block heater/coolant questions

[monterey1962]

Anyone know what temperature block heaters maintain when plugged in?

Also, let's say the antifreeze/water mix in an engine is tested to be good to -10 deg. F. At what point should a person be concerned about an engine freezing to the point where it does damage? If the block heater is operating, does it heat at a high enough temperature to keep the radiator from icing up?

For Scott: Do you remember what mix we did S.U.'s coolant during the new engine installation? 50/50?

[Lincolnmania]

it was a strong mix justin 50/50 is good for 32 below.......60/40 is good to 62 below......i'm pretty sure we did at least 55% coolant

[85crownHPP]

Id play it safe and plug the heater in at 10 degrees over what the mix should protect to... As long as the heaters working it should keep all the coolant warm. Id imagine heater should have a rating for how well it works.
You can always drain a little and add to it... the freeze testers are cheap.

[monterey1962]

I tested the '89/'90/'91. '90 was the only one that showed to be good to -10 deg. F. The other two were protected well beyond that. It's been common practice here at home to plug the cars in at 15 deg. F. or colder. '90 and '91 are plugged in at the moment.

Thanks, guys.

[GilroyRacing]

I plug my powerstroke in when it gets in the 30s and 40s

[gadget73]

I tested the '89/'90/'91. '90 was the only one that showed to be good to -10 deg. F. The other two were protected well beyond that. It's been common practice here at home to plug the cars in at 15 deg. F. or colder. '90 and '91 are plugged in at the moment.

Thanks, guys.

Since it gets so cold there, it might not be a bad idea to drain the radiator and refill with 60/40 just to be safe. The block heater should keep it above the freezing point, but just in case you happen to end up somewhere that you can't plug in, better safe than sorry.

[Wolfeyes88]

Damn. I'd forgotten just how cold it gets up there. I thought the heat was bad.

I don't know much about cars+cold, but I would go with gadget on this one. Fill up with the 60/40. You never know when you'll be without power.

"It was at that point that Abluk turned to Nanuk and said " You know, maybe it wasn't such a great idea to trade the sled dogs for a car...""

[Lincolnmania]

antifreeze also raises the boiling point......you floridians always forget that......and water alone does not not offer any corrosion protection......might as well fill the radiator with acid..........an antifreeze 50/50 mix boils at 265 deg and a 60/40 mix boils at 270 degrees

[gadget73]

no antifreeze in the cooling system also makes the pump seals fail faster. No lubricant. That, and all the fine rust particles floating around that tear up the seals doesn't help anything. Too much antifreeze is bad too tho, it doesn't conduct heat as well as water which is why a 100% coolant mix is never used.

[Wolfeyes88]

Yeah, since I got the leaks mostly fixed I've been running 50/50. Somone here also said Water Wetter from redline is also good for hot weather climates. Increases heat conductivity or somethig like that...

[Tiggie]

Maybe it's just my wagon, but I'm afraid of the 20-year old factory block heater because the wiring gets insanely hot when it's plugged up. Just seems like a fire hazard .