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Help on 1934 652Y

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30 Jun 2003 21:21 #427 by Terry
Replied by Terry on topic Help on 1934 652Y
The reason the car runs cooler with the thermostat is that it slows down the water flow and allows the radiator time to cool down the coolant before it returns to the engine block. When you run without a thermostat the water flow is so fast it does not have time to cool down the coolant suffiecently before returning to block, Hence a hot running car.
Hope this answers your thermostst question...Terry

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26 Jun 2003 03:22 #414 by mhaley
Replied by mhaley on topic Help on 1934 652Y
Thanks for the info Terry,
So far the new thermostat seems to have solved the problem, but I am sure cleaning out the water jacket will be a project sometime in the future. I guess I don't understand for sure how a thermostat would make a car run cooler, but it sure seems to have worked.
-Mike

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24 Jun 2003 00:02 #409 by Terry
Replied by Terry on topic Help on 1934 652Y
If you remove the water jacket cover on the side of the block be prepared to take out a lot of broken 1/4" bolts X NFT. The bolts go into the engine block and rust on the inside.If you are capable of drilling and tapping the hole for the plate It would be probably a good thing to do as the rust build up over the years is substantial and a good cleaning never hurts.It is a very time consuming job and not fun. Good luck in whatever you decide to do...Terry

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18 Apr 2003 03:33 #108 by mhaley
Replied by mhaley on topic Help on 1934 652Y
The thermostat was missing when I pulled it apart. The car was definitely boiling after driving about 8 miles, but the temp gauge in the car never went much past halfway. I have drained the radiator and the anti-freeze is bright green, it does not look rusty or dirty. I am going to flush it out and install a thermostat; hopefully that will solve it. Thanks again!

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17 Apr 2003 07:20 #97 by rfloch
Replied by rfloch on topic Re: Thanks

mhaley wrote: Thanks for the help! Very good information. I will check out the brakes before driving it. They seem to work fine but that's not something I want to take a chance with. The car overheats pretty quickly; do these engines have a thermostat?


Yes there is a thermostat mounted in the housing on the head in the ususal place at the base of the top hose. At least there should be one, although mine was missing when I got the car as someone has removed it in the misguided hope that it would cure an overheating problem. You can get a new, low temp thermostat (160-170 deg should work) from a parts store. It has a pretty large diameter (62 or 63 mm as I recall) but you can find one that fits. I had to make a gasket out of sheet gasket material, though... couldn't find a three-bolt gasket that fit right.

Why do you think the car is over heating? From the fluid-level gauge? Does it boil over often? Most old non-pressurized radiators will boil on hot days under sustained load, but it should not boil in regular use. It will also lose coolant through the overflow if you fill it too far, so you think it is boiling over when you find a puddle under the car. Nothing to worry about, though.

If it really is running hot, you might first try flushing it out using a two-part radiator flush. I just ended up flushing the system out and then filling it with a 20% mixture of antifreeze/80% water and adding a pint of water pump lube/anti-rust (soluble oil). I still thought I had a cooling problem until I had a shop check the head temperature with one of those sensors and found that it was running at only about 150 degrees. Seems to be fine since.

Pulling the radiator in my 850Y is a pain since you have to get the front housing assembly off. Yours is probably the same. But if the radiator needs to be rodded out you may have to do it.

Also, there is a copper water distribution tube in the block that can get rotten or plugged. It's supposted to distribute coolant around all of the cylinders more evenly. You need to pull the water pump and maybe the radiator to get to it, though. There is even a removable cover on the right side of the block that gets into the whole water jacket. I have never had mine off. But I would try the simplest solution first before I started tearing things apart.

Richard Floch

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17 Apr 2003 03:05 #91 by mhaley
Replied by mhaley on topic Thanks
Thanks for the help! Very good information. I will check out the brakes before driving it. They seem to work fine but that's not something I want to take a chance with. The car overheats pretty quickly; do these engines have a thermostat?

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16 Apr 2003 17:31 #89 by rfloch
Replied by rfloch on topic Re: Help on 1934 652Y
You shouldn't have any trouble using any modern SAE 20-50 oil. Modern lubricants are far superior to the original specs. In my 850Y I use Castrol 20-50, SAE 140 hypoid gear oil in both the transmission and 2-speed rear end and SAE 85-90 gear oil in the freewheel. Some people believe that you should not use hypoid gear oils in these old transmissions, but I think that most people do so without any apparent problems and I believe that current hypoid formulations do not pose the same potential for damaging seals or other components.

As for the fan belt, you can find something that works at any Napa store. If you don't want to use a modern "alligator" style automotive belt, or can't find one that fits, have them look at their farm equipment belts (FHP Belts) which come in 1" steps. I recently replaced the generator belt on my 850Y with a 33" belt (Stock # 5L330). It might fit your 652Y as well.

If you just bought the car I suggest that you also be real careful about the brakes, even if you think they seem to be working well. These are among the earliest hydraulic units and there is only a single system so if a hydraulic fluid failure should occur it could be a catastrophy. I would check all four wheel cylinders and hydraulic fittings carefully for leaks as well as the master cylinder. Check the fluid level in the master cylinder every time after driving the car for the first few weeks just to see if the level drops. If it does, or if you find any kind of leak, overhaul the whole system, preferably installing brass sleeves in all the cylinders (they should all be 1" as I recall). You may find the brake lines to be copper if they are original. Copper hydraulic lines are not really a good idea. But this is a very different and heavier material than standard, modern copper line used for gas fittings, etc. If you ever have to replace a brake line or doubt whether it is sound, replace it with steel or copper-clad steel. Also, (and I believe that this is a VERY important safety precaution) make sure that the hand brake is adjusted and always capable of locking up the rear wheels in an emergency. It is the only backup stopping power you have in the event of a brake failure.

By the way, congratulations on your new acquisition. You should be able to find lots of help from others who keep these wonderful old machines going... I know I have.

Richard Floch

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16 Apr 2003 01:56 #83 by mhaley
Help on 1934 652Y was created by mhaley
I just bought a 1934 652Y 4 door sedan, I notice in the original owners manual it recommends SAE50 oil, seems heavy to me. Also I need to find a fan belt. I am new to Auburns and I am sure I will have more questions as I go. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks! -Mike

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