The race car has 100% water for coolant as per the SCCA/NASA race rules. I don't want it to freeze in there so...

Is it better to drain it all from the radiator and block (the best I can) then leave it empty all winter, or should I fill it up with 50% anti-freeze?

what do you guys do that live in places were night temps can get into the single digits (F)?

 

I fill mine up 50/50 water and antifreeze for the winter months. Then back to just water for the summer months. I hope this helps.

 

ya, what a pain in the ***.... try going to VIR in the middle of the f'ing winter with just water in the car..... I think I stopped every 2 hours and fired up the heap to make sure it didn't freeze.....then hoped like hell it wouldn't freeze from bedtime until morning.

 

I would not put coolant back in the system. That is a pain to properly get rid of it all. just drain it, if no water to freeze there is no problem(just make sure you drain the block too).

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by BrianZ &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I would not put coolant back in the system. That is a pain to properly get rid of it all. just drain it, if no water to freeze there is no problem(just make sure you drain the block too).

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I do like that idea, but I tried that one winter and ended up with condensation build up inside, and small rust pockets formed But depending on how cold it gets, you could alwasy try that.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by AllAboutTheB &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I do like that idea, but I tried that one winter and ended up with condensation build up inside, and small rust pockets formed But depending on how cold it gets, you could alwasy try that.</TD></TR></TABLE>

^^^That is what I would be affraid of if you let the system empty. You could drain the 50/50 mixture in the spring and save it for reuse the following winter since it should be fine.

 

I would not drain it all and leave it empty for the sake of rust formations. If you wanted to leave it all water, you could get one of those security timers used for lights and a heater blanket and wrap the best you can or get a dedicated car engine heater blanket.

Doing the 50/50 thing would work too; I would think that draining the radiator and filling up with premix, runnign engine for 5 minutes would be plenty of freeze over protection, then just drain the rad for the restart of the season.

Is the 100 percent water rule because of the ethylene glycol hazards? Or how slick the stuff is?

 

I would think slippery. Water evaporates.... quite fast on a hot track too.

Just pull the motor and put it in the house

 

why not get a heated garage, or move to southern california!

On the off season, we always used antifreeze

we just spent along time flushing the systems once the season began again.

 

It depends if draining it actually gets ALL of the water out of the motor. Ignoring the rust issues...

Chevy-block 4.3liter V6 motors are notorious for holding water in the jackets. It freezes, and cracks the block right in the lifter valley.

 

electric blanket like someone stated above. i would do the 50/50 thing if the car is going to sit awhile. it is not that hard to f;ush before the season starts

 

thanks for reminding me walt. I am going to do the antifreeze thing. I don't know if it has to be 50/50 but I an going to get at least 25% in there should be ok for inside the non heated garage.

 

I just dump in Honda Type 2 coolant, no need to mix.

 

Coolant here.

We had snow/freezing temps at Road America last weekend, I put in a few drops of anitfreeze as insurance! I'll probably go about 25% or less with the antifreeze so it's easier to flush out most of it.

 

Just go down to your local Auto Parts store (I suggest NAPA ) and get an antifreeze tester for like a buck and a half and test to see how cold it can take. All you need most of the time unless the car sits outside is zero degrees at the most. Thats what I do for the winter anywho.

 

Just don't start it up in the winter. It should be fine for VIR Feb. HOPEFULLY.

 

If you check around, EVANS coolant NPG-R is pretty cool stuff, Alot of the cars in Grand-Am, Busch North/South, and Nascar Cup use this stuff.

http://www.hrpworld.com/client...3.pdf

 

I think the 50/50 is your best option. I wouldn't want to deal with rust if you empty the system nor the chance of the block cracking from freezing. I have a alarm system in my track car that start itself when it gets cold and shuts itself off.

 

drain radiator. dump in some coolant. run it for a while to circulate coolant.
shouldnt need a full 50/50, that goes down to -30 degrees or something silly. 25% should be plenty.

forget about racecar until the spring. flush it out then.


also, Nasa-ma's febuary VIR race allows coolant in the racecars.