Keep it from freezing!

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RockinRobin

RockinRobin

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For those of you who don't use antifreeze in your race car, what do you do in the winter to keep it from freezing in an unheated garage or trailer, aside from draining the block/radiator?
right now I have a 1500 watt electric heater blowing on the radiator/front of motor and a 250 watt heat lamp under each side of the block. I also have the motor covered with fender covers. It rarely gets below freezing around here, but we are looking at lows in the 20's for the next few days.
 
I would drain it. block drains, lower rad hose. Check intake if it holds water. It only takes once, and too late if the little heater doesn't keep up or trips a breaker.
 
A lot of guys here in Ohio will drain the water at end of season and fill with anti freeze mix for winter, then drain flush fill with water for the season. Little extra time but may save damage.
 
I always put rad drain petcocks in each side of my block and all I have to do is reach through the headers from top and turn the valve, out comes the summer stuff. Then fill it up with the winter stuff, I just keep reusing it.
 
Dubob said:
A lot of guys here in Ohio will drain the water at end of season and fill with anti freeze mix for winter, then drain flush fill with water for the season. Little extra time but may save damage.
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That's what I do here in Akron Ohio. I don't trust just draining it, there may be a spot or two that still has water that could freeze and cause problems. I put antifreeze in mine for the winter and I like to fire it up every couple weeks whenever the temp gets around 40 degrees.
 
ProSport said:
That's what I do here in Akron Ohio. I don't trust just draining it, there may be a spot or two that still has water that could freeze and cause problems. I put antifreeze in mine for the winter and I like to fire it up every couple weeks whenever the temp gets around 40 degrees.
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definitely do the antifreeze thing. I let one of my hemi`s freeze up one winter by draining the radiator and forgot about it. spent my vacation that next summer metal locking the block. It`s still running today, 40 something yrs later.
 
If 20 degrees is as low as it get and it's in a garage, it probably won't get to freezing 32* inside the garage...But....
I always add antifreeze in the winter. but we get below 0
 
If you do drain it, make sure to leave yourself notes on the dash and windshield to re-fill.
Heard of someone who forgot to refill, made a coupe of passes, before it stopped.
Said his temp gauge never read hot!
Of course not, no liquid!
 
drain a gallon out, and put a gallon of straight anti-freeze in it. Circulate it with electric water pump, or start it. Should be enough to keep it from freez'n
 
Not just the freezing aspect, but also straight water will promote rust of the block very quickly.

Duane
 
RockinRobin said:
Well, you know why racers have to run straight water in their drag cars....
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OH yes I get that. But I made the mistake of leaving water in the block in a heated garage. But I could not believe how fast my water pump and coolant passages accumulated rust. Antifreeze is not just for freezing protection. If the car is going to sit for a period of time I will always add antifreeze for rust and freeze protection. In my current build I am going to take the time to add some provisions to make it very easy to drain the block. This will be handy for between rounds draining if necessary and easy seasonal maintenance.
Just my 2 cents. Nice motor by the way.

Duane
 
Duane said:
OH yes I get that. But I made the mistake of leaving water in the block in a heated garage. But I could not believe how fast my water pump and coolant passages accumulated rust. Antifreeze is not just for freezing protection. If the car is going to sit for a period of time I will always add antifreeze for rust and freeze protection. In my current build I am going to take the time to add some provisions to make it very easy to drain the block. This will be handy for between rounds draining if necessary and easy seasonal maintenance.
Just my 2 cents. Nice motor by the way.

Duane
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Car will sit for 2 weeks tops, but I put a gallon of antifreeze in it today, and will drain it when ready to go to the track again in late Jan./early Feb.
BTW thanks for the compliment!
 
brian6pac said:
I always put rad drain petcocks in each side of my block and all I have to do is reach through the headers from top and turn the valve, out comes the summer stuff. Then fill it up with the winter stuff, I just keep reusing it.
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Great idea to save and reuse.
 
I live in Maine. My Dart sat in enclosed trailer all last winter. Just made sure the anti-freeze was up to spec. no problem. I always prime oil system when taking out of storage.
 
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