I realized today that I don't have any antifreeze in my car. I live in Oakland, CA, and my ex-boyfriend said he only uses water in his cars, not antifreeze (yadda yadda, he's such a rebel), so since it has developd a slow leak (and the heater hasn't worked since last year--thank goddess for the heated seats), I've been putting in water every few weeks.

I moved to a higher elevation and it's gonna get a few degrees below freezing tonight. So I bought some universal antifreeze, but was only about to get about half a cup into the tank. Will my car survive? Thanks!

 

I would strongly recommend draining about a gallon from the system and putting a full gallon in. Also our cars are technically supposed to have G12 coolant or Pentosin that you buy from the dealer and many say you should never run anything else but mine has the standard green stuff in it right now. I believe there is a drain on the bottom of the radiator but I can't remember at the moment so someone else chime in on that. 1 cup is not going to be enough but if you drain about a gallon out then refill and run it till its warmed up you will be alright. If you may have any of the original pink stuff still in the car I would not use the universal stuff you bought as the 2 mixing makes a gel or something. Good luck hope you get it taken care of. If you can't do anything tonight park it inside its your best bet although if its not much below freezing it may be alright for one more night.

 

You really shouldn't mix the oem pink coolant with the universal green stuff. It can gel up. If you were able to only get a half a cup into the tank then it probably wasnt that low, or low enough to worry about. Your car will be fine

But wait... How did you have no antifreeze in your car, yet you were only able to get a half cup into the tank? Running straight water year round is a great way to corrode/rust out your radiator and related parts. Welcome to the site

 

It won't get cold enough in oakland to freeze your coolant. Just because its a couple degrees colder than freezing doesn't mean its gonna be that cold in the engine.

 

Yeah, one night just a little below shouldnt hurt, you should change that out with some pink coolant though, I believe it also protects against corrosion, and forsure boilover.

 

Yes, I only have water in the system. It has a slow leak in it that seemed to develop a few months ago, but the ex-BF fiddled around with it last year to try to see what was wrong with the heater. I know the hoses to the heater core are still reversed. We were trying to see if the core was clogged, but it wasn't.

Would it help to put a blanket around the engine?

 

you definitely have nothing to worry about in oakland....

get some antifreeze!

gl!

 

Weather shows a low of 33 in oakland, your car will be fine. But your ex is a terrible mechanic.

 

is this a troll? i don't think reversing the hoses to the heater core will determine if it's clogged or not. and you're ex BF doesn't know jack because coolant leaks or by far the easiest thing to find on our cars. i suggest selling your car or getting it fixed at a good shop and bite the bullet. also, don't drive your car for a long time because it'll probably overheat and kill your engine.

 

LOL, I'm not a troll! My ex is kind of an old-school guy--likes things really simple, which Audi's are not. We worked on a lot of things with this car, and I never heard him curse as much when we did. Some people here said that heater cores can get clogged so that's why he reversed the tubes. We also used an air compressor to blow it out.

I just bought a house and I can't afford $1,200 to get it fixed right now. I only use that figure because that's how much it is every time I take it in, and that's how much people on the forums have been quoting for a new heater core.

The dealer says there's a propeller shaft leak, and something else wrong with something near the tie rod ends. Price for both? Around $3000.

I've had this car for 8 years and he's my trusty steed--most of the time. I do love my car.