Got up this morning (following an evening of ARCTIC like weather) and started up the old RX7. Yet, shortly afterwords the add coolant buzzer came on. So I pulled the radiator cap to add some water, but there's no need to . . . IT's already FILLED! Buzzer still going off! Can't be water seals or pump, the thing was just rebuilt. Meanwhile I poke my head in the car to see how it's warming up; the temparture gauge hasn't even moved. It's just sitting there as if the car had not even been started (keep in mind the car had been running for over 10mins). So I said screw it, I had to go to work. I jump in, hit the highway and bam!!!!!! The car overheated!! I pulled over. I was less than a .25 of mile from the house so I drove her back. I had to get to work! So I called Mazdatrix. The guy said it doesn't freeze here so I'm not very skilled in that area. I said ok, so I hung up. I went outside and said now calm down. What's the easiest thing it could be. Frozen WaterPump. FROZEN WATERPUMP. I went and got warm water and just trickled it over the face of the pump and parked her in the sun. 45mins later I was at work

 

Good info. The only problem if pump was frozen, the impeller and pulley wouldn't turn. I've seen water freeze in the radiator hoses, not allowing circulation.

 

Your temp guage should have moved after 10 minutes of running regardless of weather the water pump was spinning or not. You either have a guage or sender problem.

 

were you not using the recomended 50/50 mix of coolant and water???

If you had a frozen water pump I would think that you would be having other spots frozen as well and would be on the look out for a leaking water seal in the near future.

 

If your water pump froze to the point where it wouldn't turn, you would have know there was a BIG problem before you went toolin down the road...
Only way that would happen is if you left your car for a while in the sub freezing weather with only water for coolant. If you did that, well....
If you have the correct coolant/water ratio, it'd have to be DAMN cold to freeze solid.
You probably have a bit of air in your system and a bum thermostat.

Cory
grew up in Northern Michigan and knows a thing or two about cold.

 

Not so sure about that. I've let my car idle for 10 minutes when it's real cold, and the guage has rarely ever moved. I don't have any problems with the gauge, and I replaced the thermostat as well.
I think we all know these cars HATE the cold, and take for ever to get up to normal operating temperatures.

 

my temp gauge hardly ever moves as well....
only after driving for about 10-20 min, will it actually lift away from the "c".....and even then it still is extremely close to "c"....
im gonna replace my thermostat, but i hear that the guage only has like 3 different settings......cold, middle, and hot.....although mine doesnt seem to follow that pattern...
any one know more info on the way the guage actually works....
=-dustin

 

damn, lucky you it didnt freeze in other places and caused lots more damage