Winter Storage

#1

Well, it has started to dip below the freezing mark here in Hillbilly land and so it is time to pull the car off the trailer from Nationals and get it ready. Normally I dump the water from the radiator and refill with coolant and start to circulate. I typically don’t remove the coolant until around May. This year they made me take it out in April when it was still getting cold.

My question is can I just drain the radiator and the block at the block plug and will that remove enough water to prevent the freeze and crack? Or do I need to get the coolant in the system and let it stay. My guess it I need the coolant but just wanted to ask.

Thanks,

Michael
#36
Great Lakes Region

#2

That would be sufficient to prevent freeze damage, but it would expose the block to rusting. A gallon of anti-freeze isn’t that expensive and it will prevent corrosion or freezing of the cooling system during the off season.

#3

i just drained my radiator over the weekend and put in some antifreeze. The water and water wetter in it had but one weekend on them, but obviously, 32 degrees is 32 degrees.

We took the car out for a short jaunt to the Autozone where I dropped off some used oil. Of course, mine still has plates and insurance on it. I figured that would get the water and antifreeze well circulated. I made sure to run the heater some to get those hoses and the heater core mixed as well.