Frozen Car

esmerobbo

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers! wrote: »

Freezing water may split the engine, but it isn't a certainty.

Agreed in all my 38 years in the trade I have seen maybe half a dozen, I seem to remember 2 or 3 in the bad winter of 76/77 or something around then.
Seen plenty of core plugs and light castings go though.

Hammyman

quietheart wrote: »

So coolant should be checked at service then?
I'll get my husband to call them, they're never gonna accept responsiblity though are they.
So would a hairdryer be a waste of time then? Is it worth adding some antifreeze now? Or warm water hosepipe?
Nightmare.....

Depends on what type of service it was. If it was one of those "basic service and MOT for £50" type jobs, I'd not expect it to be checked. The garage only have a responsibility if an antifreeze check is itemised as being part of the service.

A coolant change would be billed as a seperate item.

A hairdryer is a waste of time. I would actually now be quite worried about the time it thaws out because as ice melts, it actually expands from 1-3 degrees and could blow the radiator or heater matrix if you're lucky or crack the cylinder head/engine block or blow the headgasket if you're not.

anotherbaldrick

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers! wrote: »

Freezing water may split the engine, but it isn't a certainty.

If the block only partly freezes yes, but my point was to leave the car out in the present temperatures any longer would cause a total freeze up and that will blow the castings same as a freeze up in a house domestic plumbing will split the pipes
On freezing water expands 9% and in doing so can thoretically exert a bursting force of 114,000 pounds per square

quietheart

Sorry I've had a hospital farce to deal with....
Service dealership have said if we can get the car to them (12 miles away), they'll 'sort it out', not sure what that means but they were at least helpful. Phoned breakdown company who said to phone back in the morning and they'll take it to the dealer.
Progress maybe?
Cheers all

quietheart

Waited 4 hrs for breakdown company, car started but pipes still frozen. Has now gone to servicing garage to warm up.....
Will see what tomorrow brings. Thanks for everyones advice.