Re: water/antifreeze

Posted by Craig the Clipper Man On 2012/12/31 8:38:25

I believe that using antifreeze in old cars is a good idea, but I have to think that these cars were routinely tested by Packard for temperatures below zero. Having lived in communities in the White Mountains of Arizona and Northern California, my cars would sit outside in extremely cold weather and I had no problems with the blocks. You crack the block when you add cold water to an overheated engine without any coolant or water in the system. While most garages may get cold inside, they generally stay warmer than the outside temperature. Just to be on the safe side, you could probably cover the engine with a couple of old blankets if you wanted. After changing the coolant in the car, it's a good idea to start and run the car several times during the winter because that keeps the oil and coolant distributed throughout the engine. Let the car really warm up before shutting it off.