Spring........and electric blankets on the A
 

Hey gang, out of hibernation. Up in the Central NYS area where I live, I have to wait until the freeze warnings pass to fill the radiator with water and rust inhibitor. I don't run anti-freeze in the 28. I drain it all out for the winter as the garage is not heated.



I'm wondering if I could use a household electric blanket say in late April on chilly nights where it might drop below freezing, so I can use the car earlier than waiting until mid May which is normally when the last freeze is possible. I would wrap the top part of the engine (water jacket) and as much of the radiator as I could, to keep any areas warm enough.



If this is risky, I can of course wait until any freeze is passed.......but just wondering if this idea would work.


Hope everyone is safe and ready for summer,


Don

Re: Spring........and electric blankets on the A
 

just curious, why dont you run antifreeze?

Re: Spring........and electric blankets on the A
 

I get better cooling running distilled water and "Water Wetter".

Re: Spring........and electric blankets on the A
 

I feel for you bigd1101. I run the same in my "A" but I been driving for a couple weeks now in Northern Ohio. My garage is not heated but it's attached. I would think the blanket would work, anything to take the chill off.
Marty

Re: Spring........and electric blankets on the A
 

It worked in a place where it never got a few degrees below freezing. Not sure about your climate though.

Re: Spring........and electric blankets on the A
 

If you want heat on the motor, use a ceramic heater set under the hood and put a old sleeping bag on top of the hood. You would get much better heat distribution

Re: Spring........and electric blankets on the A
 

Probably just the heating blanket thrown over the hood would get you down to about 25, but I'd test it on a non freeze night, then measure the temp of the engine in the am. Just like the virus, you gotta test!

Re: Spring........and electric blankets on the A
 

Overnight, an unheated building will usually stay ~5°F warmer that OAT.

Re: Spring........and electric blankets on the A
 

As long as the wife does not mind that the a is warm and not her!

Re: Spring........and electric blankets on the A
 

How would you feel if the electric blanket failed or the electricity shut off on that circuit for some reason and you cracked something. Run the antifreeze for a month and while it's cooler and drain it out if you are that set against it in warner temps and just keep the jug of antifreeze for next year

Re: Spring........and electric blankets on the A
 

Re: Spring........and electric blankets on the A
 

Years ago there was a study that indicated straight water ran up to 30 degrees cooler in a non-pressurized cooling system. In addition another study more recently said long-life anti-freeze could cause gasket damage and subsequent leaking. A friend who built Model A engines would not warrant them if using anti-freeze.

I run water and drain in the winter but don't drive when the weather can go anywhere near freezing. I simply add water pump lube/rust inhibitor.

P.S. The "old green" antifreeze probably would be safer though not cooling as well as straight water.

Re: Spring........and electric blankets on the A
 

Maybe it is just me but if one needs to use water wetter etc... in an attempt to lower the temperature of the water in the engine there is a problem that needs to be fixed.

Using water instead of an antifreeze mixture in this day and age is in my opinion unwise.

Re: Spring........and electric blankets on the A
 

I've seen a lot of cracked blocks. It seems like just one more thing to worry about. An electric blanket will raise the temp considerably but what a hassle. I run green antifreeze and leave it in year around. Never overheats, and never freezes.

Re: Spring........and electric blankets on the A
 

I too vote for antifreeze.

But, too each his own, why not use a magnetic block heater? I have one from Napa that I pre heat my backoe with in the winter. Was probably cheaper than a blanket.

Sent from my E6810 using Tapatalk

Re: Spring........and electric blankets on the A
 

I use antifreeze also. A downside of antifreeze is it does not play nice with paint if you have an original design water pump that drips, or if you have any other coolant leaks.

Re: Spring........and electric blankets on the A
 

An electric blanket? May work but you risk burning down your car, garage and house.

Re: Spring........and electric blankets on the A
 

or use a light bulb of a sufficient wattage and cover the engine with any blanket . If you are worried about the bulb burning out while unattended, use 2 bulbs.

Re: Spring........and electric blankets on the A
 

You should be running a 50/50 mix, crazy not to. You will not have to mess with draining, heater blankets etc.

You say you get better cooling without it. Do you have a temperature gauge so that you can see the exact temp?

Re: Spring........and electric blankets on the A
 

I want to know about the study's, want to add mine to it, always had antifreeze, had to add thermostat because ran too cold, the used head gasket I put in 35 years ago is still fine, have a stock water pump that hasn't dripped for many years ------ ford sold antifreeze at the dealerships