Did I hurt my Engine?
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Joined: Jul 2005
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From: Yuma Az
Did I hurt my Engine?
I just had a new motor put in my car, a gm crate 383. Seemed to be running greatt, well while I was out driving a bunch of radiator fluid sprayed all over my windshield. I pulled over and it was all over the road where I parked and steaming lots. I let it be for ten minutes, and only living 4 to 5 miles away I decided to drive it back. My temp guage was not working so I dont know the temp, and Im pretty sure it was drained of radiator fluid. Did I hurt my engine? any info would be great, thanks a lot. 
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
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From: Forked River NJ
Originally Posted by Yellow73SB
I whouldn't have done that 
With no temp gauge you have no idea how hot it got. What was the cause of the overheating in the first place. You might have lucked out but check it out very carefully before running it again.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2005
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From: Chino Hills CA
Could you locate where the coolant was coming from? It would only take a quart to mess up your windshield. If your motor had overheated, you should have been able to sense the heat when you opened the hood. Even worst case, Iron headed small blocks are pretty indestructable.
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From: Yuma Az
Originally Posted by lowbuck72
Could you locate where the coolant was coming from? It would only take a quart to mess up your windshield. If your motor had overheated, you should have been able to sense the heat when you opened the hood. Even worst case, Iron headed small blocks are pretty indestructable.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2005
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From: Chino Hills CA
I'd put water in it and fire it back up , you gotta find out where the coolant was coming from. Just a thought... the heads are tapped for a temp sender which goes on the driver's side, tha pass side should have a good tapped plug, also check freeze plugs.
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Drifting
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Burlington WI
Freeze plugs are put into the engine block to protect it in COLD (like here in Wisconsin) weather. If the "water" freezes it expands and the FREEZE plugs will push out and keep the block from being cracked. (In theory that is)
In answer to your other question yes.
Especially aluminum.
Once you get your "leak" plugged watch your water temp and your exhaust for white "sweet smelling" smoke. That would be anti-freeze being run through the combustion chamber.
If that doesnt happen, you just got lucky.
Last edited by fl_rider; Nov 27, 2005 at 07:20 PM.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2005
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From: PA
iron heads you might be OK, freeze plugs are a way to remove the sand from the block after casting and 9 times out of 10 the block will crack before they do you any good. I'd put coolant in it and run it to determine where it was coming from. If you screwed it up you probably blew a head gasket or warped the heads themselves, I doubt you fried and bearings but it depends on how hot it got. A cooled engine can run longer than you think before you do serious damage. Good Luck!!!
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2002
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i ran a 4.3 liter gmc safari over 15 miles to 20 miles while the temp guage was buried in the red zone...when i stopped it to pay a toll,the engine stopped running...i started it ,,and pulled over on the tollway ,letting it cool just a tad before starting it and flooring it the rest of my way home..nothing happened to it!! i still use this truck as my service truck.its totally loaded w/ wire from #6 down to 16 guage.every box,, connector,, fitting ,,pipe ,,12' ladder,,6' ladder(on roof w/ a 4''p.v.c. pipe full of t.w. conduit) ,,the inside is so loaded up that i had to start stacking stuff on the roof,,never put in oil between changes ,and i only change it every 6 mts, bec it never goes more than 2700-3,000 between changes.its finally on the second trans.
Last edited by carl a; Nov 27, 2005 at 08:23 PM.
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2004
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Fill the radiator back up, and go borrow a radiator pressure checker from a friend or autozone and pump up 15 Lbs of pressure in the radiator, and see if you see any visible leaks anywhere, if you dont see any but the gauge on the pressure checker drops, pull your spark plugs and see if any antifreeze comes out the spark plug holes when you pump it up, also check your oil and see if it looks milky, if all of the above checks out you got lucky and maybe your radiator cap is bad , you can check the cap out with the pressure checker also, Good luck, Dave
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From: Yuma Az
thanks fot the replies lads, I'll try some of those things out tomorrow. Hopefully I can post a 
and not a 
. Well if my engine is on the worse for wear side, my mechanic should pay to fix it right? I mean after all he just finished putting it togther. What do you think...
and not a . Well if my engine is on the worse for wear side, my mechanic should pay to fix it right? I mean after all he just finished putting it togther. What do you think...
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2005
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From: Austin Texas
Originally Posted by johnyrundle
thanks fot the replies lads, I'll try some of those things out tomorrow. Hopefully I can post a and not a . Well if my engine is on the worse for wear side, my mechanic should pay to fix it right? I mean after all he just finished putting it togther. What do you think...
and not a . Well if my engine is on the worse for wear side, my mechanic should pay to fix it right? I mean after all he just finished putting it togther. What do you think...
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2000
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From: Carbondale Pa.
Originally Posted by johnyrundle
Well if my engine is on the worse for wear side, my mechanic should pay to fix it right? I mean after all he just finished putting it togther. What do you think...
. Peace,,, Moosie
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From: Yuma Az
All good points, maybe Im just bitter. I even showed them that the temp guage was not working and they didn't mind that I took it to drive for the weekend! Driving home wasn't the best choice either I know.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2005
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Originally Posted by big_G
I see 2 problems with your assuming the mechanic should pay: You had no temp. gauge, the car should not have been driven 'till it was fixed, and worse, you drove it 5 miles knowing you had lost alot of coolant. Be lucky if he pays half...Just my opinion..g/l
In Fantasyland...In reality, here's how the conversation is going to go with his mechanic:
Johnyrundle: Hey dude...you sold me a pos motor and it blew up!
Mechanic: Umm, err...
Johnyrundle: My dad's an attorney...I'm going to sue yer azz if you don't fix it for free and throw in some extra chrome while your at it!
Mechanic: OK...
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2005
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From: Austin Texas
We would never let a vehicle leave the shop without a temp. gauge on an engine install. Unless they had you sign off on the "No temp. gauge" situation, they certainly are partially responsible in my book.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: Standing still with all my might Texas
Cruise-In X Veteran
St. Jude Donor '09-'11
Does your car have an AC compressor on it? If so, the belt for the compressor might have come into contact with the heater hose and rubbed through it.
I hope that is what happened because would probably be the easiest thing to fix.
I hope that is what happened because would probably be the easiest thing to fix.
Last edited by Kevin_73; Nov 27, 2005 at 11:44 PM. Reason: punctation :willy:
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2005
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Originally Posted by big_G
We would never let a vehicle leave the shop without a temp. gauge on an engine install. Unless they had you sign off on the "No temp. gauge" situation, they certainly are partially responsible in my book.