Re: Engine Cooling Concerns

Posted by Rusty O\'Toole On 2015/4/5 16:31:34

Many flathead inline engines had a water distribution tube.

It is nothing but a plain metal tube with strategically placed holes. Cooling water goes into it from the water pump and gets distributed to each cylinder evenly.

Without the tube, all the coolant would stream straight up into the upper rad hose without cooling the engine.

Do you have an infrared temp sensor? You can get them at hardware stores for $30 or so. Check the temp of the engine in various spots. The front of the engine should be the same temp as the back. If the front is cold and the back is hot, the tube is rusted out.

Most times they were made from galvanized steel but some were made of brass. The brass ones don't rust out. I believe the brass ones were made for marine engines.