Worried!

[Tom Cavallaro]

I am worried about the A in my garage, I have a wyfi thermometer on the engine and a drop light with a 100w bulb and I'm reading 27 degrees. Last year I flushed the system but didn't realize I purchased 50% antifreeze. I know it only a three gallon system, but is this enough to keep the block from freezing? Right now I go out and start it up and run it for ten minutes, every two days then close it up with a blanket to keep the heat of the bulb in.
What do you guys think.
Thanks, Tom

[oldwoodsman]

get yourself an antifreeze tester at the auto parts store, it will tell you what you are protected to.

[Jim in Wisconsin]

Did you add extra water to the 50% antifreeze or just use it the way it came? If you used it the way it came, it'll be fine. If you further diluted it, it could be a problem, although not at 27 degrees. Draining it out till spring would set your mind at ease - just a few more weeks! It's cold here in Wisconsin too.

[Mitch//pa]

Originally Posted by oldwoodsman

get yourself an antifreeze tester at the auto parts store, it will tell you what you are protected to.

x2,,

[Barry B./ Ma.]

I top mine off with 100% antifreeze out of the bottle. That should test out at -35 F. The inside of the garage with the heat off doesn't get much lower than +20.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

I use 1 1/2 gallons of pure antifreeze and 1 gallon of water, then run it until it's thoroughly mixed, at least 30 minutes. Then I have no worries about rust or freezing.

Running an engine for 10 minutes is doing the engine harm. You're filling the engine and exhaust with condensation. That's exactly how I locked up two engines back in the 70's. That was a costly lesson.

[George Miller]

Right now I go out and start it up and run it for ten minutes, every two days
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is hard on a engine. You should run it tell it evaporates all the water out of the oil. What you are doing is putting water in the oil. All the frost on the inside of the block turns to water in the oil. Plus the products of combustion.

[31 Model A]

From reading above, I guess letting your A sit in a cold garage and then warming the garage up to do work, creating condensation on the engine and almost everything else is not good either. I have wondered about this when I would heat up the garage to do some things.

[Tom Cavallaro]

Thank you, I will stop running it! Yes I did add water....I figured one gallon of antifeeze and two gallons of water......should be fine. I later realized it was 50 percent.....I don't ever remember it being sold watered down before??? I will purchase that tester....because these engines don't have freeze out plugs.
Thanks gentlemen,
Tom

[SeaSlugs]

its been sold premixed for at least 10+ years around here

but yea running any engine for 10 min is doing way more harm than any good. most of your engine wear is the first few minutes after startup especially when cold, not to mention builds up acids in the oil that would normally burn off once it got up to temp.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by Tom Cavallaro

Thank you, I will stop running it! Yes I did add water....I figured one gallon of antifeeze and two gallons of water......should be fine. I later realized it was 50 percent.....I don't ever remember it being sold watered down before??? I will purchase that tester....because these engines don't have freeze out plugs.
Thanks gentlemen,
Tom

Core plugs won't do anything to prevent blocks from cracking due to people using only water. They are only there to plug the holes used to hold the cores in place during the casting process.

[JonC]

If you can drain out a gallon and put in one gallon of pure prestone or whatever you use, that should fix it but, buy the tester as everyone has said.

[Mitch//pa]

a T stat helps heat the motor up quicker... i run them in my units

[2manycars]

Why has nobody suggested just draining the cooling system dry? It cant freeze if there is no coolant. Drain it out and leave it dry until you are ready to use the car, then go buy some straight antifreeze, and mix 50-50 with water and use that.

[mass A man]

I don't drain out the cars anymore for years now. I feel that can lead to rusting the insides of the block. Who knows for sure? I just use half water-half Sierra antifreeze.

[TDO]

When using a anti- freeze tester, be sure to use the right one. The new anti-freeze that is environmentally safe has propylene glycol. And the old anti-freeze has ethylene glycol. if you use the wrong tester it will give you a false reading. I found this out when I switched over to Sierra anti-freeze. No matter how I mixed it it kept giving me the same reading. So I called the 800# on the Sierra anti=freeze, And the technician told me you have to use a tester for propylene glycol. No parts store around here had one so I found it on Amazon.

[mshmodela]

I'd just go out and drop what your car has and fill it with new for peace of mind. Don't buy 50/50 premixed.. Buy 100% Antifreeze... A 30 min or less job... and keep any lights or things electrical that gets hot away from the car...

[Mitch//pa]

i always use pre mixed 50/50...

[Fred]

Originally Posted by mshmodela

I'd just go out and drop what your car has and fill it with new for peace of mind. Don't buy 50/50 premixed.. Buy 100% Antifreeze... A 30 min or less job... and keep any lights or things electrical that gets hot away from the car...

There is nothing wrong with using 50/50, same thing as 1+1/2 water to 1+1/2 antifreeze ??.. NEVER 100% Straight Antifreeze !!..

[Dusty]

Originally Posted by Mitch//pa

i always use pre mixed 50/50...

Me too and besides I now live in Georgia and never gets below 70