How's the weather?

[Keonobi]

Yeah, the only issue with having stuff without antifreeze in is that it will dilute the antifreeze, hampering its effectiveness.  So using it up is a pretty good strategy and then top off with the antifreeze kind.

[Rob]

Thanks, luckily my plan worked... since it was in the parking garage, it was thawed out enough to empty before I put the new stuff in at lunch.

[Keonobi]

A couple years ago I had the lines freeze and it ended up splitting one of the lines.  I had to put in a new section of hose, which was easy, except for the single digit temps and 30 mph at the time.

[Rob]

That doesn't sound pleasant... any other fluids that this might happen to in the car that I need to switch out?

[Keonobi]

The Canadians and Minnesotans (sp?) can confirm this, but the only other fluids that could hypothetically be a problem are your engine coolant/antifreeze and any water/condensation in your gas tank.  Check you owners manual, sometimes they might recommend increasing the proportion of coolant that is in the water/coolant mix, but I think that's only at really really cold temps (dozens below zero...). 

As for the gas tank, particularly on older cars, you can get small amounts of water in the tank.  Basically as you use the gas in the tank its replaced by air, and the moisture in the air can condense into water.  This water can then get into the fuel lines, freeze and then block or ever break the lines.  The two best ways to keep this from happening are always maintain as near a full tank as possible.  And periodically adding a bottle of drygas to your tank.  Again you should be able to find this at any big box store (Target, Walmart, etc.) as well as autoparts stores, gas stations, etc.  Comes in a little blue bottle, a little smaller than a soda bottle.  Just pop the top off and add it to the tank before you fill up.

I guess the exception to adding drygas is if the gasoline sold already has atleast 10-15% ethanol in the blend, as drygas is just alcohol, like ethanol.  So you might be able to ignore this whole post

[Jeff]

That doesn't sound pleasant... any other fluids that this might happen to in the car that I need to switch out?

Not fluids, but it's always a good idea to take your car in and have the air in the tires swapped out.  The "summer" air doesn't hold up as well as putting new "winter" air in the tires.

I guess the exception to adding drygas is if the gasoline sold already has atleast 10-15% ethanol in the blend, as drygas is just alcohol, like ethanol.  So you might be able to ignore this whole post

Yeah, with the higher ethanol content and other additives, adding something to "dry out" the gas isn't as big a concern.  Like Keonobi said, if you keep the car gassed up (ie don't let it sit at less than half a tank for long stretches), you hopefully shouldn't have to worry about water in the tank too much.

[JesseVader08]

The Canadians and Minnesotans (sp?) can confirm this, but the only other fluids that could hypothetically be a problem are your engine coolant/antifreeze and any water/condensation in your gas tank.  Check you owners manual, sometimes they might recommend increasing the proportion of coolant that is in the water/coolant mix, but I think that's only at really really cold temps (dozens below zero...).  

You can buy a tool ($5 to $10) that'll measure to which temperature your current antifreeze mixture will protect your radiator, or most oil change shops will check it free of charge.  Chicago weather will definitely get cold enough to make this something worth checking.  If your current mixture isn't "cold" enough, you can easily drain some from the bottom of your radiator and add more antifreeze to bump up that ratio.

As for the gas tank, particularly on older cars, you can get small amounts of water in the tank.  Basically as you use the gas in the tank its replaced by air, and the moisture in the air can condense into water.  This water can then get into the fuel lines, freeze and then block or ever break the lines.  The two best ways to keep this from happening are always maintain as near a full tank as possible.  And periodically adding a bottle of drygas to your tank.  Again you should be able to find this at any big box store (Target, Walmart, etc.) as well as autoparts stores, gas stations, etc.  Comes in a little blue bottle, a little smaller than a soda bottle.  Just pop the top off and add it to the tank before you fill up.

I guess the exception to adding drygas is if the gasoline sold already has atleast 10-15% ethanol in the blend, as drygas is just alcohol, like ethanol.  So you might be able to ignore this whole post

Unless the weather hits -40, personally I usually don't worry too much about adding gasline antifreeze.  However, like Keonobi said, ensuring your gas tank doesn't get too empty is a pretty smart idea.  Ideally, I try to avoid the tank getting lower than 1/2 during the cold spells.

edit - I guess Jeff and I agree. 

[Keonobi]

Like I said:

The Canadians and Minnesotans (sp?) can confirm

Thanks experts!

[P-Siddy]

I never let mine get less than quarter full and never had problems. I guess that's just me being lazy though. Don't want to get out of the car and freeze getting gas.

[Jesse James]

It's funny...  The last day+ we dealt with massive wind gusts ahead of the cold front.  Not cold out yesterday, just windy as hell.  Power's going out all over the area, an old brick building up north and west of me in another county blew over and the roof blew off.  Trees on cars, and so on.

Then the cold came...  It was coming around last night while I was out, and I had to pick up my car on the hill where it was getting new tires, and I really felt it up there getting cold fast.  Very strange feeling really.  The day before we were having thunderstorms and those wind gusts, then wind gusts and frigid cold...  Then last night I forget when it was I went up top of the garage to get some decorations down and I'm getting hit with big ice pellets and rain.

Then today...  freezing my balls off.  temps at 0 or the negatives with the windchill.  I think they said 17 or something for the low?  I don't recall exactly, but it was to be in the teens and a lot lower with windchills as the wind is still going ape**** though the advisory's are done.

So anyway I went out tonight for a bit...  So we've had wet weather that's saturated the ground and running onto the roads places, and those spots are frozen solid like little rivers that just turned to ice around the roads.  Pretty crazy.  No big snows, just dustings so far today.  Lots of folks worried about their pipes freezing tonight though I think.

[Rob]

Then today...  freezing my balls off.  temps at 0 or the negatives with the windchill.  I think they said 17 or something for the low?  I don't recall exactly, but it was to be in the teens and a lot lower with windchills as the wind is still going ape**** though the advisory's are done.

This morning it was 3 degrees here... -17 windchill.  I'm new to this.  It was alright, but my poor dogs couldn't handle it.  One of them flat out refused to do his thing outside.

[Jeff]

Sounds like you need to get them a Potty Patch.

[iFett]

Not fluids, but it's always a good idea to take your car in and have the air in the tires swapped out.  The "summer" air doesn't hold up as well as putting new "winter" air in the tires.

I've never heard about this and have never had a problem, but doesn't help that my low tire pressure light is going off like crazy since we got hit with this crazy Canadian cold crap all the sudden.  Dale & Brent - all your fault!      

[Jesse James]

Then today...  freezing my balls off.  temps at 0 or the negatives with the windchill.  I think they said 17 or something for the low?  I don't recall exactly, but it was to be in the teens and a lot lower with windchills as the wind is still going ape**** though the advisory's are done.

This morning it was 3 degrees here... -17 windchill.  I'm new to this.  It was alright, but my poor dogs couldn't handle it.  One of them flat out refused to do his thing outside.

Hah, it's fun huh?    It'll probably improve some, then get bad again, and improve again, and so on.  Today's probably been our worst day thus far this year.  We're getting now what you had a day or so ago.  Fortunately it was slightly bumped up by the warm front here  but our wind problem's really wreaking havoc because of the two fronts then colliding.  Things are going to hell here.

Also Rob, on the windshield washer fluid...  I don't THINK it's anti-freeze mixed in the fluid per se, but rather something else less toxic that keeps it from freezing up.  Anti-freeze is poisonous, and dogs WILL drink it, so you should keep that in mind, but I don't think winter washer fluid has actual anti-freeze in it but rather something that just keeps it from freezing.  Just some clarification and things is all because actual anti-freeze/coolant for your engine is pretty nasty stuff. 

I keep a jug or two of washer fluid on me all the time in the rear seat because it's something I tend to go through a lot.  I get it out and will often dump a little on the window if I'm in a hurry, to wash it quicker.  If time's not of the essence then just bust out the scraper and chill while the heater kicks in and heats you up.

In theory your oil can impact your performance in the winter...  that's why there's different weights (10W-30, 40, etc.) and some work better when it's hot, others when it's cold.  All has to do with the viscosity and crap.  I dont' know anyone who swaps out oils depending on the time of year though, honestly.

You're getting lots of good advice from the veterans.  Probably most people don't do half this stuff though.

[DSJ™]

Fricken' -30°C & going down to -37°C with an afternoon high of -29°C. Holy lick!

1st person to do this in this weather gets $20.