How much coolant to winterize

[mabbore]

I winterized my Supra 2 months back with 2 gallons of un-diluted antifreeze. I ran it till it started to come out pretty sweet. (I know this is soo back woods, and I should have totally used a hydrometer to check my work) Was this enough? How much undiluted does it take? I'm up in norther chicagoland and it gets pretty cold in the winter.

[matt k]

I believe what I do is overkill, but generally I pull the 5 plugs and let the motor drain. Then I put the plugs back in and suck up straight marine/RV antifreeze until that starts coming out the exhaust (make sure thermostat is out while you do this to get good circulation). When I start getting antifreeze out of the mufflers (usually takes about 4-5 gallons of it), I shut the engine off and drain it again. Yes, it's a waste of antifreeze, but it's only like $4-5 a gallon and environmentally ok.

[DAFF]

Not enough.... Pull the plugs on the sides of the block. Right now there are areas of the engine with very dioluted antifreeze water mix. These areas will freeze and crack the block.

[csuggs]

I'm going to assume you're talking about a 351. Drain water out of block and manifolds - there are 5 plugs. One on each side of the block, one on each of the exhaust manifolds, and one on the "U"-shaped hose connector at the front of the motor near the water pump. Also drain the inlet strainer (If equipped) and remove both ends of the hose that runs between the trans cooler and inlet side of the raw water pump. I then remove the raw water pump and take the impeller out to let the veins of the impeller "relax" so it's good for another season. Finally start filling the block with RV antifreeze through the inlet hose to the thermostat. It takes 2 gallons before the pink fluid reaches the exhaust manifolds and begins to run out of the manifold drain.
May be overkill, but it's always worked for me. Better safe than sorry.

[wotan2525]

I do Matt Ks method (pull thermostat, run engine until 5-6 gallons is sucked in.) I don't drain my block before or after. Never had a problem.

[csuggs]

I do Matt Ks method (pull thermostat, run engine until 5-6 gallons is sucked in.) I don't drain my block before or after. Never had a problem.

ONLY problem I see with that is you could still have water in your trans cooler and possibly raw water pump. But if its never been a problem . . .

IGNORE THAT . . . . I OBVIOUSLY WASN'T THINKING CLEARLY! doh!

[haugy]

None. In the last (oh god) 20 years of maintaining my Supras, I've never once put anti-freeze into their engines.

[csuggs]

None. In the last (oh god) 20 years of maintaining my Supras, I've never once put anti-freeze into their engines.

Do you at least drain the engine, or do you have a heated storage area? The winter I had my motor out I drained it but did not put in antifreeze. It was fine.

[skiman_61]

I've had my Saltare' for 15 years. I run a 60/40 coolant to water mixture through the block after getting the thermostat to open. Kein problem, knock wood.

[haugy]

Well I can cheat now......Shop with heat.

But, when I didn't have a shop, I'd just remove all the drain plugs and disconnect the hoses. That's it. That year it was 10 degrees for about 3 weeks, no problems.

The Comp I had spent all of it's years on a boat lift, hardly ever on the trailer. Same routine. And that engine is still running super strong today.