(OT) Car coolant question

I had to remove my car's radiator to get it repaired. That may take several days to a week, since the repair shop is real busy. I want to move the car to a differerent place on the property. It will take 5 minutes at most to start it and move it. Is it safe to run an engine without coolant for a short time like this? It's an 80's car with 6 cyl engine if that matters. I dont think it can get real hot in that amount of time, but I thought I'd ask. I'm handy with cars, but no mechanic.

Reply to
homeowner
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I wouldn't do it. Might have no use for the repaired radiator. Leave it, or find another way to move it.

Reply to
Vic Smith

Yet another troll from HomoGay.

Reply to
krw

snipped-for-privacy@home.com wrote in news:sbr8g8pv719vtlr5i8l4afmf4e12c17tht@

4ax.com:

Absolutely not. You WILL fry something in the top end, either valves or rings, possibly both.

If you must move the car, tow or push. Do NOT run this engine.

Reply to
Tegger

Yeah, sure looks like it. 5 mins to move it on his property? In 5 mins you could go 2.5 miles at 15mph.

Reply to
trader4

Correction, make that 1.25 miles, but the same troll principle applies.

Reply to
trader4

I would not run it f minutes. But you can easily make a "short circuit pipe" to fit between the rad hoses, fill it with coolant, move it and drain it.

Reply to
clare

2 minutes would likely be safe. 5 would definitely be pushing your luck.
Reply to
clare

No radiator.... heck no. Or if you do, you won't have any need to fix the radiator.

Reply to
Doug

I think 15-20 seconds would be max.

Greg

Reply to
gregz

How long is your garden hose ?

Greg

Reply to
gregz

This time of year, it should be OK. Watch the dash gages in case it warms up, or the temp light comes on. If that happens, shut off the engine, lift the hood till it cools down.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Dash light is controlled by a sensor in the water. No water, no sensing. ooops, too late

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

Cute !!

Reply to
Doug

True, but some area's like around exhaust valve seats become very hot very rapidly without aggressive coolant circulation. Oil circulation alone will provide little if any cooling around these 'hotspots'.

Even full of coolant without circulation, these area's will quickly boil.

Personally, were it mine, I'd limit dry runtime to 20 seconds or less, and then only under light loads. If I 'had' to move it further, I'd give it 10 or 15 minutes between runs.

Keep in mind that even during normal operation, said hotspots are 'pushing' localized thermal shock limits.

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Erik

Reply to
Erik

Now that is a great idea. I probably have a pipe for that too. Sometimes posting on here is well worth it.

Thanks!

Reply to
homeowner

If a tree falls in the woods, and everyone has it killfiled, did it make a sound?

What is the sound of two killfiled posters, posting?

Is this an exclusive club, or can just anyone be killfiled by Home Guy? Do I need to wear a tux and bowtie to be killfiled?

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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Posting links that prove himself wrong and doesn't even realize it. So, yeah, no surprise he has me in his kill file. I'm in good company there. And I think I'll join in the fun in the other thread now too....

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

snipped-for-privacy@snyder.on.ca wrote in news:a949g8p7fatqaffk23cq48p5vnfoqn6q7v@

4ax.com:

Even 30-seconds is not safe if there is no coolant in the head. The rad being missing is NOT the same as simply having low coolant-level in a complete system.

Combustion temperatures are around 1,500-2,000 degrees F. That heat builds in seconds if it can't be carried away; without coolant, the surrounding metal will overheat /very/ quickly, creating the strong probability of the head warping, which will cause head-gasket failure and poor valve sealing.

Reply to
Tegger

I don't know. But just for grins, this killfiled poster will bring up something no one else has apparently thought about. Cooling the engine isn't the only function of coolant. It also lubricates the water pump. And I'd be a lot more worried about running that dry for 2 mins, than I would be about damaging the engine. But then he needs 5 mins to go across his vast estate..... I wonder if that's at 15 mph or 75? Most of us with connected brain cells only take radiators out of cars where they are not 5 mins away from where they can be left for a few days to begin with.

Reply to
trader4

Depends on the car and engine - what thermal mass does it have? Some engines will run at low power for HOURS with no coolant. Others are scrap in 5 minutes. The important thing is how long it takes to get the critical parts of the engine heated up to the critical temperature. If you are not stupid enough to pour cold water into it, most engines can stand 300 degrees F without damaging the valves, rings, cyls, bearings, block, heads or gaskets under light load.

HOWEVER - I would at least block the hoses and fill it with water, and better yet short circuit the rad hoses. The water in the block will take more than 5 minutes to heat to the point the thermostat would open.

Reply to
clare

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