cooling system froze Options

[Terzin1]

Howdy

Back in the spring I was diagnosing a problem with my celi overheating. Turns out it was the thermostat getting stuck shut. During the process of checking for symptoms and going through alot of coolant, I must have added too much distilled water to antifreeze mixture because now my bottom radiator hose feels like someone dumped a slushy inside!

I didn't notice this until I wasn't getting heat from the vents and my temp gauge showed overheating. I don't think i cracked anything as I don't see oil leaks or fuel anywhere. I went out and bought antifreeze concentrate and used about half of the jug to fill the radiator and reservoir that boiled off though. If I let the car sit for a while, do you suppose the antifreeze will melt the water remaining in the hoses and radiator?

[enderswift]

You need to get that car into a heated garage and let it thaw on its own. Next you need to drain out the entire cooling system and refill with 50/50. Then you need to pray nothing cracked

[Terzin1]

You need to get that car into a heated garage and let it thaw on its own. Next you need to drain out the entire cooling system and refill with 50/50. Then you need to pray nothing cracked

Yes, I was afraid I might hear this. I don't have a heated garage

[Smaay]

freeze plugs should pop out before the block cracks

[Bitter]

You may need to pay a kind shop to park it inside for you over night so it'll thaw and then drain/refill the coolant for you. Sucks paying someone else to do what you can do yourself.


In theory you should be able to run the car for brief periods to warm the block slowly and melt the cooling system but you may also strip the water pump or do more harm than good.

[Jmk91]

This has happened to me before in my del sol... the radiator hose was 100% rock hard frozen I forgot to add anti freeze I just did water after doing thermostat. I just let it sit and within a day it was back to no longer being frozen. I wouldn't start the car... it'll heat up to fast and cause cracking I'd leave it alone and let it unfreeze on its own. That's what I did and my engine ran great haha.

[Box]

Everyone else already hit it, it'll be best to let ambient air thaw the water and drain it versus trying to use the engine. If the car is near the house you might try placing a space heater into the engine bay and let it blow off the back of the hood to try and warm the bay. After doing that for awhile you can take a hair dryer and target specific points like the bottom radiator outlet and the water inlet on the motor to try and get as much out as possible. Or if you can get a couple days in a row above freezing you might be able to start the engine then if the block and rad are also above freezing.