T&T: Ford Lehman Coolant Problem

[Ken Bloomfield]

 Gotcha.  Then the only other item that I can think of is a trapped
bubble of air somewhere in the system that has a much greater coefficient
of expansion than liquid does.  In fact, it almost sounds to me like it
must be that.  That would account for a much greater displacement of
liquid than expanding anti-freeze/water mix for a given degree rise.  Is
there any chance that there was some way air may have gotten in the
system?  Maybe trapped in a chunk of hose with a vertical arch or some
such?

Ken Bloomfield
M/V Tellico Lady
50' Marine Trader Walkaround
Maryville, TN

Larry Gregory wrote:

  Ken, I think that you would have a very good point about the fluid
  lever in the header tank. However, I am not filling the header tank
  any higher than I have in the past. And, I  have runthe engine more
  than 2,000 hours in the last three years without the problem I am now
  having. Larry

  --- On Mon, 6/15/09, Ken Bloomfield <khtb at bellsouth.net> wrote:

    From: Ken Bloomfield <khtb at bellsouth.net>
    Subject: Re: T&T: Ford Lehman Coolant Problem
    To: "Larry Gregory" <larry at mvouterreef.com>
    Cc: trawlers-and-trawlering at lists.samurai.com
    Date: Monday, June 15, 2009, 8:21 AM

    I have Perkins engines, not the Ford Lehman, but suspect they are
    rather similar in many aspects.  If this was a comment posted
    about a Perkins engine I would immediately respond that you are
    likely overfilling the header tank.  This seems especially true
    when you say that the coolant begins to flow almost immediately. 
    Sounds to me like there is no (or inadequate) head-space left
    above the liquid level to accommodate the natural expansion due
    to the coolant warming.  In the Perkins, to have this  happen the
    coolant would need to be almost right up to the filler neck,
    whereas it should be about an inch to an inch and a half below
    the fill neck bottom.

    Maybe some FL owners can comment on the appropriate fill level.

    Ken Bloomfield
    M/V Tellico Lady
    50' Marine Trader Walkaround
    Maryville, TN

    --SNIP--
    Larry Gregory wrote:
    > I am having a problem with the coolant system on my Ford Lehman
    SP160. I would
    > appreciate hearing from listees who have had the same or
    similiar problem.