[urq] How to boil an engine at minus 25 Celcius...

[Louis-Alain Richard]

Just ask me how!

 

Very cold here in Montreal, unusual for December. So tonight, when I got
back from work, I decided to start the urQ (sitting in the driveway since
saturday) just because.

After a couple false start, the engine bumped to life quite easily, very
good for an old CIS car at -25C.

 

5 minutes later, still no cold inside the cabin, I left off for a short ride
around the neighborhood. 

But.

What is that sound I am hearing ? Sounds like the rack and pinion is
screaming.. Must be the PS pump. Stop the engine, the sound continues!

And then, I remember: that's the sound the superheated vapor is making when
it reaches the coolant reservoir. Engine overheat at 25 bellow zero. Bravo!

Sure enough, steam and that familiar coolant smell hit me when I opened the
bonnet.

 

It seems that I "forgot" to rectify the proportions of the coolant since I
replaced the engine head in july 2003.  Yes, 18 months ago. I can tell
because I found a brand new gallon of blue VAG coolant in my "personal part
store" in the basement.

Oh well.

 

>From what I can tell, the small diameter bottom hose (reservoir to main
radiator) is frozen, and the heater core hoses must be too. I will wait
until tomorrow afternoon, the temperature should rise to -7C, this would be
enough for the weak coolant to flow normally. If not, then I will install
two 500W halogen work-lamps below the rad hoses to heat them a little.

 

I just hope I did not warp the head, it would be a real tragedy.

 

Lesson learned: never, ever fill an engine with anything but the correct
coolant. I know this, I just "forgot".

 

Cheers!

 

Louis-Alain

1983 urQ frozen to immobility, for now.