Possible issue in extreme cold weather

[Gimli]

We've been having extremely cold nights for the last few days around here (below -30*C every night) and, yesterday morning, after starting the car just fine and letting it warm up (about 12 minutes), I headed to work and the upper driver-side radiator hose became disconnected while I was going down the highway at 100 km/h.

There's no damage to the hose or radiator but I get the feeling that the coolant mix may be too thin for cold Canadian operation, which may have cause the coolant to freeze inside the radiator while driving at highway speed, which created too much pressure in the cooling lines and led to the hose disconnecting itself.

Thankfully I was able to pull over immediately and shut down the engine before it overheated due to a lack of coolant (there was less than a litre left in the system by the time it got towed to the dealer). The dealer isn't admitting that a lean coolant mix may be the problem, they're saying that the hose must've been connected wrong at the factory (the car only has 3400km on it).

Either way, if you live in a cold climate, make sure you verify that the upper radiator hose, on the driver's side, is well-connected to the radiator and it would be a good idea to have the coolant's concentration tested. It's no fun to be stranded on the highway in -30 weather and waiting 7 hours for a tow truck...

 

[DanTheMan]

We've been having extremely cold nights for the last few days around here (below -30*C every night) and, yesterday morning, after starting the car just fine and letting it warm up (about 12 minutes), I headed to work and the upper driver-side radiator hose became disconnected while I was going down the highway at 100 km/h.

There's no damage to the hose or radiator but I get the feeling that the coolant mix may be too thin for cold Canadian operation, which may have cause the coolant to freeze inside the radiator while driving at highway speed, which created too much pressure in the cooling lines and led to the hose disconnecting itself.

Thankfully I was able to pull over immediately and shut down the engine before it overheated due to a lack of coolant (there was less than a litre left in the system by the time it got towed to the dealer). The dealer isn't admitting that a lean coolant mix may be the problem, they're saying that the hose must've been connected wrong at the factory (the car only has 3400km on it).

Either way, if you live in a cold climate, make sure you verify that the upper radiator hose, on the driver's side, is well-connected to the radiator and it would be a good idea to have the coolant's concentration tested. It's no fun to be stranded on the highway in -30 weather and waiting 7 hours for a tow truck...

Good observation, and good that you caught it before major problems occurred. I wonder, though, if running the car w/o the benefit of cooling fluid would be a problem in that kind of weather as long as you keep moving. I know on the opposite side of the temperature spectrum I ran a Toyota with a hole in the bottom of a radiator nearly 200 miles to a place where I could get it fixed and didn't have any adverse problem from the lack of fluid as there was a continual airstream of about 60 mph as I travelled down the highway. Most, if not all, of the fans on the cars quit being useful around 25-30 mph due to the fan clutch that kicks in.

I'm not suggesting it as a benefit, but only in extreme circumstances or need.

If anyone knows for sure, I'd be interested in knowing.

Dan :>)

 

[Gimli]

Considering the car was still operating at normal temps before the blowout (which indicates coolant was actually cooling it), I wouldn't have tried to drive it without coolant. Besides it was quite the explosive leak, not just a little leak. I instantly lost all ability to see both in front or behind the car, for about 10 seconds until the pressure came down and most of the coolant was out of the engine.

I'm sure the mechanics at the dealership drove it to get it in though, but that was only driving a hundred feet or so.

 

[Tufast]

Gimli, IMO the hose came loose for a much simpler reason, the upper radiator hose clamp was not secured well from the factory. You would have to have an extreme lack of coolant to cause your radiator to freeze up completely, considering most of the anti-freeze resides in the radiator. Plus, if there was an internal freezing problem in the cooling system, your vehicle should of over heated due to the coolant not circulating. But, since the hose did come off & there was a loss of coolant, I would make sure it was secured, along with the lower radiator hose, then topped back off with coolant, not water. Then, make sure the system was bled properly so no air pockets would arise later & confirm the PH/glycol levels were where they are supposed to be according to litmas test.
Sorry to hear about your mishap & good luck.
(note: corrected adressee above)
Dan, to answer your question about driving w/little coolant, IMO wouldn't advise it. Just to big a chance to take on blowing a head gasket, warping a head, or burning up the engine. But, I have to admit that I have driven to the next exit of a highway before with a coolant leak that caused no damage, mainly because I didn't allow the vehicle to overheat & there was some coolant in it. As for super cold winter conditions, can't help you there since I live in the south.

 

[musher51]

Thanks for the heads-up on that issue, Gimli. The lows have been -20 to -25 F here all week, too, so I'll definitely double-check all hose connections before my weekly roadtrip to the lake later today. I'm not sure how to go about checking the coolant, though...

It took seven hours for a tow truck to arrive? I'll bet you didn't tip THAT driver!

 

[Gimli]

Thanks for the heads-up on that issue, Gimli. The lows have been -20 to -25 F here all week, too, so I'll definitely double-check all hose connections before my weekly roadtrip to the lake later today. I'm not sure how to go about checking the coolant, though...

There's cheap coolant density tester sold at most auto parts store but your best bet would be to take it to a mechanic who does cooling system maintenance.

It took seven hours for a tow truck to arrive? I'll bet you didn't tip THAT driver!

It's been quite a busy week for them. Below -30 nights makes for a lot of frozen engines, batteries, locks, etc and, since I had shelter at a gas station I wasn't a priority 1 call for them. Priority 1 calls are people stranded in the cold with no shelter, vehicles that are blocking roadways, etc. Just the kind of things we deal with around here although one would think a car that's not even old enough to have had an oil change would be able to rough through it.

Besides, the tow truck driver was quite nice for a guy who'd been working almost round the clock and complimented the car a lot, was extremely careful not to damage it (more than any other tow truck driver I've seen before) and even drove right past the Hyundai dealer because he didn't think he heard me right when I told him to go there

 

[ctrcbob]

It has to be that the hose was put on wrong. Munufacturers use quality coolant/antifreeze.

Question. Why do you let it warm up so long? (Yes, I've lived in very very cold areas of the US, mostly Western NY, but also Northern Maine and DownEast Maine. Best to let it run for 15 or 20 seconds, then drive it easy (slowly) until it warms up naturally. If you just let it sit and idle to warm up, it does not warm up evenly.

BTW, it is because of that Northern Cold (and Snow) that I live "mostly" in Florida.

 

[Gimli]

It has to be that the hose was put on wrong. Munufacturers use quality coolant/antifreeze.

I do not question the quality of the antifreeze, only how diluted it is. Every antifreeze is mixed with water and, depending on the mix, it has different freezing/boiling points.

Question. Why do you let it warm up so long? (Yes, I've lived in very very cold areas of the US, mostly Western NY, but also Northern Maine and DownEast Maine. Best to let it run for 15 or 20 seconds, then drive it easy (slowly) until it warms up naturally. If you just let it sit and idle to warm up, it does not warm up evenly.

Please define "uneven warm up". At -30 degrees oil turns into something that has the consistency of molasses and cannot properly lubricate an engine's moving parts. It is very demanding on the oil pump and, at that consistency, it completely bypasses the oil filter.

That and getting frost bite while being in the car isn't really my cup of tea.

 

[DanTheMan]

Dan, to answer your question about driving w/little coolant, IMO wouldn't advise it. Just to big a chance to take on blowing a head gasket, warping a head, or burning up the engine. But, I have to admit that I have driven to the next exit of a highway before with a coolant leak that caused no damage, mainly because I didn't allow the vehicle to overheat & there was some coolant in it. As for super cold winter conditions, can't help you there since I live in the south.

Thanks for your reply. It's good to hear a correct answer from someone who actually knows! I live in East Tennessee so our weather conditions are 'reasonably' similar!

Dan :>)

 

[ctrcbob]

UnEven Warmup is when parts of an engine warm up faster than other parts of the engine. Engines are designed to do work, not sit just sit and idle.

Let it sit for a few seconds to make sure the oil flows to all areas of the engine, then just drive it easy until full warm up

Living in Ottawa, you may want to use a Full Synthetic Oil, that flows at -30C. If I lived there, or Toronto or even Western NY, that is exactly what I would use in the winter.
You have some fine oils in Canada. Perhaps even better than what we get in the USA.
Ask your dealer if you can use Castrol Syntec 0W-30 (Made in Germany) which is available even in Walmart in Canada. (In the USA, only available in Advance Auto). You could also use (with permission from you dealer) Mobil-1 0W-20 as that will pour.
When I loved in Northern Maine, where the temperatures also would drop down to -30C (sometimes -35C), my Buick would always start. Let it idle for 15 seconds or so, then drive. Never had oil problems, and back then, the oils were dino oils, of 10W-30.

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[BaywayRic]

It's no fun to be stranded on the highway in -30 weather and waiting 7 hours for a tow truck...

Certainly hope that was not the vaunted Hyundai Roadside Assistance program!