I kinda froze my motor thismorning...literally :( help?

[Doppelgänger]

So yeah, i had no idea that it was supposed to get near 15* outside lastnight. I few weeks ago i had replaced my heatercore and put in some stopleak along with water and half a jug of coolant. Appearantly it was not enough.....

I walked out thismorning to see a trail of fluid under my car. There is a icicle hanging off my lower radiator hose at the radiator.

Umm, my biggist concern is that there is no internal damage.

Anyone happen to pull this one off?? Think that brcause the excess pressure found a relief in the radiator hose it'll be ok?? I dont see any leakage from the block (freeze plugs seem to be ok).

[Marty]

Damn Mike :(

Here's my guess, from what you have said.

1. The stopleak crap you put in there made it's way to the head and blocked a water jacket. This made an air pocket in the head. The air gets cold and cracks the head.

2. Maybe you just didn't have enough antifreeze in the motor


Check the back of the head for leaks. Pop you radiator cap and see what's in there or drain your radiator and check for oil. It may be the headgasket too.

[Killer]

... is it hard to replace a heater core???

my heat acts funny.. i've thought about replacing it.


sorry about ur problem though.. hope it's nothing serios.

[civic95]

Sounds like it popped the radiator hose for more room to expand. Which is good since thats the cheapest part of the cooling system to replace. Only thing you can do now is let it thaw, replace the hose, get the right mixture in it, and drive it. But I think it'll be fine.

[Doppelgänger]

well, no leaks other then where the lower rad. hose and radiator meet.... looks like the fluid leaked out between the hose and the radiator (ie no split hose).

Well, theres not much i can do right now for i am at work and the car is at home... sitting with the hood open in the sun. When i get home, i'll pull the plugs, check them, crank it, then check the plugs and then run it and see if there is any further damage.

I hope that it wasnt that much of a freeze lastnight and that it'll all be ok.

[Doppelgänger]

Damn Mike :(

Here's my guess, from what you have said.

1. The stopleak crap you put in there made it's way to the head and blocked a water jacket. This made an air pocket in the head. The air gets cold and cracks the head.

2. Maybe you just didn't have enough antifreeze in the motor


Check the back of the head for leaks. Pop you radiator cap and see what's in there or drain your radiator and check for oil. It may be the headgasket too.


I dont think its had enough antifreeze. A few weeks ago when it was really cold, there was no problem, but i guess the difference between 25* and 18* was just a little too much. Stopleak did its job when i needed it too, guess i should have drained it and filled it right... doh :doh:

Yup, i feel about like $.02 right about now. What im really kicking myself in the ass for is that when i got home lastnight at about 12 (me and the girl were in her car all weekend), i was thinking about starting my car and warming it up because it hadnt been driven all weekend... i had no reason for it... just something told me i should. But instead i went inside and fell asleep.... i bet if i had, it wouldnt have frozen because the core of the block would have stayed above freezing all night :(

[bdydrpdmazda]

I have to plug my car in everytime its not running because it has a transmission and block heater on it. If I didnt I would have to get up and start it every 30 mins when its really cold out.

[RUFFIAN]

you might have popped a freeze plug on the block. they are cheap to buy but a bitch to install.

[AnthonyF]

... is it hard to replace a heater core???

my heat acts funny.. i've thought about replacing it.


sorry about ur problem though.. hope it's nothing serios.


depending on the car. some cars it take an hour, some cars like Navigators take 8 hours

[Sol-Badguy]

depending on the car. some cars it take an hour, some cars like Navigators take 8 hours
I can vouch fox body Mustangs take about 5 hours.

[Vteckidd]

well if theres damage, its been done already.

Just let it warm outside, i wouldnt even check the plugs, just fire it up, youll know instantly

[Doppelgänger]

yeah, something tells me a leak in the headgasket is probably one of the less likely things that can happen.....

[ahmonrah]

thanks for fuckin scaring me droptop drifter!!
i didnt drive my s13 all weekend either....and reading this has me wondering about this wet spot i just noticed when looking out the window that look like it's coming from the tailpipe....

[Killer]

depending on the car. some cars it take an hour, some cars like Navigators take 8 hours

it's a hatch with an ls swap...

[Stormhammer]

as stupid as this might sound, but I doubt that it will all thaw out today

but... like I said its going to sound stupid, but get an electric blanket and lay it on your engine to warm it up - its what I've had to do a few times with the Starion

[Doppelgänger]

as stupid as this might sound, but I doubt that it will all thaw out today

but... like I said its going to sound stupid, but get an electric blanket and lay it on your engine to warm it up - its what I've had to do a few times with the Starion
well, a large dark metallic object sitting in the sun will [hopefully] absorb enough solar energy to warm up enough to melt some of the frozen fluids....thats what im hoping for anyway.

[Blitanicle99]

Check the freeze plugs, they might have budged, if they did knock them back in carefully. If not your fine.

[Doppelgänger]

well, all seems to be well. came home at 7pm and everything seemes to be thawed out. So i cranked her up, let it get all nice and warm and checked for leaks. Then i took her for a test drive and everything seems to be in good order...... im about to drain all the fluid (since its not really anti-freeze lol) and refill it with a better winter ratio of water to antifreeze. That was close.. whew.

[Brady]

thank god man! you ever get your hardpipe made and stop messing with the silly silicone elbows?

[Doppelgänger]

thank god man! you ever get your hardpipe made and stop messing with the silly silicone elbows?nah, i found a good solution to the big elbow... i got a piece of 2.25" ABS pipe.. well more of a 1" wide ring and put it in the middle of the elbow and its working fine.

The next thing im goign to do is move the throttle body back to the stock location..which is after the supercharger and add a bov. That will eliminate vaccum on all the joints/elbows so it will never be a problem again... and i'll have that cool woooooosh sound when i shift :D