ok, My waterpump was broke all summer, so I was just using water. Now winter hit fast, befor I could flush my system, Then we had a subzero day, and my car overheated/heater didnt work one bit, I actually had trouble moving the thermostat settings. Now, my block didn't crack or anything due to the water freezing. We had a few days where the temp was 10-20F. and my car was cooling/heating A-OK, Now its subzero AGAIN, and it is overheating/not heating/not cooling the motor.

Think I could have just have mixed to much water with the coolant? cause its nasty here now...My door was froze shut And it isnt the waterpump (its a slow leak) because it was cooling,heating fine even when it was freezing out, just not as cold as it is now.

Thank you in advance...hopefully

 

Use 50/50 coolant/water. And try replacing your thermostat as well.

 

How are you sure there isn't a crack? Did you do a compression test or leadown? Your coolant goes around the cylinders to the head and expansion & contraction can put a lot of stress on stuff. A sleeve could be cracked or plenty of other things.

 

Yea im 90% sure it isnt cracked. No signs of any damage. A,tleast, no pings, knocks smoke, or smells.

May be thermostat...


Thank you quick responses

 

if you had water and it was below zero you WOULDVE noticed.

also water is corrosive, coolant contains anti-corrosive material, when you drained it what color was it? did you flush the entire system and fill it 50/50?

 

If your car is overheating, something is probably frozen. Basically something is frozen, and it keeps the coolant from circulating, so the hot coolant around the cylinders gets hotter, while everything else stays the same. Maybe its not FROZEN persay, but there is almost definitely something impeding the flow of coolant.

Oh wait, I just re-read that. You probably have diluted the coolant so much that it IS FREEZING. You NEED TO ADD ANTI-FREEZE.

No circulation = no coolant getting to radiator = no cooling of coolant = overheating. I win.

 

Yea I figured most of this...My guess its just dilluted, I never measured it. I know that water is corrosive, etc. Ill have to wait till its get a lil warmer here to start her up again...may be a week. The high tomorow is -5f.