Why is water freezing in the car radiator bad?

Question

In general.

Answer 1

Because it can't circulate through the engine, which is what cools your engine. When the radiator freezes, your engine seizes ( overheats and dies )

Answer 2

Easy - because your radiator is made up of copper tubing. Copper is not strong and merely helps create a path that allows the water to run in front of the fan many times to cool down. It then travels into the engine block and helps cool down the engine. If you don't have the right mixture (50/50) of antifreeze in your radiator then the water is not conditioned for extreme temperatures - whether cold or hot. In the winter (read: cold temperatures) water freezes. As the water crystalizes into more and more ice it expands. As it expands it will push apart your copper tubing until it either finds a weak spot and begins to split it or it will create a new hole and and try to push out. Ice won't just find one hole and fall out, it will continue to expand in your entire radiator and could cause several leaks. It's much cheaper to fill your radiator with the right mixture than to replace the whole radiator. There are radiator measurement things sold at any car parts store. Buy it, stick it in your radiator and draw up some fluid to see how well you are protected. Add antifreeze when necessary.

By the way - your car will still start even if you have ice in the radiator, but the coolant won't be circulating properly from the radiator with ice blocking it and your engine will overheat.

Answer 3

When water freezes, it expands. It's the expanding part that causes the damage. It will rip holes through the radiator. Then, the water in the engine will freeze and start popping out the freeze plugs. If you're lucky it won't crack the block or the head.

Antifreeze works best when mixed 50/50 with water. If you're running straight water in your car, it will boil over easily and freeze easily.

To check the percentage mix, you can buy a hydrometer for antifreeze at your local auto parts store.

Answer 4

wellllll,water expands when frozen and if ya start the engine ta thaw it ya could blow a hole in a hose or the radiator some ofem are only plastic which doesnt mix well with freezin so on an so forth

Answer 5

When water freezes it expands and breaks things. Also, ice does not flow very easily through your water pump and engine block.

Answer 6

freezing water contracts when it freezes then stays frozen then you start the motor with frozen water and cant flow to cool your engine. airspace around frozen water gets xtremely hot presses on frozen water and forces the frozen water to break the area that is frozen most unfortunately its usually the block that breaks

Answer 7

this is basic..if the car radiator freezes you are screwed. the block will crack and then your car will be worhless as you will have to buy a new engine block. maybe you should just take the bus

Answer 8

because you don't have no anti freeze in it,,it may have done froze and busted the engine in it,,if it hasn't your real lucky,id check and see,,if its freezing in the radiator,,this means its freezing in the engine also,and when water freezes it expands,,and metal don't,,so something has to give,,usually its you engine that suffers from busting wide open,,good luck i hope this help,s.

Answer 9

Water expands when it freezes and it can crack your engine block.

Answer 10

drain it out and add some anti-freeze.