 

[ba123]

On the Ranchero about 30 years ago I made a SS tube upper radiator plumbing due to converting it to a cross-over type of radiator and because I could. I had planned on adding a sacrificial anode and had made up all of the pieces, but lost TIG welder access and it never got installed. I had one like this: https://www.westmarine.com/sea-shield-marine-pencil-zincs-anodes-P004_122_002_502.html

Earlier mention of the needing to tighten the hose clamp made me think of a certain other NorCA EB owner who has gone to these constant tension hose clamps on his 408:

One possible vendor for those: https://www.mcmaster.com/products/constant-tension-hose-clamps/
There is a good reason why Ford uses those spring clamps that seem to be universally hated. Snowball has some still on it and I thought that I'd get the right tool to deal with them rather than replacing them. Have the tool, haven't had need to use it yet.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00V3B82L4/?tag=classicbroncos-20

Been looking for a coolant recovery tank for the Wagon and have yet to find one that I like.

Yes, that anode is like one I have that’s made my Flexalite fits into the drain plug but there is no room inside the Howe radiator there…annoying that Graveyard offered this combo when it doesn’t go it. Planning on seeing if it fits in my thermostat neck since the neck I put in has an extra fitting there that I’m not using.

I have a lot of those constant tension clamps and love them. Planning on changing the ones that aren’t such when I do my flush soon. Such better clamps than the regular worm garbage. I get. Ton of stuff from McMaster but I need those in black and Amazon seems the be one of the few that have them in black.

 

[ntsqd]

I had a SS NPT coupler carefully notched to fit on the OD of a bend in the SS tube so that the zinc ran down the center of the tube.

The blackening of SS is not common. I'd need to dig into it again, what I recall is that while unusual, it isn't so exotic that it couldn't be done at home. Although one or more of the chemical agents might be problematic either to obtain or to safely handle.

 

[ba123]

Yeah, I’ve looked into doing it myself as well but found and have some of these:

BOTTEN 4 Pack 3" Stainless Steel... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C9X47KPK/?tag=classicbroncos-20

Works great on my throttle body!

iSpinner has some on there as well.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BGLNQDKV/?tag=classicbroncos-20

 

[ntsqd]

I've just never had great service from chinesium hose clamps. I'd rather buy quality in the natural SS color.

 

[SLOWnEASY]

I’m leaning toward either finding something I could drop in with it that stays on top and I could pull it out

I was thinking the same thing, like picture a chlorine float for a swimming pool.

I did get the overflow to stay at a certain level with that 16lb cap. Surprisingly, it did seem like it took the coolant out of the overflow with the 23lb cap on the last run which is surprising to me.

Think of the radiator cap like a 23 pound spring loaded one way valve. Under pressure the valve opens at 23 pounds to let some pressure (coolant) out to the overflow tank to prevent over pressurizing the cooling system. As the system cools the one way valve allows the radiator to easily suck the excess coolant back out of the overflow and put it back in the radiator.

Once all the excess air has been bled out of the cooling system your overflow tank should be only around 1/4 to 3/8 full. The idea is the system is cold so all the coolant that needs to be in the radiator is already in the radiator. But you need a lot of head space (air space) in the overflow tank to allow for the hot coolant that gets dumped to it during use to not overflow the jug.

 

[ntsqd]

There used to be an anode option where the anode hung from a ring that went under the radiator cap. Haven't seen one advertised in a while.

 

[ba123]

There used to be an anode option where the anode hung from a ring that went under the radiator cap. Haven't seen one advertised in a while.

Exactly what I was trying to figure out. Just needs to be stainless or brass or something right? I don’t want to put anything in there that will make things worse!

 

[ba123]

This is the thermostat neck I got, with a fitting in case I needed it cause I wasn’t sure if I would and did not.

I think I’m gonna just go with this location if it fits:

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog...ystem,thermostat+housing+/+water+outlet,10337