| Author | Message | ||
| Doyle Gaither (Texasborderdude)
Registered Member Username: Texasborderdude Post Number: 154 Registered: 3-2007 Posted From: 75.211.128.173 Rating: N/A |
Woke up to 7 degrees yesterday with a thought about antifreeze. Duhhhhh! Hadn't checked with a tester for protection level... just know the level is full and there's some antifreeze present. Now I'm kinda panicked. I have an 8V71N in my Eagle. Are all the water hoses in view from the rear of the bus? Everything seems to be clustered at the back. I want to make sure a visual shows no broken hoses, etc. There seem to be some "weepy" spots and actually some cooling fluid present on the engine externals. It is below freezing and the fluid is un-frozen. To replace hoses, can they be "stretched" over or must "slack" be created by unbolting manifolds, pumps, etc.? Are there "freeze-plugs" visible that I should check? Any starting precautions? At this point, all I know is that I'm a dumb-snit for not checking!!!! Ah said dumb-snit; but the other applies too....hehehehe! Would an engine, radiator drain and fresh refill be in order? dg dg | ||
| Mark Morgan (Stormcloud)
Registered Member Username: Stormcloud Post Number: 4 Registered: 9-2008 Posted From: 216.36.188.174 Rating: N/A |
Hi: Years ago, my uncle had a D7 cat that he used occasionally in winter. (Winter here gets to -40 degrees regularly). He ran straight water all summer. His winter 'preparation' was to remove 1 or 2 gallons of water from the cooling system )12 gallons or better as I remember)) and replace it with the same amount of antifreeze, right out of the jug. He work the cat for another few days, then park it (sometimes for extended periods). When it got cold, it would go slushy, but not harden. When it was time to work again, he would fire up the engine, and let it warm until the temperature gauge was reading fairly high, then shut the engine down and go for breakfast. When he returned (~1 hour later) the heat from the engine had thawed the slushy antifreeze. He did this for years, and never had a problem related to this 'lack' of antifreeze. I know there may be a problem doing this in the bus if you still have the OTR heat in place, but it may help you get to a heated shop to change yours.If there is some antifreeze in your system, you may be lucky. Just my 2.6 canadian pennies. Best regards. Mark | ||
| Bruce Henderson (Oonrahnjay)
Registered Member Username: Oonrahnjay Post Number: 336 Registered: 8-2004 Posted From: 72.12.39.78  Rating: |
Doyle, where are you? I'd think that the first thing to do would be to get your engine warm enough so that (if no damage has been done so far), no damage will be done. Get a couple of 150 watt light bulbs (if you don't have a block heater) and get them under your engine - be sure to keep them away from wiring, insulation, etc., these things are hot. Wrap the engine compartments with old blankets and block off radiator grilles, etc. (Of course, the best would be a block heater and if you live in a place with 7 deg temps, you need a block heater). Once you're sure that the engine is warm, check for any damage. If you don't see external leaks, be sure that the water pump area is thawed and start her up. Carefully look for any signs of trouble immediately. As you watch, remember that the radiator can freeze and not let coolant circulate so be sure that you're getting circulation; also, be sure that no ice chunks get in the water pump. Let her warm up for 5 minutes or so (if no problems appear), then shut her down, and check for anything odd in the oil ("milkshake" look, streaks of coolant, etc.), and signs of problems (oil, bubbles, etc.) in the coolant. I'd also do the "dipstick on the paper towel" trick that somebody described in a post ("Maintenance" ??) just the other day -- that really works to show stuff in the oil that shouldn't be there. If all is OK, get your tester, figure out how much anti-freeze you need to add to come up to safe level (or, if it's served you a long time, do a complete coolant change). Then, get out your 2009 calendar and write ANTIFREEZE on either Thanksgiving, Halloween, or Labor Day, depending on where you are, and then remember to check before next winter sets in! PS - 7 Deg -- where are you??? The border between Texas and Saskatchewan? | ||
| Doyle Gaither (Texasborderdude)
Registered Member Username: Texasborderdude Post Number: 155 Registered: 3-2007 Posted From: 75.211.128.173 Rating: N/A |
Bruce, I'm in Eagar, Az. (in the White Mountains 6,000 ft. northeastern near the continental divide.) I'm headed for Quartzsite about the 10th of Jan. | ||
| joe padberg (Joemc7ab)
Registered Member Username: Joemc7ab Post Number: 322 Registered: 6-2004 Posted From: 66.38.159.33 Rating: N/A |
Doyle Anything that makes heat,use it. Electric heaters, Coleman propane stove etc, but be carefull. Joe. | ||
| Arnie Smith (Arniemc5a)
Registered Member Username: Arniemc5a Post Number: 7 Registered: 11-2008 Posted From: 24.71.46.230  Rating: N/A |
If you have some anti freeze in the system, I wouldn't get too excited.. The liquid will gell, but not had enuf to harm any thing at 7 degrees. Do like they say above and either plug it in (if you have one), put a heat lamp on the heads, or start it.. Arnie | ||
| Buswarrior (Buswarrior)
Registered Member Username: Buswarrior Post Number: 1443 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 76.68.134.183  Rating: N/A |
If there is no puddle underneath, just fire it up and watch closely to under the engine and the temp gauge. Some seepage around the hose clamps is normal in the cold. From now on, put the proper mix in all year around, so you don't have to remember anything. Antifreeze mixture also has corrosion inhibitors, running an antifreeze mix does more for you than just provide freeze protection... happy coaching! buswarrior | ||
| Doyle Gaither (Texasborderdude)
Registered Member Username: Texasborderdude Post Number: 156 Registered: 3-2007 Posted From: 75.209.202.232 Rating: N/A |
Thanks for all the input. I've connected the block heater these last nights. Haven't fired it up yet as everything looks normal. Got hose replacement and drain and refill high on the maintenance schedule for warmer weather. So out of curiosity, what's the physics that allows the seepage? Is it the contraction due to colder weather and different rates of expansion and contraction for rubber hoses as opposed to metal pipes they're connected to? dg | ||
| Buswarrior (Buswarrior)
Registered Member Username: Buswarrior Post Number: 1444 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 76.68.133.109 Rating: N/A |
Cold stuff gets smaller, I guess. Fact of life anywhere that it is cold. The new hose clamps with the springs built into their tightening mechanisms greatly reduce cold leaks. happy coaching! buswarrior | ||
| Mel La Plante (Mel_4104)
Registered Member Username: Mel_4104 Post Number: 109 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 154.5.114.52 Rating: N/A |
when you brain out the old antifreeze would be a good time to replace it with the proper stuff from a DD dealer and use distilled water as a mixer. the reason for this is that the a-f you get at a parts store such as pep boys does nothing to protect the block of that DD as they rot out very easy without the proper ingredients in the a-f and the DD has a strip they you use to check. the distilled water you get at the food store as with batteries never use tape water in your cooling system. in fact never use tape water in any of the new cars or trucks as they have Al. rads and heater lines. one pickup truck owner up here went through 3 rads and 2 heater cores due to tape water, he ended up trading in the truck and would never buy a dodge again. | ||
| Mike Eades (Mike4905)
Registered Member Username: Mike4905 Post Number: 173 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 97.106.122.149 Rating: N/A |
If you have problems on the cold caRRY self starting charcol and a pan. Light and put under oil pan and not too close. Will heat everything very slowly. It works. Mike4905 |
