All Antifreeze - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

bubbastrick · 01-25-2003, 01:37 PM

Hi Guys:
I have been having trouble with my cooling system freezing up. When it froze up the first time I replaced what boiled out with straight antifreeze. It is still freezing up, and what I just drained out looked very green (like antifreeze). It is like the antifreeze is settling out and the water is freezing at the top of the motor and the radiator. I have a heater blowing on it to thaw it out now. Would it be a bad thing to run just straight antifreeze?
Any other tricks you guys have for dealing with cold weather would be appreciated.
Thanks

**Classic Heartbeat** · 01-25-2003, 01:51 PM

I use a 50-50 mix of water and anti-freeze (Prestone). That is what is recomended for temps down to like 150 degrees below zero... If you are having freezing problems, I would say either the anti-freeze is old or your mix is wrong. If you mix with too much anti-freeze you could cause overheating problems. I would drain the entire system and replace it with new if it were me. WES www.ClassicHeartbeat.com

crazy longhorn · 01-25-2003, 01:55 PM

Here in Illinois, we run a 50/50 mix to test to -34 farenheight, & that seems to work fine. i have been told that antifreeze will freeze if it doesnt have water mixed with it, & if it is mixed stiffer than 70 %, its not safe. Good luck....crazyL

Slammed67 · 01-25-2003, 02:04 PM

I normally use 50%-70% antifreeze and never have freeze up problems (and I'm in Missouri).

jku72 · 01-25-2003, 03:09 PM

It sounds like its time to drain it all out and start again, if its really cold, 70% antifreeze is as about as rich a mixture as anyone would like. Straight antifreeze is not the best thing since antifreeze itself is no where near as good at heat exchange as water is.

72shadetree · 01-25-2003, 06:37 PM

i run 50-50

Dean23 · 01-25-2003, 07:06 PM

Run a 50-50 mixture if you are in a colder area go 60 40. If you run straight af it will gel just like diesel or propane and not work. Now is your chance to flush the whole system and run gm dexcool. It is has a longer life and doesnt eat away at aluminum parts like normal af...it is a bit more pricey though but worth it. I am going to use dexcool when its time to install the engine in my 68

ChevLoRay · 01-25-2003, 09:42 PM

I just saw a mechanic show that straight antifreeze offers no improvement over a 50/50 mix of antifreeze. I have been told that straight antifreeze doesn't function well, either in the heat or cold. Save your money....50/50 is good for -34 degrees. If it gets any colder than that, your shocks will have already ceased to function and the ride would be too harsh to want to drive on any surface, regardless.

Since you're just "up the road" from me, I can't imagine that the weather we just had (okay, it got down to 12 degrees on Friday morning), would make your cooling system freeze up with that much antifreeze. Heck, since I retired and started to drive a school bus, I can tell you that Diesels are notorious for not warming up.....making you think they froze up. On Thursday evening, I was driving with a cover on the radiator to help the old Cummins warm up, when the temp shot up, then dropped like the proverbial turd in a churn when the thermostat stuck OPEN! Talk about a useless heater on Friday morning.....the Esso Bee (old story) wouldn't warm up until I got finished taking the little munchkins to school....at which time it didn't matter. Shop is gonna install a new thermostat next week. Weatherman says the temps are gonna be in the upper 50's, by Wednesday. With all the hormones in them teenagers, I don't need a heater when the temp is in the 50's!

Longhorn Man · 01-26-2003, 12:55 AM

I read (and you pretty much just confirmed it) that ethelen glycol based anti-freez/coolant freezes at 9 degrees ABOVE zero if it is used straight.
Drain it, and start over, using water this time with the green stuff.

71k5 · 01-26-2003, 04:52 PM

Do aome research about using Dexcool in older cars; stop by your GM dealer and talk to some of the mechanics/technicians/service guys about what they have seen in cars using Dexcool.... and whatever you decide to do, DON'T mix green antifreeze and Dexcool!

Longhorn Man · 01-26-2003, 04:55 PM

I say stay away from dex cool all together...nasty stuff.

01-25-2003, 01:37 PM	#1
bubbastrick Registered User Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Jacksonville, AR, USA Posts: 44	All Antifreeze Hi Guys: I have been having trouble with my cooling system freezing up. When it froze up the first time I replaced what boiled out with straight antifreeze. It is still freezing up, and what I just drained out looked very green (like antifreeze). It is like the antifreeze is settling out and the water is freezing at the top of the motor and the radiator. I have a heater blowing on it to thaw it out now. Would it be a bad thing to run just straight antifreeze? Any other tricks you guys have for dealing with cold weather would be appreciated. Thanks __________________ James Strickland AS Computer Information Systems “Ignorance is a powerful tool if applied at the right time, even usually surpassing knowledge” ~E.J. Potter

01-25-2003, 01:51 PM	#2
Classic Heartbeat Project Junkie! Fishing Poor!! Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Olympia,Wa. 98512 Posts: 10,770	I use a 50-50 mix of water and anti-freeze (Prestone). That is what is recomended for temps down to like 150 degrees below zero... If you are having freezing problems, I would say either the anti-freeze is old or your mix is wrong. If you mix with too much anti-freeze you could cause overheating problems. I would drain the entire system and replace it with new if it were me. WES www.ClassicHeartbeat.com __________________ On-line catolog Classic Heartbeat Pickup Parts WEHEPP@comcast.net Call us Toll Free (888) 338-2502 Like Us on Facebook No appointment necessary. 72 BB Chevy Custom Deluxe / Custom Camper 67 I-6 (Soon to be 5.7 LS1) Panel 68 BB Chevy Short Bed 72 6.0 LQ9 Short Bed Chevy 4X4 Olympia's fastest growing truck parts supplier. Olympia's home for Wayward Chevys

01-25-2003, 01:55 PM	#3
crazy longhorn Fabricate till you "puke" Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Ill Posts: 9,403	Here in Illinois, we run a 50/50 mix to test to -34 farenheight, & that seems to work fine. i have been told that antifreeze will freeze if it doesnt have water mixed with it, & if it is mixed stiffer than 70 %, its not safe. Good luck....crazyL __________________ 69 longhorn,4" chop,3/5 drop, 1/2 ton suspension/disc brakes,1 1/2" body drop,steel tilt clip, 5.3/Edelbrock rpm intake/600 carb, Hooker streetrod shorties,2 1/2" exhaust/ H pipe/50's Flows , 6 spd Richmond trans,12 bolt/ 3.40 gears....

01-25-2003, 02:04 PM	#4
Slammed67 Progress = 0% Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 2,108	I normally use 50%-70% antifreeze and never have freeze up problems (and I'm in Missouri). __________________ Jason - '67 GMC swb \| '57 Bel-Air 4dr hardtop \| '56 210 4dr Wagon \| 2000 GMC Sierra

01-25-2003, 03:09 PM	#5
jku72 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: cornville, maine Posts: 659	It sounds like its time to drain it all out and start again, if its really cold, 70% antifreeze is as about as rich a mixture as anyone would like. Straight antifreeze is not the best thing since antifreeze itself is no where near as good at heat exchange as water is. __________________ jku Cornville, Maine 68 C10 burb 42 Willys MB 46 Dodge WF-32 1.5 ton 53 & 56 Olds' 60 Cadillac 22 Dodge Brothers

01-25-2003, 06:37 PM	#6
72shadetree KEEP ON TRUCKING Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: martinsville va Posts: 2,563	i run 50-50 __________________ 72 cheyenne 2wd lwb 71 k20 sons bassett va

01-25-2003, 07:06 PM	#7
Dean23 68cst_ss490 Join Date: May 2001 Location: edmonton,canada Posts: 1,363	Run a 50-50 mixture if you are in a colder area go 60 40. If you run straight af it will gel just like diesel or propane and not work. Now is your chance to flush the whole system and run gm dexcool. It is has a longer life and doesnt eat away at aluminum parts like normal af...it is a bit more pricey though but worth it. I am going to use dexcool when its time to install the engine in my 68 __________________ Dean edmonton,canada a winter wonderland 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche LT cold air intake, performance exhaust, Comp cams cam, jba shorty ceramic headers. http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3090973

01-25-2003, 09:42 PM	#8
ChevLoRay Old Skool Club Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Benton, AR "The Heart of Arkansas" Posts: 10,880	Wait a minnit! I know it's cold here, but I just saw a mechanic show that straight antifreeze offers no improvement over a 50/50 mix of antifreeze. I have been told that straight antifreeze doesn't function well, either in the heat or cold. Save your money....50/50 is good for -34 degrees. If it gets any colder than that, your shocks will have already ceased to function and the ride would be too harsh to want to drive on any surface, regardless. Since you're just "up the road" from me, I can't imagine that the weather we just had (okay, it got down to 12 degrees on Friday morning), would make your cooling system freeze up with that much antifreeze. Heck, since I retired and started to drive a school bus, I can tell you that Diesels are notorious for not warming up.....making you think they froze up. On Thursday evening, I was driving with a cover on the radiator to help the old Cummins warm up, when the temp shot up, then dropped like the proverbial turd in a churn when the thermostat stuck OPEN! Talk about a useless heater on Friday morning.....the Esso Bee (old story) wouldn't warm up until I got finished taking the little munchkins to school....at which time it didn't matter. Shop is gonna install a new thermostat next week. Weatherman says the temps are gonna be in the upper 50's, by Wednesday. With all the hormones in them teenagers, I don't need a heater when the temp is in the 50's! __________________ Member Nr. 2770 '96 GMC Sportside; 4.3/SLT - Daily driven....constantly needs washed. '69 C-10 SWB; 350/TH400 - in limbo The older I get, the better I was. Last edited by ChevLoRay; 01-25-2003 at 09:50 PM.

01-26-2003, 12:55 AM	#9
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,693	I read (and you pretty much just confirmed it) that ethelen glycol based anti-freez/coolant freezes at 9 degrees ABOVE zero if it is used straight. Drain it, and start over, using water this time with the green stuff.

01-26-2003, 04:52 PM	#10
71k5 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Manchester, PA Posts: 138	Do aome research about using Dexcool in older cars; stop by your GM dealer and talk to some of the mechanics/technicians/service guys about what they have seen in cars using Dexcool.... and whatever you decide to do, DON'T mix green antifreeze and Dexcool!

01-26-2003, 04:55 PM	#11
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,693	I say stay away from dex cool all together...nasty stuff.



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