Don Jordan Posted December 10, 2009 Report Posted December 10, 2009 I may feel silly asking this but here goes. For those of you who don't know - IT'S COLD OUT THERE. I would normally wait until the block freezes out the freeze plug before I put in antifreeze but I figure this time why wait till the last minute? Here's a question: my Plymouth in the garage has no carburetors so it doesn't run. If I drain the radiator and fill it with antifreeze all that's going to happen is the radiator won't freeze. Without being able to start the car how do I get the antifreeze into the block? The other car runs (at times) so I can drain the radiator and run antifreeze through the motor. In the past I've never worried about antifreeze, and while some of you may not think it cold, it's been below 32° which I consider KOLD. That's it! Quote
Tyler drives Betty Posted December 10, 2009 Report Posted December 10, 2009 If the engine is turning freely, one way would be to fill the radiator, disconnect the battery, remove the plugs to get rid of compression, and turn it by hand to pump things through the block. Quote
greg g Posted December 10, 2009 Report Posted December 10, 2009 If its goint into dead storage, I would drain the radiator and the block and leave them dry, that way no worries. There is a petcock on the drives side of the block just ahead of the distributor that will drain the block. You might have to insert a wire and root around in the passage to get any flow. Draining out enough so the passagea aren't full will leave enoough room for ay water water that may be left to expand without cracking the block. Quote
Don Jordan Posted December 10, 2009 Author Report Posted December 10, 2009 I will look for petcock tomorrow - that is a good idea. Then when I do finally get it running then I can fill it up... thanks Quote
BobT-47P15 Posted December 10, 2009 Report Posted December 10, 2009 Checked the anti freeze in the convert tonight (Wed).....it floated four balls of the tester.....which says good to minus 25 degrees. The current outside temp is about 12 degrees with some wind which makes things seem even colder. The car is in the attached garage, so I'd say it'll be OK. Quote
mackster Posted December 10, 2009 Report Posted December 10, 2009 I remember a forum member recommended to put a sticky note in the ignition switch (covering the hole) to remember to put some antifreeze in the radiator prior to starting the car, sometimes it takes a few months before we get around to it and you dont want to remember seconds after you hear the engine seize!!!! Quote
boxer_inv Posted December 10, 2009 Report Posted December 10, 2009 Don Today at my house it was 29 degrees outside... Celsius, that is (85F +/-) About 95% humidity out there too.... yep, this'd be the tropics then... Maybe one day I'll have a snowy Christmas... Quote
Joe Flanagan Posted December 10, 2009 Report Posted December 10, 2009 You won't have a snowy Christmas unless you get on a plane and fly 48 hours. Take my word for it, they're fun for about an hour or so. You're lucky you can go out and tinker with your car. I was out messing around with mine a little while ago and with the cold wind blowing, you just can't get comfortable. Quote
TodFitch Posted December 10, 2009 Report Posted December 10, 2009 You won't have a snowy Christmas unless you get on a plane and fly 48 hours. Take my word for it, they're fun for about an hour or so. You're lucky you can go out and tinker with your car. I was out messing around with mine a little while ago and with the cold wind blowing, you just can't get comfortable. Brings back memories of when I lived in Baltimore and had my daily driver (a 20 year old VW bug) require work under the car when there was snow on the ground. Miserable time of it. Fingers frozen, coat back soaked from the snow melt. Not enough hot chocolate in the house to keep you going... Don't even remember what needed fixing. All I remember is that I was miserable doing it. Quote
Joe Flanagan Posted December 10, 2009 Report Posted December 10, 2009 I did a clutch job like that one time. I had to ride my bike to the parts store. Used all the swear words I knew and all combinations thereof. Mostly I just remember the cold. Quote
Don Jordan Posted December 11, 2009 Author Report Posted December 11, 2009 I went out today to drain the water out of the radiator and the petcock is directly at the bottom in the front of the radiator. I couldn't reach it because the horns block access to it. I figure I'd do it the easy way and I took off the bottom hose. It drained enough that I could get a gallon of antifreeze in. Then I just ran the car till it heated up. A gallon should work shouldn't it? It doesn't get much below freezing here. What happened to global warming? I hate the cold. Quote
BobT-47P15 Posted December 11, 2009 Report Posted December 11, 2009 Don, you can buy those little bulb antifreeze testers with the floating balls pretty cheap at Wal Mart or an auto supply. Better safe than sorry. Quote
P-12 Tommy Posted December 11, 2009 Report Posted December 11, 2009 Back in '76 I changed a starter on my '68 R/T Charger when it was -5 degrees out under the car with only a car jack. Thought I was gonna get frostbite. Not fun Tom Quote
Joe Flanagan Posted December 11, 2009 Report Posted December 11, 2009 Well, you've topped me, Tom. I'm going to try to work out there today. In the twenties right now but looking at a high in the mid-30's. I guess I'll wait until noon, when it warms up real nice. Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted December 11, 2009 Report Posted December 11, 2009 you guys are either 1) nuts 2) dedicated beyond belief 3) bored out of your freaking minds 4) married to the wrong girl I cannot see kissing up to a wrench when it is that cold especially flat out open to the elements. Quote
P-12 Tommy Posted December 11, 2009 Report Posted December 11, 2009 you guys are either 1) nuts 2) dedicated beyond belief 3) bored out of your freaking minds 4) married to the wrong girl I cannot see kissing up to a wrench when it is that cold especially flat out open to the elements. Well.... at the time I was laidoff from my job and couldn't afford to have it towed,so I bit the bullet.Tom Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted December 11, 2009 Report Posted December 11, 2009 that would fall under heading of number 2...necessity driving the dedication Quote
Merle Coggins Posted December 11, 2009 Report Posted December 11, 2009 I grew up on a dairy farm in northern Wisconsin and ended up in a career as a construction equipment mechanic so working outside in all weather conditions was just a fact of life. I think my most memorable job was when I got a service call to go down to Kenosha along the lake to look at a machine with a warning light on. The temp that day was -35F with wind chills down around -70. As it turns out the warning light was to indicate that the hydraulic filter was bypassing, probably because the oil had the consistency of honey and it couldn't pass through the filter. I also spent the better part of that day helping the crew get all of the other equipment on the job site started. By around 2:00 PM everything was finally running and the foreman finally realized that they weren't going to get any thing done that day, so we shut it all down and went home. What a fun day. Carhartt insulated coveralls, Sorel pack boots, and Wells Lamont yellow chore gloves (purchased by the dozen) were my normal winter apparel back then. Quote
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