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Help - Frozen coolant?!
Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 4:18 pm
by Ammo
Just been out to the lude as I need go out, but thought i'd check the coolant before I did
The coolant is what's best described as "slushy" you can feel in the pipes it's frozen but not solid!
Guess there isn't enough anti freeze in the system, but now what do I do?
I don't really want to start it with slush in the coolant system, but I also don't want it to freeze solid and damage something.
What options have I got?
Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 4:31 pm
by Dino
Drain the coolant ammo. Put some new stuff in at winter coolant concentration.
Check that none of the coolant hoses have popped off too with it freezing.
Re: Help - Frozen coolant?!
Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 4:58 pm
by Pushki
I think we should all check our coolant.
I don't know what temp the coolant freezes at, but it is exceptionally cold out there.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/frozen-fuel-ri ... 48288.html
Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 5:24 pm
by Ammo
How can a drain the coolant if it's frozen? I'd have to squeeze it out like ice cream lol
Don't want to run the engine in case I feck the water pump
Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 6:02 pm
by grant_day
Get a small Heater and put it facing the frozen pipes, after a few mins start her up and let her run a while and add some more concentrated antifreeze solution in
Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 6:06 pm
by BMCC
I suppose you could wait till it is not -16C at night
Then flush the system out using a hose to make sure you get all the old coolant out.
Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 6:58 pm
by Ted
2 choices really
A open the patio doors and take it indoors and warm it up then run it, drain out some coolant and add antifreeze or
B if its only slushy then the water pump isn't going to strip your timing belt and f*%k your valves, better to do it sooner rather than later and risk it popping out a coreplug or worse if it gets colder.
personally i would run it now if its only slushy rather than have the mrs moan about the lounge carpet
then drain and add antifreeze.
dont forget to let it cool down a bit before you do drain it though boiling water is crap for stripping paint but brilliant for stripping skin
Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 9:00 pm
by mercutio
carefull with antifreeze if you have cats as well it will kill them in hours and there is something about antifreeze that attracts them
Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 9:04 pm
by Bri
keep pouring warm water on it. dont get a cracked block like I did ffs!
Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 9:23 pm
by Donald
mercutio wrote:carefull with antifreeze if you have cats as well it will kill them in hours and there is something about antifreeze that attracts them
Ethylene glycol, it doesn't smell of anything bad and tastes sugary. In simplest terms it's an alcohol and causes dehydration, blocks the kidneys and makes your blood/body tissue acidy. Then you die.
Sorry Ammo, I have no advice for you. But I can help your animals!