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How cold for antifreeze #2912330
04/20/21 02:17 PM
04/20/21 02:17 PM
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Portage,michigan
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B3422W5 Offline OP
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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

Re: How cold for antifreeze [Re: B3422W5] #2912336
04/20/21 02:24 PM
04/20/21 02:24 PM
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pittsburghracer Offline
"Little"John
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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




Re: How cold for antifreeze [Re: pittsburghracer] #2912340
04/20/21 02:26 PM
04/20/21 02:26 PM
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pittsburghracer Offline
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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




Re: How cold for antifreeze [Re: pittsburghracer] #2912343
04/20/21 02:28 PM
04/20/21 02:28 PM
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Portage,michigan
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B3422W5 Offline OP
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Originally Posted by pittsburghracer


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

Re: How cold for antifreeze [Re: B3422W5] #2912371
04/20/21 03:20 PM
04/20/21 03:20 PM
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W. Kentucky
justinp61 Offline
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If it's only going to below freezing for a couple hours each night I wouldn't worry about it.

Re: How cold for antifreeze [Re: B3422W5] #2912385
04/20/21 03:58 PM
04/20/21 03:58 PM
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tboomer Offline
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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!


The end is near.....
Re: How cold for antifreeze [Re: tboomer] #2912389
04/20/21 04:00 PM
04/20/21 04:00 PM
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Kirkland, Washington
Pacnorthcuda Offline
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If there is no wind a trouble light (incandescent of course) lying under the oil pan will work.

Re: How cold for antifreeze [Re: tboomer] #2912411
04/20/21 04:26 PM
04/20/21 04:26 PM
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Portage,michigan
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Originally Posted by tboomer
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

Re: How cold for antifreeze [Re: justinp61] #2912413
04/20/21 04:28 PM
04/20/21 04:28 PM
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Portage,michigan
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Originally Posted by justinp61
If it's only going to below freezing for a couple hours each night I wouldn't worry about it.



https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/kalamazoo/49007/hourly-weather-forecast/329376?day=2


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

Re: How cold for antifreeze [Re: B3422W5] #2912418
04/20/21 04:42 PM
04/20/21 04:42 PM
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moparacer Offline
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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.. whiney 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
Re: How cold for antifreeze [Re: moparacer] #2912524
04/20/21 07:13 PM
04/20/21 07:13 PM
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Akron, Ohio
ProSport Offline
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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
Re: How cold for antifreeze [Re: ProSport] #2912649
04/20/21 09:52 PM
04/20/21 09:52 PM
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So Near, Yet So Far
topside Offline
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Me, I'd either drain all the water out or circulate some antifreeze into the water & drain/refill later.
I don't like worrying about a few bucks and a little time vs freezing water in an engine.
Better yet, put a block heater on it so you can light it off pre-warmed, but there may not be time for that.

Re: How cold for antifreeze [Re: topside] #2912685
04/20/21 10:42 PM
04/20/21 10:42 PM
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East Coast
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A/MP Offline
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It takes a long time for the amount of water to freeze. Water in your block and rad need constant below 32* in order for the water to begin to think about freezing. Fire the motor up and bring it to temp before the sun goes down and you are good.

Re: How cold for antifreeze [Re: A/MP] #2912701
04/20/21 11:12 PM
04/20/21 11:12 PM
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n.c.
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its not that hard to unscrew the two block drains, wouldn't worry about what's left in the radiator.

Some replace the drain plugs with petcocks, may not have room for that.

Re: How cold for antifreeze [Re: geo.] #2912748
04/21/21 07:53 AM
04/21/21 07:53 AM
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On the parachute mount
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n20mstr Offline
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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.....
Re: How cold for antifreeze [Re: n20mstr] #2912769
04/21/21 08:56 AM
04/21/21 08:56 AM
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Kirkland, Washington
Pacnorthcuda Offline
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Originally Posted by n20mstr
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.

Re: How cold for antifreeze [Re: Pacnorthcuda] #2912787
04/21/21 09:29 AM
04/21/21 09:29 AM
Joined: Aug 2003
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n20mstr Offline
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Originally Posted by Pacnorthcuda
Originally Posted by n20mstr
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.....
Re: How cold for antifreeze [Re: n20mstr] #2912800
04/21/21 10:21 AM
04/21/21 10:21 AM
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 20,116
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pittsburghracer Offline
"Little"John
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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




Re: How cold for antifreeze [Re: pittsburghracer] #2912802
04/21/21 10:29 AM
04/21/21 10:29 AM
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Portage,michigan
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B3422W5 Offline 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

Re: How cold for antifreeze [Re: B3422W5] #2912831
04/21/21 11:52 AM
04/21/21 11:52 AM
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Bend,OR USA
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Cab_Burge Offline
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Way better to be safe than wished that you had taken that action up


Mr.Cab Racing and winning with Mopars since 1964. (Old F--t, Huh)
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