How cold for antifreeze
#2912330
04/20/21 02:17 PM
04/20/21 02:17 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,701 Portage,michigan
B3422W5
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Have my car sitting in an unheated bay currently, attached to my business. Its sheltered. Supposed to get below freezing the next two nights for a few hours each night, then warm back up to normal temps. How long can a car sit not needing antifreeze if temps are below 32 degrees. Supposed to get down to 25 one night, 27 the other, low 40’s during the day. I race it so have straight water in it
69 Dart GTS A4 Silver All steel, flat factory hood, 3360race weight 418 BPE factory replacement headed stroker, 565 lift solid cam Best so far, 10.40 @127 1/4 1.41 best 60 foot 6.60 at 103.90 1/8
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Re: How cold for antifreeze
[Re: B3422W5]
#2912336
04/20/21 02:24 PM
04/20/21 02:24 PM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 20,116 PA.
pittsburghracer
"Little"John
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"Little"John
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 20,116
PA.
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Why don’t you throw a tarp over the engine a put a little cube heater out there warming the engine.
1970 Duster Edelbrock headed 408 5.984@112.52 422 Indy headed small block 5.982@112.56 mph 9.42@138.27
Livin and lovin life one day at a time
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Re: How cold for antifreeze
[Re: pittsburghracer]
#2912340
04/20/21 02:26 PM
04/20/21 02:26 PM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 20,116 PA.
pittsburghracer
"Little"John
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"Little"John
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 20,116
PA.
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If it’s inside a frame insulated building it would warm up during the day and probably never get below freezing in there. Block building a little colder.
1970 Duster Edelbrock headed 408 5.984@112.52 422 Indy headed small block 5.982@112.56 mph 9.42@138.27
Livin and lovin life one day at a time
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Re: How cold for antifreeze
[Re: pittsburghracer]
#2912343
04/20/21 02:28 PM
04/20/21 02:28 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,701 Portage,michigan
B3422W5
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OP
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If it’s inside a frame insulated building it would warm up during the day and probably never get below freezing in there. Block building a little colder.
The bay( one wall of it, is shared with my 68 degree showroom)
69 Dart GTS A4 Silver All steel, flat factory hood, 3360race weight 418 BPE factory replacement headed stroker, 565 lift solid cam Best so far, 10.40 @127 1/4 1.41 best 60 foot 6.60 at 103.90 1/8
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Re: How cold for antifreeze
[Re: tboomer]
#2912411
04/20/21 04:26 PM
04/20/21 04:26 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,701 Portage,michigan
B3422W5
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Don...Do you have a thermometer hanging in there? It's out of the wind and that's the main thing...And your engine looks good! Dont have a thermometer, but have a little ceramic space heater i will setup out there before i leave tonight
69 Dart GTS A4 Silver All steel, flat factory hood, 3360race weight 418 BPE factory replacement headed stroker, 565 lift solid cam Best so far, 10.40 @127 1/4 1.41 best 60 foot 6.60 at 103.90 1/8
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Re: How cold for antifreeze
[Re: B3422W5]
#2912418
04/20/21 04:42 PM
04/20/21 04:42 PM
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,485 PA
moparacer
top fuel
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top fuel
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,485
PA
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I have experience with this unfortunately. High twenties, don't worry about it. Mid to lower 20s I wouldnt take a chance. I had one around 20 one year froze up solid.. I would add a gallon of full strength antifreeze to it just to be safe. As long as the freeze protection is 0-10 it will be fine.
67 Barracuda street/bracket car 11.27-119 68 Dart 502 BB 8.70s-152 414 cid SB Dragster 7.65-174
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Re: How cold for antifreeze
[Re: moparacer]
#2912524
04/20/21 07:13 PM
04/20/21 07:13 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 17,916 Akron, Ohio
ProSport
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Don do you have a few old blankets to throw over the motor? I'd rather see you circulate a gallon of straight antifreeze in it but it sounds like it might be ok in there. I definitely would not leave an unattended space heater over night.
1970 Challenger, all aluminum 528 Hemi, HDK suspension, Tremec 5 speed manual
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Re: How cold for antifreeze
[Re: geo.]
#2912748
04/21/21 07:53 AM
04/21/21 07:53 AM
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 4,662 On the parachute mount
n20mstr
master
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master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 4,662
On the parachute mount
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i have heard and know people who have run windshield washer fluid as an antifreeze. It works and can be raced with it in there
....BAD A$$ STREET CAR.....
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Re: How cold for antifreeze
[Re: n20mstr]
#2912769
04/21/21 08:56 AM
04/21/21 08:56 AM
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 21,808 Kirkland, Washington
Pacnorthcuda
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
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Kirkland, Washington
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i have heard and know people who have run windshield washer fluid as an antifreeze. It works and can be raced with it in there Horrible idea. Winter blended windshield fluid uses alcohol to lower the freeze point. That’s a big problem in a cooling system as alcohol also lowers the boiling to significantly less than plain water.
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Re: How cold for antifreeze
[Re: Pacnorthcuda]
#2912787
04/21/21 09:29 AM
04/21/21 09:29 AM
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 4,662 On the parachute mount
n20mstr
master
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master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 4,662
On the parachute mount
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i have heard and know people who have run windshield washer fluid as an antifreeze. It works and can be raced with it in there Horrible idea. Winter blended windshield fluid uses alcohol to lower the freeze point. That’s a big problem in a cooling system as alcohol also lowers the boiling to significantly less than plain water. I never tried it, and sounds correct. OK dont do it....LOL My son left his car in the trailer one winter with NO A/F, straight water......after a few days of "teen" weather, it was frozen. I took the upper hose off the rad, poured A/F in the hose and sure enough it eventually made its way up the rad. It wasnt frozen solid but close. he dodged a bullet for sure. I would drain the water if it were me, better safe than sorry. or just take the upper hose off and pour some A/F in there (as long as it has no thermostat)
....BAD A$$ STREET CAR.....
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Re: How cold for antifreeze
[Re: n20mstr]
#2912800
04/21/21 10:21 AM
04/21/21 10:21 AM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 20,116 PA.
pittsburghracer
"Little"John
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"Little"John
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 20,116
PA.
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Norwalk used to run their Halloween Classic race later in October and I got caught a couple of times when bad weather moved in and my car was still in my trailer. I would just put an electric cube heater in the trailer that had a thermostat on it. Worked like a charm till I had some time to park it safely in my shop.
1970 Duster Edelbrock headed 408 5.984@112.52 422 Indy headed small block 5.982@112.56 mph 9.42@138.27
Livin and lovin life one day at a time
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Re: How cold for antifreeze
[Re: pittsburghracer]
#2912802
04/21/21 10:29 AM
04/21/21 10:29 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,701 Portage,michigan
B3422W5
OP
I Live Here
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OP
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Went back to the shop last night at 11. At that time it was 33 degrees, headed down Shop was 69 degrees, went in my bay, bet it was over 50 in there. Sharing a wall with the shop its warmer in there than i suspected. Put a heater in there anyway, when i got here this morning it was probably in the 50’s in that bay. Will do the same thing tonight, then the worrisome temps will be over starting tomorrow.
69 Dart GTS A4 Silver All steel, flat factory hood, 3360race weight 418 BPE factory replacement headed stroker, 565 lift solid cam Best so far, 10.40 @127 1/4 1.41 best 60 foot 6.60 at 103.90 1/8
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