Anti freeze

[Aarongriffey]

I have installed many head bolt heaters.
On a V8 sometimes we’d put one on each side.
Then they came out with the ones that looked like a beer can that you could easily put in a heater hose. Some had an impeller inside that would circulate the coolant within the engine.
There were also core plug heaters. Even oil dipstick heaters.
If you live where antifreeze is not needed you can put in water soluble oil or by a anti rust product.

[fordwife]

My first car a'46 ford had one. they worked quite well. They were the first type of engine heater I ever saw. I've heard my Dad telling about building a fire under the oil pan on a model A and heating the intake manifold with a blowtorch. One way or another, he said ,it would always start.

[JSeery]

I tried a couple of heavy duty hairdryer once (at around 20 below zero). Total fail!!

[GB SISSON]

I remember buying alcohol at the gas station on the way home from a job site this afternoon. And I bought a 47 1 1/2 ton from ND with a headbolt heater and my panel from Minnesota the same device. Brass fitting with a regular male AC plug at the end. Also I never understood why kerosene hasn't always been used in the cooling system, or today a couple gallons of WD 40.... I have a couple of tractor friends with Rumley Oil Pull tractors. Can't be sure, but I think they run kerosene as a coolant, which preheats it so it ignites properly as a fuel. Block should be like new after 100 years, as they are 1920 or so.

[50fordcoupeman]

We always ran a 50-50 mix of antifreeze year around and block heaters on most of our cars and farm equipment. We would also put a light bulb next to the battery when it would get around 10 degrees or colder. Sometimes things still wouldn't start!!

[joe 1950]

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Had my 50 cpe 23 years when I first got it I drained the whatever was in the system and flushed it then added two 160 t-stats then poured the good old yellow Preston antifreeze in 50/50 mix ran that till about 7 years ago when I had to put in a new radiator and hoses then flushed it and installed the yellow Preston antifreeze again never had a problem with over heating and yes I remember the head bolt heaters but in the shop where I worked we always put in the frost plug heaters not a fun job but they worked better

[GB SISSON]

Has anyone ever tried the magnetic heater that goes on the oil pan? I have a skidsteer I plow snow with and it has a weird Italian air cooled 3 cyl diesel. Also no glow plugs. Hard start in the cold. Thanks.

[Mart]

Antifreeze is a misnomer. It's an all round coolant additive designed to protect your motor from corrosion and almost as a by product, freezing. If you live in an area that does not tend to be that cold in the winter, just ask yourselves what is being used in all the motor cars on sale in your area in the dealer's showrooms? I'll bet it's not water with a drop of soluble oil. What do all the millions of motorists in your area going about their everyday business use? They never lift the hood. The factory filled it with "antifreeze".
There is no need to reinvent the wheel or use some cheap hack that the companies don't want you to know. (Or some other conspiracy theory bullshit). Just use "antifreeze". You don't need as strong a mix in a mild climate. I use 25% mix. which is 3:1. I should probably use 2:1 but don't seem to be having problems.

Mart.

[Ben38]

When it gets below zero I use the magnetic one on my daily driver that sits outside. Just stick it on the oil pan. Works great.
The only bad part is crawling underneath to stick it on.

[Jacques1960]

Live in Maine, run standard antifreeze. Block heaters on all diesels (only)