Do Many Cars Radiator Water ACTUALLY Freeze?

ytareh

Ok so people are generally a BIT more clued in nowadays but (mechanics?) are many people actually likely to suffer massive engine failure as a result of water freezing in car due to lack of antifreeze?Did this happen much last January?Did I read at one point that there are some kinds of failsafe 'plugs' which pop out if cooling water freezes and expands ?So what would be the likely outcome of starting a car with coolant frozen?

PaulKK

It does happen, i saw it happen to someone last winter, he had a leak in the radiator and just kept topping up with water.

There is a frost plug that protects the engine in the event of the water freezing alright, but this was a 96 car, so I'm not too sure about newer stuff.

corktina

hellova lot easier and cheaper to put in anti-freeze than repair an engine/rad/water pump.hose etc...

hairyman

Sadly I have fallen victim to something like this today.

I have been laid up in bed for the last few days with torn ligaments in my lower back, but I finally got up to run my MK 4 escort, only to find that the heater matrix is burst.
Only have the car a month and I should have checked it for anti-freeze.

You live, you learn.

El Guapo!

Yeah it can happen. And it can also crack the head. I've never seen it happen personally but have heard of it from a few people who have seen it.

07Lapierre

YES, anti-freeze.

Max_Damage

hairyman wrote: »

Sadly I have fallen victim to something like this today.

I have been laid up in bed for the last few days with torn ligaments in my lower back, but I finally got up to run my MK 4 escort, only to find that the heater matrix is burst.
Only have the car a month and I should have checked it for anti-freeze.

You live, you learn.

That'll be a whore of a job to replace. Dash out and all.

homer90

I was considering a e34 525i during the last big freeze. Engine was knackered due to no anti freeze.

Such a shame as the car was mint

hairyman

Max_Damage wrote: »

That'll be a whore of a job to replace. Dash out and all.

Its not so bad, getting the dash out of a MK4 is still a hell of a lot easier than some other types of car.

Topdeck

my friends 96 corolla froze solid tuesday morning.When he started it he heard a noise and saw smoke coming from his engine.The engine cut out and he rang me to come over.The rad pipes and waterpump where frozen solid.The noise and smoke was the belt slipping over the frozen waterpump.

cloneslad

what if a car doesn't have anti-freeze but you also don't start it when it's frozen?

Would it just return to normal after a few days or would the frozen water do damage to the engine without even turning on the ignition?

MarkoC

cloneslad wrote: »

what if a car doesn't have anti-freeze but you also don't start it when it's frozen?

Would it just return to normal after a few days or would the frozen water do damage to the engine without even turning on the ignition?

Freezing water has MASSIVE power, it can and most likely will blow the engine before you even start it.

Topdeck

MarkoC wrote: »

Freezing water has MASSIVE power, it can and most likely will blow the engine before you even start it.

Agreed.when water freezes it expands thats when the damage can occur.

langdang

ytareh wrote: »

Did I read at one point that there are some kinds of failsafe 'plugs' which pop out if cooling water freezes and expands ?

Not sure if these are always present or to be relied on - I heard they are more like a by-product of the engine manufacture process - holes in the block used for transporting them or something at an early stage of manufacture, then filled in the next stage.

langdang

langdang wrote: »

Not sure if these are always present or to be relied on - I heard they are more like a by-product of the engine manufacture process - holes in the block used for transporting them or something at an early stage of manufacture, then filled in the next stage.

Yep core plugs