Help-Slushy Antifreeze

[DanielW]

While I can understand being hesitant to start it, as long as it's just a little slushy (and not like thick molasses) I wouldn't hesitate to start it. The only reason your case is unusual is because you actually checked it. As others have mentioned, it happens, and is not all that uncommon. I'll bet if half the folks went and checked the rads in old iron on their coldest day of the year, they'd also find slushy antifreeze. They just have never noticed because they haven't checked. It's not ideal, and making it a little more concentrated would be a good idea in my opinion. But certainly not overly worrying or Earth-shattering.

 

[Rich'sToys]

If 70% premix (50/50) and 30% water wouldn't that come to around 24.5% antifreeze and around 75.5% water total? Not enough.

That's what I was thinking. Pre-mix is usually 50/50, which is good to -34 degrees. If you diluted it with more water, then it's not good to that low of a temp.

 

[Oliverguy-NE Ohio]

Thanks, used red MN. I just reread #12, first pass I was thinking he got 70/30 premix blend which would be strange. He added water to premixed and that raised the freeze point up.

that8nguy,
You do not add water to premix antifreeze. You are best served with a 50/50 mix for freezing and boil over.

I know that....I was in a pickle and needed to add some water

 

[MM-TX]

but I put PREMIXED in I so I think it should be 70% premix and 30% water come to think if it

That would make mix of 35% concentrate and 65% water. That’s why it’s slush. Takes a hard ice for some hours to break. Probably be ok but might not be if temperature goes lower than you expect.

I’d get it higher or put that heater under it.

 

[Mike(NEOhio)]

I would say it's about 50-50 but if anything more antifreeze heavy

Where in OH are you. I had -15 the other night. I always go with 50-50 in my tractors.

 

[Mike(NEOhio)]

It would be OK to start but watch the temp gauge. I had weak AF in my Scout years ago. Left for work one cold morning and it started to overheat because coolant couldn't flow.

 

[THinAl.]

Myself, I'd do what Paul said. Warm it up, drain some and add straight antifreeze.

I had a bigger problem than that Friday night. My five inch well with submersible pump has a bury system, so there's a tube with antifreeze that runs up to the pressure switch on top of the well. It got so cold that the antifreeze started to freeze up. Had no water, checked, and the gauge was at 0. I heated the elbow below the pressure switch with a propane torch. The pump started, then it didn't shut off at 60 pounds like it should. It went up to 85 before it shut off. I wrapped a heat mat around it that the wife puts under trays to start plants, then put a heavy coat over it to hold the heat. I've seen cold before, but never anything cold enough to freeze antifreeze like that.

Working on a well pump in the winter time is a tough job. I grew up on a small dairy farm and well pump problems always seemed to happen on the coldest days. Our weather in northeast Alabama is not as cold as yours and to keep it tractor related my Dad wouldn’t buy antifreeze for our WD45, so it got drained and water put back in it every day.

 

[Oliverguy-NE Ohio]

Where in OH are you. I had -15 the other night. I always go with 50-50 in my tractors.

Ashland County

 

[Oliverguy-NE Ohio]

Update. Put a heater on it and drained some out and put pure concentrate in it. I then turned it over with the starter and circulated it though the block. Should be good to go hopefully.

 

[rrlund]

Working on a well pump in the winter time is a tough job. I grew up on a small dairy farm and well pump problems always seemed to happen on the coldest days. Our weather in northeast Alabama is not as cold as yours and to keep it tractor related my Dad wouldn’t buy antifreeze for our WD45, so it got drained and water put back in it every day.

Do you remember the days before permanent antifreeze? Dad used to take glass one gallon jugs to the gas station and they'd pump purple alcohol in to them and he'd put that in the tractors. I can still remember the smell of it. When I was in my late teens I went to the neighbor's. His son and I wanted to use his WC for something. He had to take some buckets of water out and pour in to it then drain it when we got done.

 

[JOCCO]

Do you remember the days before permanent antifreeze? Dad used to take glass one gallon jugs to the gas station and they'd pump purple alcohol in to them and he'd put that in the tractors. I can still remember the smell of it. When I was in my late teens I went to the neighbor's. His son and I wanted to use his WC for something. He had to take some buckets of water out and pour in to it then drain it when we got done.

RR I have heard of that and they used to use various alcohols and I have even heard of kerosene and other oils! They used to drain the motor oil and bring it in the house to keep it warm! I also remember when stuff like those dipstick heaters were a big deal! I can still see the old radiator hose heaters and the cotton braided cords on 60 amp glass fuse circuits. Guess we been around for a while.

 

[Jim.ME]

RR I have heard of that and they used to use various alcohols and I have even heard of kerosene and other oils! They used to drain the motor oil and bring it in the house to keep it warm! I also remember when stuff like those dipstick heaters were a big deal! I can still see the old radiator hose heaters and the cotton braided cords on 60 amp glass fuse circuits. Guess we been around for a while.

I used it in a cut down truck I built in the 60s, it was cheaper than permanent. Had to add some regularly to maintain protection as it evaporated off more than water. It was considered by some as not as harmful as permanent antifreeze, if it got into the crankcase.

 

[cjunrau]

Update. Put a heater on it and drained some out and put pure concentrate in it. I then turned it over with the starter and circulated it though the block. Should be good to go hopefully.

I hope you did not just turn the engine over with the starter to try and circulate the antifreeze. I will assume you started the engine and let it run for 5-10 minutes.

 

[Mark-Ia]

Without the thermostat being open, just turning the tractor over did nothing to circulate your antifreeze. You need to start the tractor and let it run awhile.

 

[Oliverguy-NE Ohio]

Without the thermostat being open, just turning the tractor over did nothing to circulate your antifreeze. You need to start the tractor and let it run awhile.

well the problem is it doesn't have a thermostat. In the winter I just cover the radiator if it need to use it but I rarely use it from December to April

 

[Jim.ME]

Update. Put a heater on it and drained some out and put pure concentrate in it. I then turned it over with the starter and circulated it though the block. Should be good to go hopefully.

If you don't have an antifreeze tester, get a decent one. I have had good luck with the ones as pictured below, others may suggest their go to one. After you have run the tractor up to temperature and let it set to be sure the fluids mixed thoroughly, use the tester per the instructions on it.

 

[Oliverguy-NE Ohio]

If you don't have an antifreeze tester, get a decent one. I have had good luck with the ones as pictured below, others may suggest their go to one. After you have run the tractor up to temperature and let it set to be sure the fluids mixed thoroughly, use the tester per the instructions on it.

that's the exact one I have

 

[Jim.ME]

that's the exact one I have

Good, run the tractor to be sure the fluids fully mixed, then test it. Block the radiator as that is what you do and get the temp up for a good mix.

 

[Turkeyfoot]

Help!!! I had antifreeze in my 77 that was antifreeze with some water that I tested and it was rated up to -15 and in Ohio we rarely get this cold of weather...well of course it's 3 degrees and windy. I did not start the tractor I was just curious and checked the antifreeze and it's slushy...not completely frozen and I'm freaking out. What should I do??? We dont have a heated shop or garage but I do have a kerosene heater. Should I try to drain it? Don't plan on using anytime soon.

The reason water is problematic is that it expands (becomes less dense) when it freezes. That increase in volume is what does the damage to a rigid enclosed system like a radiator or engine block. Even if your mixture froze it would not expand. You'll be fine. Water is the only substance that expands when it freezes. This is due to a tetrahedral hydrogen bonded network that forms. This is also why ice floats on liquid water and our ponds and lakes don't freeze solid. Without this property, life on earth would be very different or nonexistent. Water is a remarkable substance.

 

[Mike(NEOhio)]

When I was a kid I helped my dad with maintenance stuff on the car and he referred to antifreeze as "alky" all the time.