Close call!! Freezing Cold!!!

[DJM75]

<br> Wow, I had a close call yesterday. I was at work yesterday thinking how cold it was (17F) and how I needed to check my antifreeze. No, big deal I thought, then the realization that this summer I had blown a radiator hose and refilled the radiator with plain water. Awww man. So I get home and the first thing I do is pop the radiator cap off and what do I see... ICE!! Damn, so I start her up, let her run for about 30min to let the ice melt and see if I had broke anything. Nope nothing broke. I'm guessing that the water wasn't completely frozen yet. Needless to say I drained the radiator and refilled it with 50/50 anitfreeze. So the moral of the story is if you haven't checked your cooling water yet do it.<br> <br> sorry for the long post.<br> Don

 

[Madgyver]

That's why it's called that, "Freeze Plugs" ;D

 

[DJM75]

Yeah, well I didn't want to replace one of those either. <br> <br> Don

 

[jims66]

They're actually called welsh plugs and they are there to remove casting residue from the manufacturing process. They (welsh plugs) do not protect against freeze damage.

 

[wildbill]

Madgyver they go right after the block dose. moved hear to ks. and the first year lost the p/washer and old flat head motor they only had water learned real good and fast ;D wont happen any more to me. Bill : 8)

 

[justinsane]

Glad to hear you survived it and thanks for the heads up. I'm sure someone else forgot.<br><br>What do they call those little circles in Hawaii, Mad?<br><br>Brian

 

[Blueoval4me]

I know what you mean, last night here in Southern California it got down into the 40's. At one point it was soo bad I had to turn the heater on.

Its hell here in So Cal, but we get by, one day at a time.

Eric

 

[Rustytruck]

Yea I know what you mean I had to get out my long pants the other week when it had the odasity to rain a little. LA sucks Lets see this weekend should I go surfing, water skiing, snow skiing, biking, horse back riding fishing or babe watching. Damn I cant decide I guess itll be the ball game again.

 

[justinsane]

Alright you CA guys. Maybe you could splain something to me, whats smog? What's a traffic jam. Do houses really cost 4-5 times what they do here?<br><br>Had to come back with something. ;D ;D ;D<br><br>Brian

 

[Rustytruck]

Yes houses do cost 4 times as much and double that if you want something nice. Traffic jam is the only time you meet your neighbor. and smog we dont have it anymore due to the efforts of the do gooders that have made the cost of the cars you guys drive go up 20%, the smog that is left has been blown to Arizona. Also to become a native Californian just live here 2 months and your a native. By the way did I tell you it was a chillie 75 today?

 

[justinsane]

Hay, I've seen that smog hanging over Phoenix.<br><br>We now return to your regularly scheduled post.

 

[Madgyver]

[quote author=JustinSane link=board=5;threadid=12056;start=0#89083 date=1039207563]<br>What do they call those little circles in Hawaii, Mad?<br>[/quote]<br><br> My machinist and most everyone I know calls them circle thingys "Brass Freeze Plugs".<br> I always thought that they would pop out first before damaging the block in the event of the coolant freezing.<br> I wouldn't know because where I'm at it never gets below 50[sup]o[/sup]. Only on the Big Island gets some snow occasionally.

 

[astark]

Well I did a little searching on the internet. I found only one listing for the Welsh Plug <br><br>http://www.hmgem.com.au/ghhmdiff.htm<br><br>But hundreds for the Freeze Plug such as<br><br>http://www.innerauto.com/innerauto/text/cool11.html<br><br>The bottom line seemed to be<br><br>Freeze plugs (also called "blind" or "expansion core" plugs) are small steel plugs used to seal the holes in the engine block and head made in casting. They expand and flatten as they are driven into place, and make a tight seal. These are designed to hold the pressure of the cooling system, but to pop out if the coolant in the block ever freezes. If you have a leak in your cooling system, freeze plugs are one of the areas to have checked. <br><br>And that was just what I always thought and had never heard of a Welsh Plug before now.

 

[DJM75]

I've always known them as freeze plugs. I also know that they don't always pop out when desired.<br> Don

 

[GRIZZLY]

Smog is just air with a little extra flavor.....

 

[Newt]

Re:Smog

A city boy doesn't trust air he can't see!!

 

[edjolly]

I've always heard of them as freeze plugs, meaning when you're coolant freezes and your block breaks, you will have to install new ones on the new block.<br>They definitely won't save a block. If you think about it, wouldn't a hose go first if the theory were sound?<br>I think what happens is ice forms in several places at once making a nice tight chamber for the remaining water to expand in, and the block breaks.<br><br>Ed<br>

 

[DJM75]

[quote author=edjolly link=board=5;threadid=12056;start=15#89206 date=1039233067]<br> If you think about it, wouldn't a hose go first if the theory were sound?<br><br>[/quote]<br><br> I don't know a hose I think can expand with the water. Therefore it won't burst. But I could be wrong.<br> Don

 

[thesnake]

Yeah, reminds me of my first experience owning a diesel in the winter in Nebraska, after having lived in Arizona. A whole different thing.<br><br>snake

 

[justinsane]

[quote author=madgyver link=board=5;threadid=12056;start=0#89158 date=1039225322]<br>[quote author=JustinSane link=board=5;threadid=12056;start=0#89083 date=1039207563]<br>What do they call those little circles in Hawaii, Mad?<br>[/quote]<br><br> My machinist and most everyone I know calls them circle thingys "Brass Freeze Plugs".<br> I always thought that they would pop out first before damaging the block in the event of the coolant freezing.<br> I wouldn't know because where I'm at it never gets below 50[sup]o[/sup]. Only on the Big Island gets some snow occasionally.<br>[/quote]<br><br>I've always heard of them as freeze plugs. I've seen them work and fail, gunked up and rusted they won't pop out. You warm weather guys just don't the pleasure of -30. :<br><br>jk there madgyver.<br><br>Brian