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Sub Zero Temps Bad for my 944

S

steves944

New member
Horror!

My 944 lives outside and this -8 degrees stuff we are getting is not good.

I have discovered my antifreeze must be weak as the top and bottom hoses are solid!

I have filled the coolant tank to the brim with antifreeze and run the car but its doing nothing. I am hoping to get the car into a heated garage in the next few days.

Am I in serious danger of having a cracked block or head or do the rubber pipes take up the expansion?




 
Depends on a lot of things, any car should be started ever day to full temp in this weather, but if you haven't run the car in a while don't try now, and whatever you do don't put hot water anywhere near it!!!

Its the small channels in the head and the rad fins you need to worry about most, right now you wont know or be able to tell if there's any damage, if its going to a heated garage, keep the temp down to around 5 degrees C, and build it up very slowly, only when you are sure its defrosted drain all the fluid refill with a 50/50 mix and only then try to start it again. and whatever you do don't drive it to the garage.

Good Luck, hope everything turns out to be OK
 
The chap at our local garage said it could/should take a week to thaw gently.

I do hope its not bad.

I think the £7 a week I was paying for the garage before I gave it up seems pretty cheap now!
 
Do you mean you have run it with the frozen coolant? If so, be very careful; if it really is frozen solid then the water pump will be held stationary, and as this is driven off the back of the can belt then you risk breaking the belt.

If it is as you say then a slow thaw is the only option, and don't start it again until it had been fully thawed, drained and refilled. And keep your fingers firmly crossed. And hope you aren't shopping for your own christmas presents at Porsche dealer ...

Good luck.


Oli.
 
I am just going to leave it and face the consequences. Just hope we get a temp rise in the next few days.

Interesting comment about the water pump, my neighbour's Pug 306 did exactly that. The poor chap has had it for nearly 5 yrs and in the past its never frozen this hard. Put the battery charger on it yesterday morning and had that horrid sound of a belt ripping teeth off! Hoping it hasnt allowed the engine to rotate without the cam shaft moving but will not know until it all thaws out.
 
I purchased an antifreeze hydrometer that said my car was good for as low as -20 which gave me real peace of mind as I only purchased it in October. It's a good idea to get a decent one if you can.
I start my engine every morning and evening in this weather and leave it running for about 5 mins. I can't move it though as there is just too much snow
 
Hmm always a bit wary of leaving a car running for a 'short' time like 5 mins.

A mechanic friend told me ( if its true) that the water vapour produced etc will quickly rot an exhaust system and also unless the oil gets really hot it gums up oilways.

I am going to get a hydrometer as I think thats a good idea.

 
True, ot good running them for short periods, luckily mine are slumbering in the garage, cosy toasty !
 
It is quite amazing how we mix up anti-freeze thinking that -20 sounds fine and all of a suddon parts of the country are experiencing -20 temperatures. I am lucky in having a heated garage but we are going to be away for a couple of days and I do feel sorry for our poor car as it will have to live outside.
 
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