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Coolant Freezing during winter storage any ill effects?

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Old May 30, 2008 | 02:12 AM
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Coolant Freezing during winter storage any ill effects?

I just want to know if my coolant does freeze during the winter storage, would this cause any damage to the engine?

I wont be starting it up.
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Old May 30, 2008 | 02:29 AM
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It is possible to crack the block or somewhere around the block. Just drain it all out(prob best idea) or have more antifreeze than water so it wont freeze.
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Old May 30, 2008 | 07:36 AM
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IF your coolant froze in a piston engine, it would shove the "freeze plugs" out of the block and HOPEFULLY not crack it.
I have no idea on a 13BREW...do they even HAVE freeze plugs???

Look at it this way, the damage is done if...damage was done. I would say that unless you see a puddle forming somewhere once the engine is no longer frozen, you are gold.
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Old May 30, 2008 | 09:12 AM
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It is true that even in Canada the density of ice is less than liquid water,therefore if a fixed mass of water freezes its volume will increase.
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Old May 30, 2008 | 09:31 AM
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Originally Posted by Six Rotors
It is true that even in Canada the density of ice is less than liquid water,therefore if a fixed volume of water freezes its volume will increase.
Fixed.
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Old May 30, 2008 | 10:18 AM
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13Bs have freeze plugs as well, but there is no reason the coolant should freeze if you run a proper mix.
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Old May 30, 2008 | 10:24 AM
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Originally Posted by Six Rotors
It is true that even in Canada the density of ice is less than liquid water,therefore if a fixed mass of water freezes its volume will increase.
Originally Posted by aaron1017
Fixed.
I thought it was fine the first time.
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Old May 30, 2008 | 11:43 AM
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Originally Posted by Six Rotors
It is true that even in Canada the density of ice is less than liquid water,therefore if a fixed volume of water freezes its volume will increase.
Originally Posted by aaron1017
Fixed.
You're wrong. If the volume was fixed, then how can it change?. The original statement of mass was correct. Don't try to fix people's posts if you don't know what you're talking about.
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Old May 30, 2008 | 11:58 AM
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With respect to the topic, it sounds like you are planning ahead to possibly let your coolant freeze over the winter. Just go buy some antifreeze and mix in proportions for our Canadian winter weather (-40 would be plenty).

And you could do a hell of alot of damage if you let your coolant freeze. Split hoses, cracked radiator tanks, busted AST, cracked block. You can also be pretty much guarenteed that your coolant seals will be blown when the car starts next summer.
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Old May 30, 2008 | 11:54 PM
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All this by just letting the car sit ?

I dont plan on starting it up just let it sit there the whole winter.
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Old May 31, 2008 | 12:00 AM
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I was wanting to run a 35% anti freeze and 65% water.

It is said that this mixture ratio will protect you down to 3 degrees F and will actually cool the car more efficiently. 3 degrees F is equivilent to -16 degrees.

The car will be garaged and will not see outside. It does get cold in Toronto during the winters. But the temperature doesnt normally drop below -16 often.

Usually the "windsheild" does push the temperature down quite a bit here, but the car will be inside and not have wind blowing against it.

Has anyone in Canada stored there car with this mixture setup and have not run into any problems?
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Old May 31, 2008 | 12:44 AM
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Originally Posted by wb123
I was wanting to run a 35% anti freeze and 65% water.

It is said that this mixture ratio will protect you down to 3 degrees F and will actually cool the car more efficiently. 3 degrees F is equivilent to -16 degrees.

The car will be garaged and will not see outside. It does get cold in Toronto during the winters. But the temperature doesnt normally drop below -16 often.

Usually the "windsheild" does push the temperature down quite a bit here, but the car will be inside and not have wind blowing against it.

Has anyone in Canada stored there car with this mixture setup and have not run into any problems?
It sounds to me as if you may not really understand the problem with freezing coolant. There are two potential problems with frozen coolant.

1) Coolant freezes in the lines or in the radiator keeping the coolant from circulating. This can cause damage by overheating since the coolant isn't circulating but stays in the engine until it boils.

2) Coolant freezes in the lines, radiator, engine block, heater core, etc... Water expands as it freezes. Water does not expand in just one direction, but in all directions. This expansion can cause all kinds of engine parts to split, break, crack, and generally be very unhappy.

To ensure this won't happen, you need to have coolant that will not freeze during the coldest weather that you may encounter. I didn't say are likely to encounter, or will encounter, but may encounter. A quick Google inquiry tells me that the record low recorded at Toronto International Airport was about -24F back in 1981. That is the temperature that your coolant should be good for. Any less and you will run the risk of engine damage unless you will keep the car in a heated garage.

You can run less anti-freeze in the summer, but before winter comes around drain some out and replace with more anti-freeze until the coolant is good down to -32C.

BTW, don't let your car just sit all winter. Start it up and let get to operating temp every couple of weeks. At least that is what I would do.
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Old May 31, 2008 | 01:32 AM
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Wow, I can't believe this thread.

Why do you even care about putting in some perfect mixture of antifreeze/water if you aren't even going to be driving the car? Are you just being cheap and trying to scimp out on paying for an extra bottle of antifreeze?

For christ sake if you aren't going to drive the car then just fill it up with 100% antifreeze. Don't be a moron and risk the problems. Have you ever put a can of pop in the freezer so long that it bursts? That will be your engine. A BIG BLOODY MESS.

It's "wind chill" not "windsheild". The wind chill has absolutely no effect on what temperature your engine sees. If it's -10 out with a -100 wind chill, the coolant in your car is only going to see -10.
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Old May 31, 2008 | 07:48 AM
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And why not just follow the manufacturer's recommendation that is posted on your hood, where it says "Attention: Coolant concentration MUST be kept at 45% or higher (example: 45% or higher coolant, 55% or lower water)".
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Old May 31, 2008 | 12:18 PM
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Originally Posted by bajaman
And why not just follow the manufacturer's recommendation that is posted on your hood, where it says "Attention: Coolant concentration MUST be kept at 45% or higher (example: 45% or higher coolant, 55% or lower water)".
I think one reason is that a 45% coolant/water mix is less efficient at cooling than a 35% mix. It sounds as if the OP wants to set up a 35% coolant, but doesn't want to change it for storage.
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Old May 31, 2008 | 01:01 PM
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hahahaha this thread is so retarded.
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Old Jun 1, 2008 | 09:22 PM
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Originally Posted by rossc
Wow, I can't believe this thread.

Why do you even care about putting in some perfect mixture of antifreeze/water if you aren't even going to be driving the car? Are you just being cheap and trying to scimp out on paying for an extra bottle of antifreeze?

For christ sake if you aren't going to drive the car then just fill it up with 100% antifreeze. Don't be a moron and risk the problems. Have you ever put a can of pop in the freezer so long that it bursts? That will be your engine. A BIG BLOODY MESS.

It's "wind chill" not "windsheild". The wind chill has absolutely no effect on what temperature your engine sees. If it's -10 out with a -100 wind chill, the coolant in your car is only going to see -10.
Im replacing the cooling fluid for the summer.

The car is not driven in the winter.
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Old Jun 2, 2008 | 12:04 AM
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Originally Posted by wb123
Im replacing the cooling fluid for the summer.

The car is not driven in the winter.
Replace the fluid for winter storage, simple, cheap, effective.

Run the motor every so often during storage, rotarys do not take well to being left alone for long periods of time.

Are you really this determined to spend a bunch of money on things that could have been avoided if you weren't to lazy/cheap to deal with them in the first place?
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