Coolant question?

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   I was watching one of the shows where Heather Storm and some guys travel to various locations to do a one week rehab to get someone's car up and running again.
When they pulled apart an engine, the water pump was full of crystallized anti-freeze. I was wondering how many years it would take for this to happen and if the crystals would return to liquid when new coolant was added and the engine run up to temperature again?

I have never seen this before but wondered if you would have to disassemble the engine and hot tank the block and heads to remove the formations. It looked like jelly to me more than solid crystals. 

The q code I hope to get in a few months has not been touched in 9 years and the list of things to fix/replace grows every time I think about it and this is near the top of the list.

I am trying to summarize pros/cons together with prices of parts/labor to make it a daily driver if I wanted to.

Realistically, it will be a frame off rebuild but I won't know until I get into it. The paint looks great but there is hidden (not so hidden) rot. It has 14" Keystone Classics which would end up on my car asap. I can't stand to look at the wheels I have now. 

The car was built in Oakville and I was surprised that the dome light crumbles to the touch. Hopefully the gauge cluster isn't in the same shape. This car has never baked in the sun like the southern cars. Interior plastic is in really good shape except for the armrests. The instrument panel is reall sharp in that it looks untouched, with no fogging or scratches.

Anyway, sorry for the thread drift. 

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handsofstone Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 13-April-2018 Location: Northeast Status: Offline Points: 3946	Post Options Post Reply Quote handsofstone Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Coolant question? Posted: 29-May-2019 at 1:31AM
	I was watching one of the shows where Heather Storm and some guys travel to various locations to do a one week rehab to get someone's car up and running again. When they pulled apart an engine, the water pump was full of crystallized anti-freeze. I was wondering how many years it would take for this to happen and if the crystals would return to liquid when new coolant was added and the engine run up to temperature again? I have never seen this before but wondered if you would have to disassemble the engine and hot tank the block and heads to remove the formations. It looked like jelly to me more than solid crystals. The q code I hope to get in a few months has not been touched in 9 years and the list of things to fix/replace grows every time I think about it and this is near the top of the list. I am trying to summarize pros/cons together with prices of parts/labor to make it a daily driver if I wanted to. Realistically, it will be a frame off rebuild but I won't know until I get into it. The paint looks great but there is hidden (not so hidden) rot. It has 14" Keystone Classics which would end up on my car asap. I can't stand to look at the wheels I have now. The car was built in Oakville and I was surprised that the dome light crumbles to the touch. Hopefully the gauge cluster isn't in the same shape. This car has never baked in the sun like the southern cars. Interior plastic is in really good shape except for the armrests. The instrument panel is reall sharp in that it looks untouched, with no fogging or scratches. Anyway, sorry for the thread drift.

Big Bird Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 25-August-2013 Location: New York Status: Offline Points: 4194	Post Options Post Reply Quote Big Bird Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 29-May-2019 at 2:16AM
	Only coolant I have ever seen crystallize or gel is Dex-Cool. Crap in my Sierra looked like Raspberry Jello, "Air is a contaminant", and other G.M. gelling excuses... Someone needs to get a BIG kick in the crotch for Dex-Cool, with steel-toed clown shoes.
	"What we do in full frontal view, is more honest than your cleaned-up mind." Randy 1979 T-Bird 2005 F-150 STX RCSB 4.6, 3.55 LSD How the Heck does a REGULAR CAB SHORTBED weigh over 5200 pounds?

handsofstone Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 13-April-2018 Location: Northeast Status: Offline Points: 3946	Post Options Post Reply Quote handsofstone Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 29-May-2019 at 4:09AM
	The engine it happened in was a bowtie small block. I doubt this guy used anything gm related in the car. Well, accept for the buick rubber floor mats up front.