frozen intercooler tank

Alright, flame suit is on.
I don't even own a car with the intercooler sprayer, but what if the tank is full of water and the thing freezes solid? I only found one thread with some information, and one said leave it half full and let it freeze, the other said to leave it a quarter full and let it freeze.

What do you STi owners do and has anyone run into problems?

 

i would assume just leave it quarter-half full and let it freeze, seeing as you don't need it in winter. lol

 

:laugh: this is true, but I was considering the water in the pump and lines expanding.

 

Hmm, I wonder how full mine is :ugh: I barely use it anyways.

 

well either way there will be some sort of water left in the lines and pump i'd assume....so i dont think it really matters?!?!

 

That is what I figured, but I didn't know and didn't see any info on it. I met freeskierwi tonight and he asked so my curiosity got the best of me. His is pretty much full and frozen solid. I told him to put some salt in there to thaw the water and then wash it out with windshield washer fluid, but I was guessing. I'll make sure he doesn't do that. it seemed like a good idea at the time.

 

i guess i wouldn't worry about it too much. if its not over filled and there is room for it to move around i would assume it wouldn't cause damage.

 

fill it full of washer fluid

 

yeah i'd assume even if ran empty there would be water in there so i think it doesn't really matter...other subaru wasn't thinking very well on this one

 

exactly what I was thinking... besides... in summer the alcohol content is better for cooling.. ever spilled that stuff on yourself and felt it evaporate

 

Every night right before making romantic explosion.

 

gotta cooly down a cock

 

I believe the owners manual says make sure it is half full or less, but not sure.

 

Be gentle as to avoid chafing.

 

mine is full of washer fluid... because it's been converted to my washer resevoir

 

the first thing i did when i bought my car was put washer fluid in it. i kind of like the blue stained tank in my trunk... WAIT!

 

This quasi-sentence is amazing.

 

You could find an underground ramp to park it in to thaw - downtown Target is nice and if you spend $20 in the store you get free parking - then mix in a bit of rubbing alcohol. There was some argument for not using washer fluid, but I can't recall exactly, it wasn't anything big so that would probably work too. Could it stain the IC? I dunno.

At any rate, mine froze a couple winters, the lines never burst or anything, it really isn't anything to worry about. The only annoying thing is when it partially thaws, and you have a huge ice cube floating around clunking in the tank.

 

step 1: drive to wisconson
step 2: buy everclear
step 3: profit?

 

I dont think I ever used my i/c sprayer when I had my STi.

 

its out of a kevin Bloody Wilson song...

 

Yeah, the owners manual has a piece about leaving it half (or less) full over winter.

+1, let it thaw out, drain it down to half or less then leave it alone. I just drain mine most of the way since I'd go crazy hearing a partially thawed block of ice clunking around in the trunk on warmer days.

I think the arguments for not using washer fluid and alcohol is their decreased capacity to dissipate heat compared to water and of course the mess factor.

 

Follow the manual (1/2 full) and you'll be fine. How many threads have you seen with IC sprayer issues after it freezes? There's more then enough room for the water to expand.

 

this!!!!!!!!!

 

i put isopropyl alcohol in mine for the 1/4 of the winter that i drove it but now i store it for the winter

 

I haven't touched it in any winter (on its 6th winter, now) other than making sure it is <3/4 full.

 

the main thing is if your running water in it dont use it in the winter... pump will burn out but i like Andyman's idea... just hold a shot glass under your hood and your good to go