[jasonbeam]

Went to the garage this morning and the anti-freeze has frozen and worked it's way out of the radiator neck. Lower radiator hose has slushy fluid, not completely solid. It's 33 degrees right now, and will drop by 5pm, so I need to find a solution within a few hours.

I don't know exactly how to proceed - hoping someone has some advice.

Thanks!

[poncho62]

Get some decent antifreeze.................That stuff you have in there is straight water if it froze.

Does the engine run?...If so, warm it up with a heat lamp, Once its just water again, change the coolant and put antifreeze in it.

If not running, drain as much coolant (water) out of it as you can and pour some antifreeze in it.

[jasonbeam]

Thanks for the advice, I'm heading out right now.

I bought the car about 4 months ago and then topped it off with about half a gallon of 50/50, but there must have been straight water in there from before. I have 50/50 in my other vehicle (which is sitting right next to it) and no problems there.

I appreciate the help!

[monte mike]

well just so u know straight antifreeze will also freeze so make sure u have a mix the 50/50 like you said will be best

[jasonbeam]

If anyone is still reading this thread - this car is in storage for the winter, should I drain the coolant and leave the block dry?

[T-bucket23]

Drain the block and fill it with a 50/50 mix. If you dont the inside of the block will rot and it will also freeze.

[MI2600]

The block will rot??

[matt167]

Originally Posted by monte mike

well just so u know straight antifreeze will also freeze so make sure u have a mix the 50/50 like you said will be best

str8 antifreeze will not freeze under any normal winter conditions, it has to be well below -37*f ( 50/50 mix ), I don't know exactly what it is, but it's off the chart on a prestone hydrometer.

[454me]

Originally Posted by matt167

str8 antifreeze will not freeze under any normal winter conditions, it has to be well below -37*f ( 50/50 mix ), I don't know exactly what it is, but it's off the chart on a prestone hydrometer.

It will freeze. I have found jugs of unopened frozen at -15 in the garage. The guage says its good down to a low level but it will freeze.

[mynuffinfutsitch]

lmao, try putting it in a microwave, j/k

hopefully you don't have any damage to it

[lowROLLERchevy]

i would suggest running a hose from the hot water tank in the house out to the driveway, and flush the system with that to melt away as much of the ice as possible

once you have a system that will allow coolant to pass through freely, you can start the car to use engine heat to melt anything that remains

after that, you can redrain the system and add a proper 50/50 mix

the "slush" that you found in the lower hose was a poor mix of antifreeze & water. not enough water to totaly freeze, not enough antifreeze to keep the water from freezing

also, for all future reference, straight antifreeze WILL FREEZE FASTER then a 50/50 mix! .... nature of the beast

[Whippetguy]

As a Canadian from the great white frozen north, I can tell you that straight antifreeze does not "freeze" per say, but does get too thick to flow properly at colder temps. It just turns to gel, but it won't expand like water and pop your freeze plugs or crack the block. Mix it 50/50 like the directions say and it'll be good to -40 or less. Below that, you will get some gelling again.

[97Z28]

lol... straight antifreeze freezing? i'd have to see that. the propolene glycol does not freeze. trust me. frigid ohio winters has taught me that much. 0 degrees for a week straight and it still isnt froze... come on. where did you people take your chemistry classes? BUT... like diesel fuel, it does get thick. doesnt freeze, but gells up slightly. but as soon as its warmed it goes back to the same consistency.

[lowROLLERchevy]

^^^ i was talking about ethylene glycol actualy

pure ethylene glycol freezes at 8° F (eight degrees ABOVE zero)

For ethylene glycol the maximum protection is at 67% ethylene glycol in water. A ethylene glycol solution of this concentration will freeze at -84° F

once you start adding MORE ethylene glycol, the freezing point starts to rebound back UP .... very quickly

[xntrik]

Originally Posted by lowROLLERchevy

^^^ i was talking about ethylene glycol actualy

pure ethylene glycol freezes at 8° F (eight degrees ABOVE zero)

For ethylene glycol the maximum protection is at 67% ethylene glycol in water. A ethylene glycol solution of this concentration will freeze at -84° F

once you start adding MORE ethylene glycol, the freezing point starts to rebound back UP .... very quickly

absolutely correct.

It is called the eutectic point.... about 2/3 antifreeze..... 1/3 water.

By the way, for those of you in sub zero climates..... don't forget the chill factor of air through the radiator..... If your antifreeze is good to 30 below and it is 20 below air temp , when the fan starts the radiator might freeze.

Raised in the North..... uh huh.

As for the car...... I would start it. If the water pump is not frozen, run for a 5 minutes, let her sit 10, then run it another 5, etc.... til she thaws.

Alternate is to put a 100 watt bulb next to the block and radiator and cover the engine with a blanket.