navvet

So my garage is unheated. The 64 88 will have to survive -35 degrees Sunday and Monday. Will the anti freeze be enough. These are the thoughts keeping me up at night. Hate to crack a block. I think it is time for a space heater and a warm blanket over the gal. Any thoughts

olds 307 and 403

As long as your antifreeze is at least 50/50, it will be fine. Mine 88 CSC survives just fine in my unheated garage.

2blu442

If you don't have a good antifreeze tester you should get one. A few bucks to verify how good your antifreeze is may save big bucks down the road. I've had stuff that was still green but due to age wasn't up to the task anymore.

Tonight on the evening news they were talking about somewhere in the mid-west where the high temp was predicted at -8. I can't imagine the motor oil doing its job when you first start the car. A block heater would be a good investment for places that get that cold!

Kyle's 77 Cutlass

Ha try -40 and then some

2blu442

So... do you use a block heater?

Mr Shifty Sidney

It is suppose to be down to single digits here in Ky. I am wondering if I will survive. I hate cold weather! I can not imagine (-) temps.

Don W

Kyle's 77 Cutlass

Oh yes, very much so. They dont like to start without one.When its that cold, power steering is like manual steering. Not fun butvsomeone has to live inthe north. Lol

z11375ss

Heading to Mexico in the morning!

Kyle's 77 Cutlass

Even motor oil pours like molasses, judt to give you a visualization

chip-powell

I remember about 25 years ago north of Detroit, the temp got down to -50 with the wind chill. They were anouncing on the news that it was so cold that people with radial tires could not drive. The bump at the bottom of the tires were freezing and making them undrivable.

kitfoxdave

There are heated dip sticks and "tank" heaters that mount in the coolant return lines (simple and inexpensive) you just plug them into an electrical outlet. the car will start like it's spring time! If the car is sitting in a parking lot at those temps, start it up and let it run during lunch break. Or just get smarter and move where the temps do not get that cold! ;-)


Dave

kitfoxdave

Wind chill:
: a still-air temperature that would have the same cooling effect on exposed human skin as a given combination of temperature and wind speed —called also chill factor, windchill factor, windchill index


The ambient temperature is what your car oil and anti freeze feels, not the wind chill... Pull the dipstick at those temps with caution (and gloves!)... I still feel the frostbite after 30 years

Kyle's 77 Cutlass

Well it warmed up today a bit. Snowing and -20. We are in a heat wave. Lol

jensenracing77

X2. I hate cold weather. We are -5 this morning so I started the wood stove up to help out the heat bill a little. I would move south in a second if i didn't have so many roots here.

olds 307 and 403

My car sits all winter. I need to move it today and I will plug it in first, only -9C today. Ah the joys of the most extreme climate on earth. We have +45C occasionally in summer and -45+C in the winter.

jaunty75

Are you sure about this? According to this chart

http://www.magers.org/handy/antifreeze.html

a 50/50 mixture is good down to -34 F. At -35 F, you're right on the edge.

Kyle's 77 Cutlass

I feel you pain. I am 2 and half hours from you

stan 65 cutlass

you guys live in the wrong part of canada,
heh heh

garys 68

Um, weren't you thinking about moving south?
That weather alone is enough to get me packing.

1970cs

I have seen a mixture rated at -3 degrees farenheit become slush like at
-20 degrees more than likely won't freeze solid.

Pat

mike's88

That -8 high is for here in sunny Chicago. As far as heating, take a heatlamp, screw it to a board and slide it under the engine.

64Rocket

A block heater is the way to go................

Gene

1970-W30

Hard for me to comprehend those below zero temperatures, took a 30 mile trip with the top down today, temps in the low 70s in Scottsdale. Makes putting up with our 105+ summer temperatures doesn't seem so bad now.........

Olds442redberet

I love the south!

lazy394

I cant imagine -50!! we just had a few days at +45 an are now rugged up wearing jumpers, its 22 !!
If you were just storing the car would it pay to drain the coolant?

sammy

Trade ya places for a day.
Last night -26 with windchill -31
The south is looking better all the time when I retire!
Better start saving now for insurance!

X2 on the block heater

Kyle's 77 Cutlass

Kyle's 77 Cutlass

Yes sir, tired of this crap. Winter from November to sometimes till May, gets depressing

sammy

Then the bugs get ya.....

olds 307 and 403

Just head to the Arctic where it hits -70! Now -50 doesn't seem so bad. That is why I said at least 50/50, as said it will get slushy possibly but not enough to do damage. If you are not starting it, unhook to battery. I had one freeze and second was close. Charging them every now and then helps.

64Rocket

I'm with '70-W-30 with those temps like that, it make my hands and feet hurt just reading them.
I use a block heater here in Calif and it only gets into the 30's and maybe once in a while a high 20 something.
I grew up in the Chicago area and left for Calif when I was 18 and never came back. Man I just don't know how you guys do it, way to cold for me.
On another note I'm going drag racing on Sunday. It is our first Summit ET race. Should be about 62* I think.

Gene

Kyle's 77 Cutlass

Yep bloody misquotes, horse flies and ticks. No win

navvet

OK here is what I got from all the posts...Go South Young man go south. I will bring in Battery to my house. I will recheck radiator coolant status. I purchased an oil filled heater @ $60 bucks and will place it near front of car. Then kiss my girlfriend and head to vegas

BILL DEMMER

i always run my antifreeze mix up so the freeze point is at least -55F, yeah, they say it doesn't cool as well in the summer, but i've never had a problem with anything i've ever owned. my momma only raised one idiot, and that's my brother. he cracked a 330 in a '65 cutlass that my dad sold him, by running straight water in WY wintertime.


bill

kitfoxdave

living in Burlington Vermont we used to up the antifreeze mix to about 60/40 in winter and drained some coolant in late spring and thinned it back to about 50/50 for summer... If you had a beater for winter, had it sprayed in late fall with drain oil underneath and in the panels to keep rust at bay. Had sand tread recaps for winter tires. (cap had sand imbedded in the rubber.. could get 2 winters out of them, changed out in spring)

rocketman77

Car owners have been fighting these temps for many years and have typically came out ok. Would recommend testing the antifreeze or beg a friend with a heated garage or storage unit if you could "borrow" it for a while. Space heaters can be dangerous but maybe ok if used in moderation and watched closely

Lady72nRob71

Living in TX through the 4 month summer will change your mind.

Summer from May to October is depressing too. From June to Sept I usually stay inside and hibernate.

Yep, to many of these dang things, too, esp this year! Going outside is a challenge.

I like the Pacific NW at the coast - no arctic blasts (or very rare) and no hot humid crap. Bugs are not bad either.

Verify antifreeze mixture.
Run the car, then pull the battery and move inside.
Those oil filled radiator heaters are the best and safest for unattended use. I have used them for years.
A 100W bulb on the concrete floor under the oil pan can help, too.

navvet

Quick update: Radiator fluid tested at -30 so I feel confident. I placed a thermostat under the engine compartment and it read 8 degrees. The temperture outside at the time was -19. Seems (as many people have noted) the concrete in the unheated garage is warmer then the garage itself...thus the cause for condensation under the car. Another point of support for placing thick plastic under your car when stored.

oldcutlass

I'll take my bugs and heat any day. Winter here is a about 90 days, just not all in a row.

Sampson

I started shivering just reading this post