• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Coolant water frozen - what next?

I can’t get over that some people run NO antifreeze. Up here your engine wouldn’t last the first winter, but besides that we would always run at least some for the anti corrosion chemicals.
Agree and congratulations – you have made the #100 post on this topic. Lol
 
What defines a closed system? You have to run a catch can by NHRA rukes. If th etube goes to the bottom of the resivoir the coolant will draw back into the radiator. No different than a new car. The way tracks are dropping like flies they are not going to turn away street cars. Street cars will be running anti freeze. They aren't going to have a diaper either. Be smart. Keep up on your maintenance. Run a diaper on your racecar.
Doug
 
These are the tracks I've raced at;
Milan, Mid Michigan, US131, Ubly, Northern Michigan, Onadaga, Detroit Dragway, National Trail, Summit Motorsports Park, Quaker City, Dragway 42, Kil Kare, Tri State, Kentucky Dragway, London Dragway, Beech Bend, Gateway, Cordova, Route 66, US41, Indy, Union Grove, Memphis Motorsports Park, Budds Creek, Keystone, Maple Grove, Lancaster, Rockingham, Atlanta, Commerce Ga., Shreveport, Las Vegas.
Not once did they ever say a word about coolant.
Doug
must have never had to clean it up off the surface , it doesnt clean up very well , a good friend wrecked a record holding 55 chevy because it didnt clean up worth a dam...
 
must have never had to clean it up off the surface , it doesnt clean up very well , a good friend wrecked a record holding 55 chevy because it didnt clean up worth a dam...
No I haven't, but I haven't spilled any either. You tell me what you would do racing in our area when it gets down to freezing? I get the feeling here that people think that synthetic oil, trans fluid, and axle all clean up with a paper towel. Get any of it (including water) under the tires and it's going to be a handful. It all takes clean up. And that not just a blow dry with floor sweep. I don't know what track that was your friend was at. But the tracks we race at. I've never had an issue after clean up. I've driven thru undetected spills. Also seen cars crash after a undetected spill. But seen far more crashes from the driver staying in it to long. #1 cause for sure. The rule states no anti freeze with an open system. Open sysyem isn't legal. So what's the issue?
Doug
 
Last edited:
I
No I haven't, but I haven't spilled any either. You tell me what you would do racing in our area when it gets down to freezing? I get the feeling here that people think that synthetic oil, trans fluid, and axle all clean up with a paper towel. Get any of it (including water) under the tires and it's going to be a handful. It all takes clean up. And that not just a blow dry with floor sweep. I don't know what track that was your friend was at. But the tracks we race at. I've never had an issue after clean up. I've driven thru undetected spills. Also seen cars crash after a undetected spill. But seen far more crashes from the driver staying in it to long. #1 cause for sure. The rule states no anti freeze with an open system. Open sysyem isn't legal. So what's the issue?
Doug
assure you , he didnt know it was there , car was down for 8 yrs...
issue was a chevy s 10 pick up blowing it out on the top end ...
 
I

assure you , he didnt know it was there , car was down for 8 yrs...
issue was a chevy s 10 pick up blowing it out on the top end ...
So it could've been water, oil, or antifreeze. Either you get lucky and manhandle it. Or you crash.
Doug
 
Doesn't sound crazy at all, When we lived in Anchorage Alaska dad used a 150 watt heat lamp bulb under his 57 Nomad for three years till he finally got a block heater.... It worked in Korea, Adak Alaska and while on his second tour in Germany so it should at least help anywhere...
Did you find any coffee cans full of Pirate bounty while there?? Curious, as the treasure hunters turned up almost zip.
 
Did you find any coffee cans full of Pirate bounty while there?? Curious, as the treasure hunters turned up almost zip.
When Pops was in Adak I wasn't born yet so if he found any I didn't benefit from it.... He went to Adak in 53 after serving in Korea..... If you sent me to Adak after serving in the Korean war I'd be looking to GTFO of the Military.... Instead he did another twenty years...
 
I live in Michigan. All my cars always have antifreeze including the race car. I’ve seen to many broken blocks.
 
I respectfully disagree. We may call them frost plugs, but that wasn’t what they were designed for. Lots of countries in the world would have no use for frost frost plugs. They still have plugs though.
I am respectfully ok that you respectfully disagree all you want. What they were designed for has nothing to do with the name. Kind of like tomato / tomatto. When you go to buy some try calling them casting plugs, or whatever you choose, and see where that gets you! Every manufacturer and seller calls them freeze or frost plugs. So, I stand my ground. I will have no problem getting the product I'm looking for when I go! Frost plugs. :)
 
IMG_0372.png



I don’t have a horse in this race but if it helps, I call them frost plugs. Please, somebody give me a red X!
 

CORE PLUGS ARE FREEZE PLUGS​

Also known as core plugs, freeze plugs play an important role in protecting automotive engines from cold-related damage. Unfortunately, though, many drivers rarely or ever check their vehicle's freeze plugs. While freeze plugs often last for hundreds of thousands of miles, they aren't immune to failure. And if your engine's freeze plugs fail, it could lead to catastrophic damage that's both costly and difficult to repair.

WHAT ARE FREEZE PLUGS?​

Freeze plugs are small, cylindrical-shaped plugs that are used to fill the passages in an engine created by the sand cores. During production, passages are created in engines that allows for the removal of casting sand. To fill these passages -- and therefore protect against coolant leaks -- automakers use freeze plugs.

In the past, plain water was used to cool combustion engines. While effecting at removing heat, plain water is susceptible to freezing. When the water coolant inside a vehicle's engine froze, its freeze plugs would push out. Automobiles today no longer use plain water as coolant. They use a combination of water and antifreeze. Nonetheless, you should still use caution to protect your engine's freeze plugs from failure.

What Are Freeze Plugs in Automotive Engines?
 
We’re having subzero weather here, and I completely forgot about the all water in my radiator and it’s now frozen, including rad hoses. Freeze plugs are still intact though. The Bee is stored for winter.

Do I just ride this out and wait for it to thaw in a few days when “warmer” weather comes? Thought about adding isopropyl alcohol but I’m guessing that won’t do much now.
Nothing you can do but wait it out, or Thaw it out as mentioned. Pretty sure you'll be ok. Being a CAST IRON block it'll take -20° for 24-30 hrs to crack it. I may be wrong! None of us know what's coming, (HAGERTY) so I guess its a good reason to REMOVE the Thermostat (replace housing) when it thaws, stick a hose in Raditor and flush it out. Hopefully you'll bee ok.
 
Auto Transport Service
Back
Top