I purchased a non running TR6 project car from Oklahoma this past summer. I'm
in upstate NY -- cold.
The car is in an unheated garage.
We recently had a cold snap, -6 or so, and it occurred to me that an Oklahoma
car may not have been
winterized to withstand NE winters.
I removed the engine block plug and liquid coolant poured out. I let it drain.
I also removed the
lower radiator hose and sure enough it had started to freeze -- slushy but not
rock hard. I also
removed the intake manifold coolant hoses and it was liquid. I believe this
engine has not been run
long enough to open the thermostat for many years. Perhaps previous owners have
topped off the
radiator with water or weak coolant. The radiator coolant was starting to
freeze but the coolant in
the block wasn't.
The weather has warmed up and the radiator and block have been drained. I
assume I am safe now. But
am I? Is the water pump and engine safe now that they have been drained or
should I do more? I
kind'a don't care about the radiator. This'll be a frame off restoration when I
get to it, so I'll
get a new radiator anyway. I'm mostly concerned about the engine block, head,
water pump etc.
Don Malling
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