RE: Frozen 'coolant'...that sucks

[Brian Honnold <bhonnold@pac-cap.com>]

On Sunday, December 20, 1998 9:45 PM, Mike VanAmburgh 
[SMTP:vwvr6r@fiber.net] wrote:
> Hey all.  As I've mentioned before, I picked up an 88 Scirocco in Grand
> Forks, ND while on vacation in northwest MN.  The inlaws towed the car
> down here to UT two days before I left to go to CA for a few weeks, so I
> didn't have time to mess with the car at all.  Well, now I'm back in UT
> and decide to check the car's fluid levels before taking it for a drive.
> To my surprise the coolant in the reservoir is partially frozen!
> Improperly mixed coolant really was never a concern of mine since the
> car has spent it's life in the Minneapolis and St. Cloud areas...brrr.
> So...my question is...what's the best way of going about this?  How
> would I know if any damage is done internally?  Radiator?  Engine block?
> I kicked the Cabby out of the garage and pushed the Scirocco into it
> hoping the coolant would thaw.  The garage is not heated tho, but it
> appears that the coolant in the reservoir has melted but I don't know
> how to tell if it's melted inside the radiator and block.  I'm paranoid
> to start it for obvious reasons, so I haven't.  I'm thinking I should
> pull it behind the GTI to the dealer and store it overnight in their
> shop then get the coolant changed.  Any advice and/or opinions are
> appreciated.

10 years ago, (the last time it got below freezing here in CA) I was 
sorting out a radiator problem and was running water only.  Three days of 
no driving and temps in the twenties and you guessed it....froze colder 
than a Canucks pecker.

I simply shoved it into the garage for half a day, then drove it around 
slowly for a while and all the temps were fine, with no damage due to the 
freeze.  The radiator didn't even crack.

If your really worried about it, put a space heater close to the front of 
the car in the garage and you'll be fine in a matter of hours.!!!

Brian Honnold
'78 Rocco Ragtop

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