question Fordson wot2h woes

[GPW Rookie]

Evening Chaps,

 

due to personal circumstances I haven't managed to even think of the Fordson for a good while but as things are a little more settled now I've finally gotten around to looking at the Fordson and it's overheating problems again.

 

I've fitted a new coil of the type recommended by members and have also replaced both fan belts and all the spark plugs. I got the old girl started and drove down the road, upon reaching a slight hill, the engine lost power and started back firing like mad. I tried to keep her going but she kept conking out and ground to a halt. After letting it cool for a while I manged to start her again but within a short time it would stall. I eventually got home and looked at the oil filter, this was in a terrible state and looked like it had been cooked. The oil input to the filter was too long and actually pierced the side of the filter. Once the filter was removed I ran the engine again and the bowl got very hot as Julian said it used to get. Obviously an oil change is the next thing I'll try, dose anybody know were I can obtain the correct type of filter? and how about the input "nipple" any idea where I can obtain this?

 

I'll also try a new condenser as the backfiring may be due to this breaking down due to the enormous amount of heat from the engine. Does anybody have any thoughts on the overheating? Or shall I just bite the bullet and have the damn engine rebuilt?

 

Any help greatly appreciated!

 

Glen.

[woa2]

Oil filter for a WOT2 style housing is MANN PF1025 which is obtainable from a good Motor Factor.

 

Condensor is a Lucas DCB121C

[Lauren Child]

It does sound a lot like what mine does.

 

I headed out to change the oil, filter, and run through a full service but I've found thick oil/grease looks to be seeping out of the inlet manifold gasket. Coupled with the gunk in the radiator, and I think I may have bigger problems.

 

At the moment I'm pondering taking the heads and the inlet manifold off to take a look, change the important gaskets and look for problems. Unfortunately at least two of the head studs are obscured by the centre console metalwork and engine out would be a big job that I'm not set up for at the moment.

 

Assuming its the normal "senior" oil filter, FBW-P52 from inlinefilters.co.uk fits. I don't know on the nipple, but the filters are standard for a number of different vehicles so I'd imagine spares will be easy enough to come by.

 

 

If you get any ideas through other means, please share them - perhaps we can put our heads together!

Edited May 26, 2013 by Lauren Child

[44GPW]

I think the important thing to ascertain here to help Glen diagnose the issue is a) Would a blocked Oil filter cause the engine to get extremely hot but not boil over and b) Would the engine getting extremely hot cause other issues, like the Condenser failing and maybe fuel evaporation?

 

An important thing to note here is that it starts and idles perfectly with no issues (although still gets very hot).

 

The heat is unbearable! I was only in the cab for 5-10 mins at a time. I cant imagine what it will be like in the height of summer!!

 

Richard

[Gordon_M]

From the description, I'd guess the block is full of gunge. It's possible it had a leaky radiator or core plug are one time and somebody kept shovelling Barrs Leaks or Radweld into it, and you are now seeing the effects.

 

Let's go easy to hard on the fixes.

 

First easy check, if you can get hold of one, is to get a hand held infra red thermometer thingy. Fire the engine up and let it get warm, then check for differences between the head temperatures and look for hot spots. The hand held unit will let you do this in 30 seconds so it is worth begging or borrowing one. This could tell you a lot.

 

Drain it all down, and see what comes out. Try to do it with a radiator bottom hose, and see if clean water comes out the block, the radiator, both, or neither.

 

Flush the radiator out, bottom to top, and see what comes out. Might be worth pulling it and turning it upside down too.

 

Flush the block and see what comes out.

 

After that lot, you are into more than just work with hose clips. I'd start by replacing thermostat or stats ( been years since I had one ) then I'd pull the water pumps and check they still had impellers on the ends.

 

After that, pull the block, turn it upside down, and power flush it.

[woa2]

I think the important thing to ascertain here to help Glen diagnose the issue is a) Would a blocked Oil filter cause the engine to get extremely hot but not boil over and b) Would the engine getting extremely hot cause other issues, like the Condenser failing and maybe fuel evaporation?

 

An important thing to note here is that it starts and idles perfectly with no issues (although still gets very hot).

 

The heat is unbearable! I was only in the cab for 5-10 mins at a time. I cant imagine what it will be like in the height of summer!!

 

Richard

 

My WOA2 is currently running without an Oil Cleaner while I get the oil pipes sorted out, so a blocked oil filter cannot cause the overheating. A WOT2 does run very hot and a re-cored radiator would help cure it (I used Berkshire Radiators in Reading and they did a good job). Also, get new fan belts as worn or incorrect fan belts are also a known reason a Ford V8 overheats. Don't use Ford Pilot fan belts as they are a different size.

As for Condensors, I did replace the Condensor in this truck. Is it still in place or has it got an original one? The original ones are now over 60 years old and are failing, replace with a new Lucas DCB121C. Get the coil checked out as well.

A WOT2 is a very hot vehicle to drive, and I always drive with the windscreen partly open and never use sidescreens. Even then it's hot, even on a cold day.

[GPW Rookie]

Thanks for all the help guys, much appreciated. I have replaced the coil, fan belts and spark plugs, the previous owner had the radiator re-cored and replaced the condenser with the correct Lucas type. An oil change, and a flush out of the cooling system are next on the list but it's looking increasingly like i'm going to have to have the block acid dipped to remove years of accumulated crud.

[woa2]

Thanks for all the help guys, much appreciated. I have replaced the coil, fan belts and spark plugs, the previous owner had the radiator re-cored and replaced the condenser with the correct Lucas type. An oil change, and a flush out of the cooling system are next on the list but it's looking increasingly like i'm going to have to have the block acid dipped to remove years of accumulated crud.

 

If you do strip down the engine, you can clear out the water ways with a wire coat hanger. Rust does build up in some oil ways and can restrict the water flow and this can be dis-lodged but only if you take the engine out.

Have you joined the Early Ford V8 club yet? They may be able to help with more technical advice.

[Lauren Child]

Just to re-iterate, the heat is normal for the V8 (at least it's the same with my CMP). From what I've heard the WOT runs hotter than the CMP, so the sort of heat you're describing doesn't sound unusual, although it's difficult to compare via email.

 

Building on the fan belt queries, have you checked that the pumps are actually spinning. I've heard a couple of anecdotes about the belt going around slipping across a solid water pump.

 

I note from your PM (hope you don't mind me mentioning) that the radiator never boils over. That's a bit odd as if you fill the radiator then it squirts a pint or so out after a few minutes of idling (gave me a scare when I saw it first). If yours isn't doing that it sounds like water isn't circulating.

[Lauren Child]

If you do strip down the engine, you can clear out the water ways with a wire coat hanger. Rust does build up in some oil ways and can restrict the water flow and this can be dis-lodged but only if you take the engine out.

Have you joined the Early Ford V8 club yet? They may be able to help with more technical advice.

 

 

Is there a trick to removing the heads in-situ or do you have to take the engine fully out? It would be a shame to take it all the way out only to find there's no problem. It sounds like a quick peek could give a good heads up on the state of the engine.

 

EDIT: I was having a blonde moment - I just spotted that you can take a panel out each side at the base of the console to gain access to the rear-most head bolts, making an quick peek a lot more do-able.

Edited June 1, 2013 by Lauren Child
Added blonde moment

[GPW Rookie]

Both water pumps are spinning around so that isn't the answer although the impellers on the inside could have rotted away? An interesting point re; the water not being dumped out of the radiator, although the radiator gets hot all the way to the cap. It's looking more and more like the answer lies within the engine block, perhaps it's a combination of problems? Hopefully once I can remedy the heat problem the petrol evaporation won't be so much of an issue, although i do like the idea of a small electric fuel pump. I'm all for originality but the vehicles have to be usable especially given modern traffic conditions!

[Big ray]

I put a couple of handfuls of SODA Crystals in my radiators, run the vehicle for the season and then drain and flush. The Soda softens the water and moves lots of rubbish from the rad and block..... works O.K. for me. Overheating so quickly when just moving the vehicle would suggest that either the impellers are not working or the thermostats are not opening.

The symptoms that you describe would occur on any engine if you removed the fan belt. I do hope that you manage to get it sorted.

[Richard Farrant]

Is there a trick to removing the heads in-situ or do you have to take the engine fully out? It would be a shame to take it all the way out only to find there's no problem. It sounds like a quick peek could give a good heads up on the state of the engine.

 

Draining the coolant and removing the two block drain taps completely to see what comes out will give you a good idea. If sediment the colour of Ayers Rock comes out then you know the problem. You might have to poke around in the holes with a bit of stiff wire as there could be a lot of muck built up in the bottom of the water jackets.

[brown cow]

Glen

 

I had a WOT2D years ago here in Australia and could drive it on days into the high 30'sC. It didn't like the stop and start of traffic but on the open road was great. (why did I ever sell it?)

The D model didn't have an oil cleaner but I put on an NOS unit from the 1950's, however I was preparing it for a trip from Melbourne to Corowa NSW, about a 4-5 hr drive and installed a new carby. We found out on the way that the engine was overheating, it was about 40C the engine suffered from low oil pressure (another SV V8 feature on worn engines) but realised that it was running really lean on fuel , an almost white exhaust. Luckily I was carrying spares and we did a carby rebuild on the side of the highway miles from anywhere, but got to our destination after 9 hours!

So these trucks will go on hot days, keep your chin up. It does sound like something quite wrong.

My mate and I also wrapped wet rags around the fuel pump to keep it a bit cooler and I spent as much time watching the oil and temp gauges as much as the road.

By the way another tip for the unfamiliar, when removing SV water pumps don't forget the internal bolt up the centre of where where the hose clamps on making a total of 4 bolts (from memory) for each pump.

Another friend who had a Ford CMP fitted electric temp senders to each head and wired them with a switch to check the temp at each head. He also fitted en electric pump at each fuel tank to push fuel to the carby again with a switch to operate one or the other.(a real belt and braces type).

 

regard

 

Andrew B

[GeePig]

I know almost nothing about these engines, but can you pop the water hoses off after the pump and then crank the engine over to see if any water is being pumped? Obviously the water has to be hot enough to open the thermostats (if they are fitted on top of the pumps), or remove the thermostats first and do it cold and then brew up the thermostats in a saucepan of water to make sure they open at the right temperature. Just make sure that the water does not go anywhere important, like down the intakes.

 

trevor

[T corbin]

Hi ROBERT

I know the twin generator pully has a larger Di . Any part No or size for new belts T CORBIN

[Lauren Child]

Hi ROBERT

I know the twin generator pully has a larger Di . Any part No or size for new belts T CORBIN

 

According to the parts list - fan belt 51-8620 (qty 2)

 

I just ordered a couple of new ones from Mac's http://macsautoparts.com/

[jack neville]

Glen,

 

just reading this thread for the first time. Did you get your troubles sorted? I have a WOT2H in Australia that gets driven regularly on hot days. It is fitted with a Jolley Engineering electronic ignition set up and an electric fuel pump hidden under the floor. I don't use thermostats in Australia on this engine. It gets hot around my feet obviously due to the poor air flow around the engine but the engine doesn't overheat even on hot days. The radiator is original. Just wondering how you got on.

 

jack