Dumb weather (and antifreeze) (1 Viewer)

[roflbox]

My current plan was to run evaporust thermocure for a few days before overhauling the cooling system this weekend.
I checked the forecast and the low tonight is 36, but I am a little concerned where I am that temperatures could be dipping below freezing.
From what I can see in the radiator, there is probably 2.75 gallons of distilled and thermocure (which is not an antifreeze) and the remaining gallon of fluid would be the existing coolant.

Questions?
Let it ride and dont worry about it?
Can I drain the cooling system, and let it sit empty overnight?

 

[BILT4ME]

Does the truck sit outside?
If there is one gallon of mixture in there along with the other stuff, your lower end is probably in the high 20's for "protection". You could pick up a coolant tester and actually check it to see your range based on density.
If it's outside, how long is it supposed to be at the low end of the range of temp? It takes about 4 hours to cool an engine block to ambient temp, depending on the wind (increases the rate of change)
Yes, you can drain it and leave it sit empty during this time. Is you're going to do this, you also need to pull the block drain as well. It's not about having "air space" to expand because it will freeze on the edges first, then the early frozen parts hold in the rest and it's the expansion that causes things to break.

If I were the least bit concerned about it, I would either completely drain it or add more antifreeze to get the mixture better for cooler temps.

 

[JunkCrzr89]

It takes about 4 hours to cool an engine block to ambient temp, depending on the wind (increases the rate of change)

The radiator, if plastic tanks, will freeze much faster than that and crack at the seams. Ask me how I know

 

[roflbox]

Does the truck sit outside?
If there is one gallon of mixture in there along with the other stuff, your lower end is probably in the high 20's for "protection". You could pick up a coolant tester and actually check it to see your range based on density.
If it's outside, how long is it supposed to be at the low end of the range of temp? It takes about 4 hours to cool an engine block to ambient temp, depending on the wind (increases the rate of change)
Yes, you can drain it and leave it sit empty during this time. Is you're going to do this, you also need to pull the block drain as well. It's not about having "air space" to expand because it will freeze on the edges first, then the early frozen parts hold in the rest and it's the expansion that causes things to break.

If I were the least bit concerned about it, I would either completely drain it or add more antifreeze to get the mixture better for cooler temps.

Thanks for the info! it does sit outside, wish my garage was tall enough
Will do some thinking over the course of the day.

 

[South Texas 97]

Perhaps a couple of old school incandescent lights on an extension cord under the engine on the axle would be enough to keep some heat in the engine compartment? Just a thought

 

[BILT4ME]

The radiator, if plastic tanks, will freeze much faster than that and crack at the seams. Ask me how I know

thanks for that. I was focused on the block and head, not the peripherals.

The incandescent light is a good idea.