How cold does it have to be before it cracks the block?

[Kern Dog]

It's supposed to be in the mid teens here on Wednesday morning. Figure the heat lamp will be on all night....and probably be cheaper to just dump in the antifreeze lol

This blows away my impressions of the south and how it was rumored to be warmer than the north.
How is it that Sacramento is at 38 degrees latitude and Dallas is 32 but you guys in Texas get at or below freezing so much more than we do?
I always heard that birds fly south for the winter but leaving here and going south apparently can be colder ???

 

[kiwigtx]

We don’t want to hear about a straight pipe on your junk.

 

[RR Fan Dan]

If its only a couple of days at just below freezing you should be fine, especially if the temperature comes up over 32 during the day. Most all of us here are on well pumps and we typically don’t worry about our well pump houses freezing until it gets consistently in the teens, then we only turn a 100w light bulb on.

 

[Hey-O]

A drop light with a 60 Watt incandescent bulb will keep it warm enough.

I had a well in a 4'x4'x4' cube with a door. It NEVER froze with a 60 watt bulb in it. Even when it got to zero. I put a cheap small box heater in there later. The lowest setting was 37, I only bought it because 60 watt incandescent bulbs are only good for about 900 hours. The sun plays a role here. We have snow melting and it 26 degrees. Two boats left outside between two houses. One cracked and the other didn't, the sun hit the one more than the other, that was just below freezing. Some going to win, some going to lose, good time Charlie's got the blues.

 

[#41]

How cold, but for also how long at that temp? We stored a bomber stock car in a field over winter once and forgot to drain the water. The block cracked and it maybe got into the high 20's at the worst.

Don't chance it.

 

[Black_Sheep]

Why no antifreeze?

You could start it every few hours overnight if you’re worried…

 

[1967coronet]

When was the last time the weather man hit the temp dead on ?
A $15 jug of antifreeze and a 1/2 hr of time.

 

[Cranky]

View attachment 1792194

Had to look up what the heck DZNUTS were lol

A gallon of straight antifreeze and let it run a little while after thermostat opens.
Remember to open the heater control so the core gets some.

The stat on this thing hasn't closed in probably 15 years!! Also, the heater core flows whenever the engine is running.

Don't buy that 50/50 crap either as it is not real 50/50. I've used it and tested it and it only tests to about- 20, not the- 30 it says

On another subject what has happened to my avatar?

Never did like the mixed stuff.....and what happened to your avatar? I see one but did something change?

This blows away my impressions of the south and how it was rumored to be warmer than the north.
How is it that Sacramento is at 38 degrees latitude and Dallas is 32 but you guys in Texas get at or below freezing so much more than we do?
I always heard that birds fly south for the winter but leaving here and going south apparently can be colder ???

View attachment 1792338

The last time for this kind of weather was 4 years ago. Usually it doesn't happen very often but had fun in it last time. Most all businesses closed down and their parking lots were empty so had to get out and do some slow motion donuts on the frozen surfaces. And birds usually fly way further south than here.

Thanks for the laugh! lol

Why no antifreeze?

You could start it every few hours overnight if you’re worried…

Why do that when I can shove one of these against the oil pan sump with a 100w light bulb?

When was the last time the weather man hit the temp dead on ?
A $15 jug of antifreeze and a 1/2 hr of time.

Not a single one and they usually go for the gloom and doom side.....one channel is saying 20 degrees for the low on Wednesday instead of 16.

 

[Photon440]

You could also use an adhesive oil pan heater.
www.amazon.ca/Heating-Silicone-Uniform-Adhesive-Electric/dp/B0DQDVGK1J/ref=sr_1_5?adgrpid=1358997005147818&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.zIvuP0CxCbAYeN2_HjiK42VzZFtyQLQ705G2i1EggjxMAfwXFI7CWqNSQKlX82tD7T9lrObYdKyxc_HQli_Ng0p3UWOqHrsoVDZb71x5d5Hr5wlGXMU_TpbPE1Uwee0Xt34p8xq-9ONNKWzQqIKF7MTt6NKPT1rS0iisctxjBxMvmiDqTSy6GQwmduRCuqR2NthFcbHiWecKFOmkLIIkxJbI-oAkglk8NGGRaIEsoLSrVEzB-1QAxbEoQvDQnSyLwv-DGrQ3Xg_mnErAAmYvPd1vHItutFvTEOmEGIPQWBDuoH_-PRsq38CNZFXi0rftxeLOFXY8iV6VdyOLRUU8d3k4bMnK2AO6dsTp4-PkuTbl0n9S3oYYp2wJciwrFGjALBVtmTji6Rj92ln5aAXrh_VkXQ4iup0CG2UTfZ53lNJr3y7tUx5JkWN0kLRTWJri.-TslMh56EQLwCYPm8xdua9cUZS6XC_QpnEcMURsVUNg&dib_tag=se&hvadid=84937799042212&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=5064&hvnetw=s&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-84937664239565:loc-32&hydadcr=13539_13454128&keywords=adhesive+oil+pan+heater&msclkid=faee62df75381e564ff60551e3565e06&qid=1737397890&sr=8-5

 

[Cranky]

You could also use an adhesive oil pan heater.
www.amazon.ca/Heating-Silicone-Uniform-Adhesive-Electric/dp/B0DQDVGK1J/ref=sr_1_5?adgrpid=1358997005147818&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.zIvuP0CxCbAYeN2_HjiK42VzZFtyQLQ705G2i1EggjxMAfwXFI7CWqNSQKlX82tD7T9lrObYdKyxc_HQli_Ng0p3UWOqHrsoVDZb71x5d5Hr5wlGXMU_TpbPE1Uwee0Xt34p8xq-9ONNKWzQqIKF7MTt6NKPT1rS0iisctxjBxMvmiDqTSy6GQwmduRCuqR2NthFcbHiWecKFOmkLIIkxJbI-oAkglk8NGGRaIEsoLSrVEzB-1QAxbEoQvDQnSyLwv-DGrQ3Xg_mnErAAmYvPd1vHItutFvTEOmEGIPQWBDuoH_-PRsq38CNZFXi0rftxeLOFXY8iV6VdyOLRUU8d3k4bMnK2AO6dsTp4-PkuTbl0n9S3oYYp2wJciwrFGjALBVtmTji6Rj92ln5aAXrh_VkXQ4iup0CG2UTfZ53lNJr3y7tUx5JkWN0kLRTWJri.-TslMh56EQLwCYPm8xdua9cUZS6XC_QpnEcMURsVUNg&dib_tag=se&hvadid=84937799042212&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=5064&hvnetw=s&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-84937664239565:loc-32&hydadcr=13539_13454128&keywords=adhesive+oil+pan+heater&msclkid=faee62df75381e564ff60551e3565e06&qid=1737397890&sr=8-5

View attachment 1792558

Probably not going to use 5 bucks in electricity plus I would have to clean the oil pan....the valve covers have been leaking a bit for some time now.

 

[Budnicks]

Temperture & the time it's below freezing even humidity matters
I knew a few people in Palmer area east of Anchorage Alaska
that had cracked blocks from not plugging them, in when outside
even with anti-freeze in them (probably not enough)
it was about 0*-10*s at the time for about 2 weeks, in February IIRC
not sure actually how long it took 'or when', it was back in the mid 1980's (85-ish)

Everything except my 'race cars' (rule prohibited) have had
purple ice & almost 2 gals of appr, style antifreeze
most are garaged too, take a bit more inside

My 76 Plymouth Trailduster 400cid 4 bbl, kicked out two freeze plugs
(they were like almost 90*s of installed possition) one winter night in Anchorage Alaska
it had plenty of antifreeze too, not sure why or even how it did it
it was still plugged (but outside) in to the block heater...
Power/electricity never went out, that I knew of...
I reinstalled them with some Permatex old style 'make a gasket' sealer,
never had any issues after...
I suspected someone did it, vandalized my rig, it was lifted & high in the air
& very easy to get under it...
I was an Apartment mngr, off the corner of Lake Ottis & Tudor drive
(or was it Northern Lights Dr. & Lake Ottis ?), & I had some enemies,
lots of people I had evicted, scumbags...

 

[71dodgechargerrt]

 

[Triplegreen500]

Yea I'm reading this thread and wondering what the reason is for not just putting antifreeze in it? The chemicals also work better as a coolant than plain ol water when it's hot out (always ran water wetter in my motorcycle for track days to keep it from overheating - no antifreeze allowed on track).

And unless you removed your heater control valve, your core does NOT circulate any time the engine runs. The HCV is a bypass valve.

Put antifreeze in it, turn on the heat, and run it for about five minutes after the thermostat opens. Why risk it?

 

[Unkle Krusty]

I well recall all the power boaters sitting in the yacht club, talking about how there block would not freeze. There are many ways physics does not apply. Good luck with that.
Most were small block Chev engines. They broke behind the pushrods. Insurance bought them a new engine. The mechanic and I removed all the new parts and put them in my 307, and later a 350. Do not take chances. It is the thawing process that expands the water and cracks the block.
There is no force that can contain the water expanding.
An insulated box with a light bulb is pretty cheap.
I think it got chilly in Texas last winter, and that got a few folks by surprise.
I try and keep most things around 50 during the winter, but 40 is enough.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Yea I'm reading this thread and wondering what the reason is for not just putting antifreeze in it?

We’ll, if Cranky simply put antifreeze in, he wouldn’t have this three page thread to his name.

 

[RemCharger]

Hey now, we all strive for reaction scores in our own ways

 

[340runner]

I think the better question is how cold does it have to get to get free cryogenic treatment on the engine

 

[Cranky]

Yea I'm reading this thread and wondering what the reason is for not just putting antifreeze in it? The chemicals also work better as a coolant than plain ol water when it's hot out (always ran water wetter in my motorcycle for track days to keep it from overheating - no antifreeze allowed on track).

And unless you removed your heater control valve, your core does NOT circulate any time the engine runs. The HCV is a bypass valve.

Put antifreeze in it, turn on the heat, and run it for about five minutes after the thermostat opens. Why risk it?

My bad on the valve. And never had any issues with keeping the engine cool even on 100 degree days stuck in traffic with the AC on. However, I do run a water pump lubricant and rust inhibitor in the rad. Never ever run plain water. Hey, we hardly ever get a hard freeze here and when we do, it only lasts for a short time and usually happens once during the winter.

I well recall all the power boaters sitting in the yacht club, talking about how there block would not freeze. There are many ways physics does not apply. Good luck with that.
Most were small block Chev engines. They broke behind the pushrods. Insurance bought them a new engine. The mechanic and I removed all the new parts and put them in my 307, and later a 350. Do not take chances. It is the thawing process that expands the water and cracks the block.
There is no force that can contain the water expanding.
An insulated box with a light bulb is pretty cheap.
I think it got chilly in Texas last winter, and that got a few folks by surprise.
I try and keep most things around 50 during the winter, but 40 is enough.

I guess you missed the part where I posted having a light under the oil pan sump? And it was 4 years ago when Texas had the big freeze that took out power for much of the state and some areas had rolling blackouts. Lost my power for 24 hours almost to the minute.

 

[Sahara]

You could also use an adhesive oil pan heater.
www.amazon.ca/Heating-Silicone-Uniform-Adhesive-Electric/dp/B0DQDVGK1J/ref=sr_1_5?adgrpid=1358997005147818&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.zIvuP0CxCbAYeN2_HjiK42VzZFtyQLQ705G2i1EggjxMAfwXFI7CWqNSQKlX82tD7T9lrObYdKyxc_HQli_Ng0p3UWOqHrsoVDZb71x5d5Hr5wlGXMU_TpbPE1Uwee0Xt34p8xq-9ONNKWzQqIKF7MTt6NKPT1rS0iisctxjBxMvmiDqTSy6GQwmduRCuqR2NthFcbHiWecKFOmkLIIkxJbI-oAkglk8NGGRaIEsoLSrVEzB-1QAxbEoQvDQnSyLwv-DGrQ3Xg_mnErAAmYvPd1vHItutFvTEOmEGIPQWBDuoH_-PRsq38CNZFXi0rftxeLOFXY8iV6VdyOLRUU8d3k4bMnK2AO6dsTp4-PkuTbl0n9S3oYYp2wJciwrFGjALBVtmTji6Rj92ln5aAXrh_VkXQ4iup0CG2UTfZ53lNJr3y7tUx5JkWN0kLRTWJri.-TslMh56EQLwCYPm8xdua9cUZS6XC_QpnEcMURsVUNg&dib_tag=se&hvadid=84937799042212&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=5064&hvnetw=s&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-84937664239565:loc-32&hydadcr=13539_13454128&keywords=adhesive+oil+pan+heater&msclkid=faee62df75381e564ff60551e3565e06&qid=1737397890&sr=8-5

View attachment 1792558

I have that exact unit under the battery of my jeep.

 

[eldubb440]

I assumed everyone runs antifreeze, even in warm climates...... for the corrosion protection at least