black_88

Ok so my car is an 88 SE and my problem is that the temperature out side has been going into the single digites and the antifreez in my car has been freezing. I have replaced the thermostat and drained the coolant last summer and all went fine up intill now. about a month ago it did the same thing I whould go out side to warm up my car while it is in gear it reves up to about 3 thousand rpm's and stays there. if you give it some gas it reves up but goes back to 3 thousand rpm's and stays there so I left the car and came back to the car about 10 minites later and it is still running at 3 thousand rpm's and I have a custom water temp gauge and it was still reading bellow 100 degree's but I look at my stock gauge and it is half way up but the air comming out of the vents is colder the the air out side. but when I leave work at 2:00 pm and let the car warm up the air comming out of the vents is really warm. so my question is has anybody heard of this happing, or know how to fix this. and as far as I know it still has the original radiator and heater core in it.

87 t-66

iTrader: (133)

what mixture of antifreeze/water are you using?

na5

and you are not mixing different antifreeze types?

311unity13B

its all in the % mixture. Running 50-50 is fine in most of the lower 48 states. or you could run 60-40 just to be sure. I am not sure if this applies to S4 engines or not, but try putting the car in 1st gear, push in the clutch, and start it. then put it back in neutral This should cancel the cold start system (the 3k rpm)

But drain the coolant again and put in either 50-50 or 60-40. (read the back of the coolant/antifreeze jug). make sure its the green type. but make sure you arent buying the pre-diluted antifreeze. try this stuff: http://www.peakantifreeze.com/peakanti.html

Also, make sure you properly get all the air out of the system by bleeding it. Try this funnel. Best thing i ever bought for antifreeze flushes http://www.etooldirect.com/air-condi...4610-1291.html

when you are bleeding it, try to put the nose end of the car upwards up a hill. this will have the jug/filler neck at the highest point possible to allow all the air to get out. make sure you run the heater when you are going this as well to get the air out of the heater lines.

FC3Sdrift

iTrader: (5)

you can even go as much as 70/30

sorry i have to ask...your sure you didnt mix premix lol?
I live in canada and its got to -9F this winter and mine has never froze,
you can always spend the 5 bucks and buy a hydrometer and it'll tell you right away if your antifreeze mix is good

Grappler

iTrader: (6)

Just as a baseline, I run 50/50 premixed and even though it got down to well below -50 this winter I have had no problems so I don't see why you would unless its not mixed correctly. Follow 311unity13B's instructions and go from there.

311unity13B

in Michigan he/she doesnt need to run 70/30 50/50 is good down to -34F i highly doubt it ever gets that cold there. Let alone -84F.

FC3Sdrift

iTrader: (5)

i only use 50/50 too thats what i meant mine never freezes ,

thats why i asked if he mixed premix lol cuz i've never had a problem, i was just sayin the maximum effecient mixture

im across the river from michigan, so his weather is basically the same as mine

black_88

thanks to all of the people that replied. I am useing premixed 50/50 mix and it went down to about 9 degrees last night and went out to started my car and no problem and had heat all day. also when the car reves up to 3 thousand rpm's it is in gear and I know all about the warm up cycle. also when it dose freez the stock clutch fan gets stuck also and gets stuck spinning so I dont know if that has any thing to do with it or not. I also went to the dealer today and asked a mechanic and he said that there might be a blockage in the rad or the heater core chould that be possable to? and I dont know if this makes a diffrence but the antifreez that I am useing is from a corner gas station because the closest parts store is 5 miles away but you whould think that is the same stuff as the prestone and stuff right?

311unity13B

yeah, usually any green antifreeze is ok. but i try to use prestone or peak. Try flushing the entire system with a water hose (if you can find one that isnt frozen) haha. take off 1 of the heater lines that goes into the firewall/heater core and run moderate pressure (without a nozzle) into it. while that is flushing, turn on the ign (do not start) and move the temp select from cold to hot a few times. that will open/close the heater control valve and hopefully push out any blockage that may be in there. flush out the radiator and engine with the water hose as well. then follow my instructions on filling refilling it.