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

[bigd1101]

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

[ronn]

just curious, why dont you run antifreeze?

[bigd1101]

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

[marty in Ohio]

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

[dumb person]

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

[retubjb]

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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

[Corley]

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!

[katy]

the garage is not heated.

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

[rocket1]

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

[mleder]

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

[McMimmcs]

With all due respect, why do you not use 50/50 antifreeze with the water pump lube and rust inhibitor?

[Roger V]

Originally Posted by McMimmcs

With all due respect, why do you not use 50/50 antifreeze with the water pump lube and rust inhibitor?

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.

[1crosscut]

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.

[eagle]

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.

[Blue-Truck-Nut]

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

[30 Closed Cab PU]

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.

[M2M]

Originally Posted by bigd1101

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

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

[sphanna]

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.

[old31]

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?

[Kurt in NJ]

Originally Posted by Roger V

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.

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