Why did this fix work?

.. wrote:
>
> Then I'd guess it's a converted gaseous fueled engine with a
> system utilizing a coolant level or temperature start/run lockout.

It was a propane-fueled engine. Like most automotive propane systems,
it had an evaporator to convert the liquid fuel from the tank to
gaseous fuel for the engine. The propane, in changing to a gas, has to
absorb heat from somewhere. In this case, that somewhere was the
engine's coolant. There were hoses that carried the coolant in and out
of the evaporator. When it wouldn't start, I noticed frost on the
evaporator and the hoses where they attached to it. When I took a hose
off to look inside, I saw the evaporator was full of slushy ice,
though the coolant in the rad was pure liquid. Because there was not
enough antifreeze in the coolant, the propane was freezing it. This
blocked the flow of coolant, and ( likely) caused the moisture in the
area of the expansion orifice (not necessarily the correct technical
term) to freeze, blocking the supply of fuel. After I added the
additional anti-freeze, the coolant was able to dissolve the ice in
the evaporator, things operated as expected, and the truck started.
( The ice in the evaporator may have melted some while I was setting
up to add the additional anti-freeze, but would have most likely just
formed again had I waited and tried to start it again without adding
more.)

At the time I thought it was quite unusual for this to happen, but
I've since found out this is a relatively common occurence with
propane engines.

"nooobody" > wrote in message
news:xn5yd.540484$Pl.540368@pd7tw1no...
>. wrote:
>>
>> Then I'd guess it's a converted gaseous fueled engine with a
>> system utilizing a coolant level or temperature start/run lockout.
>
> It was a propane-fueled engine. Like most automotive propane systems,
> it had an evaporator to convert the liquid fuel from the tank to
> gaseous fuel for the engine. The propane, in changing to a gas, has to
> absorb heat from somewhere. In this case, that somewhere was the
> engine's coolant. There were hoses that carried the coolant in and out
> of the evaporator. When it wouldn't start, I noticed frost on the
> evaporator and the hoses where they attached to it. When I took a hose
> off to look inside, I saw the evaporator was full of slushy ice,
> though the coolant in the rad was pure liquid. Because there was not
> enough antifreeze in the coolant, the propane was freezing it. This
> blocked the flow of coolant, and ( likely) caused the moisture in the
> area of the expansion orifice (not necessarily the correct technical
> term) to freeze, blocking the supply of fuel. After I added the
> additional anti-freeze, the coolant was able to dissolve the ice in
> the evaporator, things operated as expected, and the truck started.
> ( The ice in the evaporator may have melted some while I was setting
> up to add the additional anti-freeze, but would have most likely just
> formed again had I waited and tried to start it again without adding
> more.)
>
> At the time I thought it was quite unusual for this to happen, but
> I've since found out this is a relatively common occurence with
> propane engines.
>
>
And how do you figure the antifreeze you put into the radiator wound up in
the evaporator? Since the engine wasn't running that antifreeze stayed in
the radiator until the engine was started. It was just a coincidence.
Bob

Bob wrote:

> And how do you figure the antifreeze you put into the radiator wound
> up in the evaporator?

Mixing of the new anti-freeze with the existing coolant. Possibly
helped by some further melting of the slushy ice in the evaporator
while I drained the rad and added the antifreeze.

But the dope was not going to buy it when I said the change of
antifreeze warmed it up some.What a putz!
And by the time he added antifreeze the sun same up too.

On Fri, 17 Dec 2004 21:54:17 -0600, TCS
> wrote:

>On Fri, 17 Dec 2004 22:35:44 -0500, > wrote:
>>On Sat, 18 Dec 2004 02:34:35 GMT, "nooobody" >
>>wrote:
>
>>>One morning in the winter, several years ago when I lived in Ontario,
>>>Canada, my Maza pickup truck would not start. The fix? Putting a
>>>stronger anti-freeze solution into the cooling system. I know why it
>>>worked. Can anyone guess the reason?
>>>
>
>>I think it was a coincidence. You cranked the battery, which caused
>>internal heat. You paused did your any freeze thing, might even
>>warmed up outside more, and when you cranked again the battery had a
>>little more juice to fire things up.
>
>>How's that for a guess....
>
>>
>
>
>
>How this: the thermostat was stuck open and the engine couldn't warm up.
>Increasing the strength of the coolant reduced it's cooling efficiency.
>
>Then next summer the car overheated and the engine siezed up.

There is always a person that finds the cloud associated with the
silver lining.

later,

tom @ www.CarFleaMarket.com

Al Bundy wrote:

> But the dope was not going to buy it when I said the change of
> antifreeze warmed it up some.What a putz!
> And by the time he added antifreeze the sun same up too.
>

Mixing antifreeze and water ALSO releases heat (try pouring a half
gallon of antifreeze in a half gallon of water at room temperature, then
feel the container holding the mixture, or stick a thermometer in it).