Cold temps and no antifreeze......

[ram360]

I had the car sitting outside for a few weeks. It's been pretty cold recently and the antifreeze mix was mostly water. When I checked everything it just had some slush inside (nothing was frozen solid tho) Did I harm anything? I've heard about cracking the block if it freezes solid? When I got it back home yesterday, I drained the rad, and pulled the lower hose from the water pump and let that drain. I'm sure it still has some in there but will it hurt anything if I leave the car w/o any antifreeze/ water in there all winter? It's not going to be driven, just sitting in the cold.

 

[QCStang]

I had the car sitting outside for a few weeks. It's been pretty cold recently and the antifreeze mix was mostly water. When I checked everything it just had some slush inside (nothing was frozen solid tho) Did I harm anything? I've heard about cracking the block if it freezes solid? When I got it back home yesterday, I drained the rad, and pulled the lower hose from the water pump and let that drain. I'm sure it still has some in there but will it hurt anything if I leave the car w/o any antifreeze/ water in there all winter? It's not going to be driven, just sitting in the cold.

You could crack your block, blow a gasket, crack your rad, burst your hoses, crack your water pump. Is it worth $10 to you?

 

[HO93LX302]

You could crack your block, blow a gasket, crack your rad, burst your hoses, crack your water pump. Is it worth $10 to you?

I agree.. Fill it with all coolant and let if sit for the winter.. You have to have something in there otherwise it'll probably rust out.. For the winter you should do close to 100% coolant, so it won't freeze at all like yours

 

[SwAmPf0x]

Definately put antifreeze in it, actually a 50/50 mix will have a lower freezing temp than 100% antifreeze

 

[ram360]

You could crack your block, blow a gasket, crack your rad, burst your hoses, crack your water pump. Is it worth $10 to you?

Yeah, I understand it can crack if it's full of water and freezes solid and has nowhere to expand. I just meant leaving it empty like this for a day or two until I buy some antifreeze. I usually do a 50/50 mix.

 

[ram360]

.......I figured having nothing in there was better than having nearly 100% water in there in 10* temps.

 

[BAD88GT]

Even if you drained it there is still some water in the block you can't get it all out by pulling the lower hose,it may not be much left but it's still enough I would want to fill it with antifreeze and run it for awhile and let it fill the block with antifreeze.

 

[Michael Yount]

No water's better than 100% - but you can't get all the water out, that's the problem. Jeez, spend $7 at WalMart and throw a gallon and a half of Prestone in there too.

 

[89roadster]

Don't leave it empty either unless you like rust