Winter water removal

[junior636]

Thought I’d post on here since this is more racer related. I only used distilled water and water wetter in my car this year. First year of having to get it all out for winter so it doesn’t freeze, what is your experience or what are you doing to drain yours? My car is stored in an insulated building and I think it would be fine but not wanting to take the chance. Drain it and maybe use compressed air somewhere? It’s a 440 based big block.

 

[MOPARMAGA]

Thought I’d post on here since this is more racer related. I only used distilled water and water wetter in my car this year. First year of having to get it all out for winter so it doesn’t freeze, what is your experience or what are you doing to drain yours? My car is stored in an insulated building and I think it would be fine but not wanting to take the chance. Drain it and maybe use compressed air somewhere? It’s a 440 based big block.

View attachment 1716483856

Pull both of the drain plugs on the side of the block and nearly all the water will come out. You could raise the car up on 1 side if you really wanted to get 99% out. Then do the same on the other side.

 

[Dana67Dart]

IMHO

Drain out the water, refill with antifreeze in a 50/50 mix run the engine till its up to temp, maybe a bit longer to heat off any moisture in the oil. Then it's winterized. In the spring, drain the coolant and save for next winter. Flush the system and refill with distilled and wetter.

 

[jimjimjimmy]

Like said pull the both plugs and drain whats left in the rad or antifreeze it .

 

[junior636]

Just making sure there wasn’t something I was missing. Thanks!

 

[MOPARMAGA]

Just making sure there wasn’t something I was missing. Thanks!

Nice looking dart by the way

 

[junior636]

Nice looking dart by the way

Thanks!

 

[furrystump]

Drain it and run it empty for a min with the cap off. It will get slightly warm and evaporate the water. I drain mine and run it moving it around a couple of times during the shuffle. Pretty sure all the residual water has evaporated out. Oh, I also drain it when warm.

 

[Desoto291hemi]

IMHO

Drain out the water, refill with antifreeze in a 50/50 mix run the engine till its up to temp, maybe a bit longer to heat off any moisture in the oil. Then it's winterized. In the spring, drain the coolant and save for next winter. Flush the system and refill with distilled and wetter.

This right here ^^^^ .
This is the safest bet you have,,,,and the antifreeze mix protects any iron from rusting while sitting dry .
Which it will if not protected .

Tommy

 

[19DART66]

Pull the drain plugs out of each side of the block and put radiator petcock with the same pipe thread back in the block. Then the next time you have to drain it, you just open up the 3 petcocks, the one in the radiator and the two in the block.

 

[Matts440]

I just pulled mine but ordered these for the block to make swapping easier and cleaner lol. Hook a 1/4" hose and let it drain.

 

[Alfajim]

This right here ^^^^ .
This is the safest bet you have,,,,and the antifreeze mix protects any iron from rusting while sitting dry .
Which it will if not protected .

Tommy

What he said also keeps the seal wet so won't leak in the spring.

 

[Woody500]

Find brass draincocks with a brass one piece t-plug w/drain hole in tee. That way the cheap steel riveted tee handle won't get loose before it spins or falls off, leaving you with no way to drain it, short of removing whole valve. Best ones are cast brass. Might have to look at old stock suppliers to get the real good quality.

 

[Alfajim]

Find brass draincocks with a brass one piece t-plug w/drain hole in tee. That way the cheap steel riveted tee handle won't get loose before it spins or falls off, leaving you with no way to drain it, short of removing whole valve. Best ones are cast brass. Might have to look at old stock suppliers to get the real good quality.

They still make those things haven't seen one in a long time, used them a lot in the "old days", hehe.

 

[Icetech]

Mine is still full of tap water My garage never gets near freezing.. but i should have switched to distilled during the summer and just never got to it

 

[junior636]

Yeah I keep my little plow tractor in the same barn as the car. It was below zero the other day and the snow still melts off the tractor. Better safe than sorry I guess.

Mine is still full of tap water My garage never gets near freezing.. but i should have switched to distilled during the summer and just never got to it

 

[gzig5]

Find brass draincocks with a brass one piece t-plug w/drain hole in tee. That way the cheap steel riveted tee handle won't get loose before it spins or falls off, leaving you with no way to drain it, short of removing whole valve. Best ones are cast brass. Might have to look at old stock suppliers to get the real good quality.

McMaster-Carr for the win.

Petcocks
McMaster-Carr

 

[Woody500]

They still make those things haven't seen one in a long time, used them a lot in the "old days", hehe.

I think the ones I have are Weatherhead Brand, but not sure where they are to double check.
Wing 'Plug' is fully removable so you can probe in case of a blockage, which doesn't happen very often when you drain & flush regularly. Does drain faster, too.