The car is frozen! Is it damaged?

Dr House

Dr House

Dr House

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Ok the Golf was not parked in the garage last night and we are having a bit of a cold snap and DIS says that either the engine coolant or radiator fluid has frozen. Would this have done any damage to my car?
:confused:
 
was there no antifreeze in it at all?... seems odd it would have iced up if there wasn't.

You may find some rubber pipes have split if there was water in them when they froze?

But I'm not a mechanic.
 
jpmonkey69 said:
was there no antifreeze in it at all?... seems odd it would have iced up if there wasn't.

You may find some rubber pipes have split if there was water in them when they froze?

But I'm not a mechanic.
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No it should have antifreeze as the car was sold here so they know it should be prepared for the cold. However it must have been a lot colder than normal last night.
 
Depends on exactly where it's frozen. As i'm sure you are aware ice is less dense then water and the coolant system is a closed system. If it's frozen at a weak point in the system then split hoses/radiator is possible even internal damage to the block/head is feasible (but unlikely) all you can do is wait for it to thaw then look for leaks. If everything looks ok then start the car and see if it seems to be running ok. Also check your coolant/oil for cross contamination once you've been able to run the car for a bit.
 
As mentioned, possibility of burst pipes and smaller chance of other bits cracking.

Suprisingly nobody has mentioned - don't start the car - you will knacker the waterpump and anything ruin the belt/chain it is on, maybe bend lots of valves etc :)
 
Prague gets that cold ? Its not in the Artic circle :o

Iam pretty lax with my antifreeze but its needed to stop the engine rusting up from the inside out, if it got that cold I would make sure it was cut with 50/50 mix or something.


The problem is if a car is topped up with coolant, people often use just straight water so it gets weakened if it was ever the correct mix
 
in norway they have to plug there cars into little electric blanket type things to avoid them freezing over at those temps

anybody remember that ephisode of Channel 4's Driven where they went there ? they forgot to plug their hire car in, and the next morning the petrol had frozen :o
 
Paras said:
I know its frozen because the DIS told me. I will not move it until it gets a bit warmer but its going to take some time I think. The funny thing is that they will clam it now because I can park there lol.

Its not normally this cold, I live about 200 km east of Prague now so it’s a bit colder here.
.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=4141&links
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lol daytime "high" of -16

just a bit cold
 
If you look at your engine block you should see some alloy silver disks dimpled inwards, these are freeze / expansion points if the coolant in the engine freezes these will pop out to stop the block from cracking, I would check to see if these have popped out.

Mark
 
Firestar_3x said:
If you look at your engine block you should see some alloy silver disks dimpled inwards, these are freeze / expansion points if the coolant in the engine freezes these will pop out to stop the block from cracking, I would check to see if these have popped out.

Mark
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Well i did try to go out and have a look but i just got so cold i have to come back home.
 
Matt82 said:
doesnt diesel freeze too at -17 or so
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Common Diesel Fuel/Fuel Filter Problems in Winter

Diesel engine power loss during winter operation conditions is a common occurrence and a source of complaint. Unless there is a component failure within the engine, the problem can usually be traced back to gel formation in the fuel which restricts fuel flow through the fuel filter(s). Frequently, the fuel filter(s) are blamed for the problem when, in fact, the problem is caused by the effect of winter weather on diesel fuel.

Number 2 diesel fuel begins to cloud as the ambient temperatures drop toward the freeze point, 32 degrees F (0 degrees C). This clouding is the result of the wax (paraffin) in the fuel solidifying. As the temperatures drop below the freeze point, the paraffin molecules combine to become solids in the fuel which eventually become large enough to be stopped by the media within the fuel filter(s). This is commonly known as the gel point which generally occurs at approximately 15 degrees F (-9.5 degrees C) below the cloud point. The wax will then begin to form a restrictive coating on the filter media which results in a loss of engine power. The same process occurs when starting a cold engine with the ambient temperature below freezing. The fuel filter(s) media becomes almost instantly coated with a restrictive layer of wax. Usually, enough fuel can pass this layer to allow the engine to idle, but not enough fuel to allow the engine to attain operating RPM.

There are two commonly used methods to overcome the problem. One is to chemically treat the fuel with a diesel additive. The other is to install a fuel heater.

1. Diesel fuel additives are available under numerous brands and with various formulations. When selecting an additive, it is important to determine whether or not it is formulated for winter conditions. Basically, diesel fuel additives designed for use in winter conditions depress or lower the gel point of the diesel fuel, thereby allowing it to flow through the fuel for the desired operating temperature range should be adhered to, as a deviation could yield either unsatisfactory results or harm the systems.

2. A diesel fuel heater can be installed in the fuel delivery system to prevent wax from accumulating on the fuel filter media. There are many different types with different points of installation, but they are all designed to maintain fuel temperature above the cloud point to the fuel heater which will deliver at a temperature above the cloud point to the fuel filter(s) at the lowest ambient temperature common to the area in which the equipment will be operating.

Many operators of diesel powered equipment use both a fuel additive and a fuel heater.

Another problem experienced with diesel engines is water or condensation contamination of the fuel. Due to the fact that diesel fuel also acts as a lubricant for injector tips and nozzles and the fact that water does not provide lubrication, many operators install fuel filter water separators to provide additional protection. Water or condensation present in the fuel can further aggravate the problem of fuel gelling by further restricting fuel flow through the filters as well as corroding injector nozzles. However, it is important to remember that any fuel water separator must be drained periodically to remove any water which has collected. Failure to do so may cause an engine power loss, either as a result of the undue water build up within the device restricting fuel flow or by fuel flow velocity carrying water on through the system when the water level in the device becomes too high.

Therefore, depending on the severity of winter operating conditions, many operators may choose to protect their equipment by the use of fuel additives, fuel heaters and fuel water separators. ;)
 
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