Chilly weather observations

[Steve Jones]

Is that third picture what is meant by 'The Beast from the East'?

I appreciate that in the UK, Glasgow can't be considered East but it will be East of somewhere to the West of it won't it?!!

Steve

[Nick Lettington]

   
   
Told the wife i was popping out for doughnuts. Hope there isn't CCTV in the screwfix car park. One young bloke asked me if the ORT had four wheel drive it was going so well in the snow today. All i could do not to laugh! Had heaps of fun drifting on corners when picking up my daughter from work... I LOVE SNOW! 

[cardiffrob]

Like 4 little Ice Skates cutting through the snow and ice. I had a Mercedes (255/45/19 tyres) that had to be abandoned for the Morris Minor one day when I couldn't get it out of the driveway due to a light layer of wet snow. Sometimes the Old Stuff works best.

[Geoff Halstead]

Can’t see your Austin in this picture Geoff?

Bill G ?

It's tucked up under/in the Carport, and not quite ready to brave the elements.

Geoff - As I am right now

[Reckless Rat]

Well I hope everyone is OK up there in the UK - it appears that it's not all over yet. We woke up to about 6" of snow this morning after more fell overnight. By half past ten the boys from the Town Hall had been round with the tractor and ploughed all the roads in the village. Now that's impressive.

It is now raining here and forecast to continue all day so hopefully that's the end of it. The cat has finally ventured out... (but not for long)

[Hedd Jones]

Dad kept a pair of rear wheels (rusty ones) with a pair if knobbly motorcycle tyres on them in case of snow.  Ive never seen them needed. But they are now in my spares shed.

Im assuming given the trials boys have banned them that they are going to be pretty tasty in the snow. As it is I can get my '7' places where the landrover boys cannot.

[Michael]

The evil stuff I drained out of the 7's radiator spent the night in the garden in a bucket. It did not freeze.

Long shot...Anyone want a set of chains? They were for a C reg Vauxhall Carlton 2.2...

[Steve kay]

Mother had to be visited in hospital. Currently no wheels on the Ruby so it had to be the everyday2CV. Oh dear, one shouldn't be smug and laugh, but overtaking moderns sliding about or unable to get up hills is wonderful. As for some of the alleged "four wheel drives" on wide tyres, I can't fathom out whether their drivers pressed the wrong buttons or their computers weren't set up for Welsh weather, but some sit there spinning three of the four wheels. Bit like a Bullied pacific, but a Spamcam would sound and smell much better.

[Zetomagneto]

1) The brakes work better. Why? Because winter footwear is heavier and more force can comfortably be applied

2) What to do about water? I am a 'let sleeping dogs lie' mechanic and averse to spending wonga. 

My memory reminds me that antifreeze finds leaks so only have a very weak solution to try and inhibit some corrosion. Now that it is turning properly cold do I drain the car or leave a heater under it? I decide to drain it. Half a freezing hour with a bent coat hanger and finally something starts coming out. Is it water? River silt? Old coffee? Something nasty from the unmentionable? 

Anyway it is out now. So...the next question is do I back flush the thing before filling it up again and encourage it to leak or yet again simply let sleeping dogs lie...

Hi Michael, I use central heating fluid in my cars, fill and forget.
Fernox Alphi 11, much better than usual antifreeze, used by RollsRoye owners among others.
available from screwfix.Not cheap, but way cheaper than a cracked block

[Ruairidh Dunford]

I have had good experience with this type of product as well - it has excellent inhibitors against corrosion.