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What happens if my coolant isn't rated for -33 degrees Celcius?

DK5

DK5

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Yep, just woke up this morning to put the dog out and found out it is -33C outside right now!!:eek1:

I don't think my engine coolant is rated for that... maybe -20...

It hasn't been driven at all in these temperatures. It just sits in the driveway. I think I'll at least drain it completely today and when it warms up I'll top it up with some fresh mix.

any chance there could be damage already done here? I hope the block didn't crack or anything :doah:
 
As long as you have coolant/water mix, you should be okay. With the mix the coolant will contract instead of expanding when it does freeze. This will prevent anything from breaking. If your mix is only good to -20 and it's -33 you will have to wait for the weather to warm to drain it.
 
Why is what? Hmmm...I'm not sure to which part you are referring, so I'll do my best to answer you.

When water freezes it expands. That is why ice (solid water) floats in liquid water. This is due to the shape and polarity of the water molecule. This is why it's a very bad thing to only run water in the cooling system. If the water ever freezes it wants to expand. There isn't enough open space to allow the extra volume the ice requires so things break.

However, when you mix antifreeze with the water it changes the behavior of the "coolant" (water is now mixed with antifreeze). If it ever gets cold enough to freeze, the coolant mixture will now contract like most substances do when they freeze. This prevents damage to physical components. But, if you try to start an engine with frozen coolant in it, you will likely break the impeller off the water pump. And even if that doesn't happen you will overheat the engine as there is no circulating coolant.

As for why you would have to wait to drain the coolant...if it's frozen, it simply won't drain out. :)

I hope that answered your questions. Don't hesitate to ask away if I didn't.

Kevin
 
yep that is a great explanation. so I popped off the cap on the rad and the fluid wasn't gelled. In the overflow container however, it is frozen up. I'm not going to touch the vehicle until it warms up some.

I'm just glad to hear that as long as it doesn't run, it should be ok (no damage).
 
does your truck have a block heater? If it does, plug it in, and that should warm up the coolant enough for it to thaw.
 
Know anyone with a heated garage. I have covered a rig with a tarp and put a little heater under it to try to thaw an engine out.
 
I was in the barber shop a few years ago, and a guy came in after trying to warm his car with a salamander heater. His comment, "Did you know the grill on a Cadillac is plastic?":haha:
 
Well I have been too busy lately and it has been too cold to do anything outside. So I haven't touched it until today.. :crazy:

It has warmed up to -10C but it feels colder. I checked the rad out and everything is frozen now. The engine bay is literally frosted! We pushed the vehicle back a bit in the driveway to shovel the snow around it and noticed a couple of 1 foot spots of red coolant on the concrete.

Again, I haven't run it AT ALL since it has been cold

I'm hoping its just a pipe maybe with a crack in it??:what:

I need to get this thing into a heated garage, but I don't know when it will happen... I'm in the middle of writing final exams at college and the local mechanic's shop is booked full. I guess I'll just have to wait it out..

I know it should have been done before it go too cold but I thought I had time, and the temp literally dropped to -33C in one night... so i fail :doah:

If there is damage I just hope its not too expensive
 
Even if your coolant did freeze solid, it shouldn't have cracked anything. It may have popped out the freeze plugs in the block though, or possibly damaged one of your hoses.
 
holy *hit dude... it's - 33° C and you don't have a block heater or antifreeze protection... bad time to start thinking about it !!!!!:eek1::eek1::eek1:

i would either

A. move it indoors w/ a heater
B. tarp it and get a heater / charcoal fire pan or anything to warm that thing up and get it started....
C. Drain it while its still warm and refill with the proper mix....
and that's of course if it hasn't split any hoses or popped the freeze plugs out already.....

BTW.. don't they make freeze plugs with heaters in them ??

I thought I have seen them like that before...
 
07coupegt said:
Even if your coolant did freeze solid, it shouldn't have cracked anything. It may have popped out the freeze plugs in the block though, or possibly damaged one of your hoses.
Click to expand...

what do you do with popped out freeze plugs? I don't know anything about them.

resurrected_jimmy said:
I had a truck that used to sweat antifreeze through the hoses when in got real cold. You may still be ok.
Click to expand...

that would be awesome

wasted wages said:
holy *hit dude... it's - 33° C and you don't have a block heater or antifreeze protection... bad time to start thinking about it !!!!!:eek1::eek1::eek1:
Click to expand...


Yea I feel pretty bad about it now, but I kept putting it off thinking that it wouldn't get that cold that fast... I mean, the thing was rated for -20.. so I thought I'd be alright until my final exams were over.

Of course then it drops to from -10 to -33 in one night :doah: Lesson learned.

wasted wages said:
i would either

A. move it indoors w/ a heater
B. tarp it and get a heater / charcoal fire pan or anything to warm that thing up and get it started....
C. Drain it while its still warm and refill with the proper mix....
and that's of course if it hasn't split any hoses or popped the freeze plugs out already.....

BTW.. don't they make freeze plugs with heaters in them ??

I thought I have seen them like that before...
Click to expand...

I'm going to try for A. My dad has a heated single car garage but it is full right now and has a vehicle in it. I'll see what I can do in the next day or so.
 
Really if you coolant is rated for -20 you would have been fine, did you actually check your coolant rating, or are you guessing -20?

Circulating block heater, really easy to put it. Canadian tire has them.

Are you sure its gelled or frozen? Squeeze your rad hoses...

If so your probably screwed, frost plugs are supposed to pop out on your block when the coolant freezes. Problem is they corrode to the block and often don't pop out.

How does a 20 year old blazer in Canada not have a block heater?

If its not frozen why not drain out some coolant in a pail and top it up with straight, run it and let it circulate.

Heres to hoping you didn't crack your block...
 
well its in my father's garage now with the heat blasting.. probably will take a while to thaw out... was -27 this morning before we put it in. And his garage isn't the most air tight

I'll check it out really good tonight to see if any of those frost plugs popped out and if any fluids are leaking. I'm going to put some fresh coolant and oil in it when it thaws out.

looks like I got it in just in time too... supposed to drop down to -36*C tonight with a windchill of -50*C :eek:
 
I guess if the freeze plugs popped, it'll be easy to see after it's warm. Just look for a giant puddle on the floor. :)
 
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