How long can I run...
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 5,818
Likes: 2
From: Alive and well in Burlington NC
How long can I run...
the engine without the belt? Here's the problem, I'm still chasing a noise that was a hollow sound, but after the dyno yesterday has become an intermittent rattle. Was fine yesterday afternoon and evening. Didn't show up untill this morning when I went out for breakfast. I have removed the belt an spun the driven accessories. All seem fine except the water pump. The shaft squeaks when turned and is somewhat loose (normal?). I want to eliminate the engine pully/dampner as the source. Would 5 to 10 mins harm anything?
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,143
Likes: 7
From: San Diego CA
Re: How long can I run... (Steel Blue 91)
You can safely run without the belt for a minute or so. There is no coolant circulating and the hot spots will start boiling pretty quick. I wouldn't run it above an idle for more than a few seconds. Start with a cold engine.
A squeaking, loose water pump is not normal. Make plans to replace it. If not now, soon. Is it driping any coolant?
A squeaking, loose water pump is not normal. Make plans to replace it. If not now, soon. Is it driping any coolant?
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 5,818
Likes: 2
From: Alive and well in Burlington NC
Re: How long can I run... (John Row)
Ran it for about 5 min at idle and guess what - no rattle! Replaced the belt, fired it up and immediate noise. No coolant traces. Everything on the front is dry and since I had it up on jack stands to remove the camber brace I decided to take a look at the underbody. Not a drop of anything. I believe the reason it pulled timing at the dyno, is due to the waterpump starting to go. When I started it with the belt reinstalled, I heard the rattle and the rmp dropped immediatley. I'll do the waterpump (as soon as get the truck back from my son) and see where we are.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 83,383
Likes: 87
From: Boston, MA
Re: How long can I run... (Steel Blue 91)
Spin all the accessory pullies with your hands when the belt is off and see if any don't feel smooth. Is there any play in the pullies if you try to pull them forward and back?
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,833
Likes: 4
From: Calgary, Alberta
Re: How long can I run... (John Row)
You can safely run without the belt for a minute or so. There is no coolant circulating and the hot spots will start boiling pretty quick. I wouldn't run it above an idle for more than a few seconds. Start with a cold engine.
A squeaking, loose water pump is not normal. Make plans to replace it. If not now, soon. Is it driping any coolant?
A squeaking, loose water pump is not normal. Make plans to replace it. If not now, soon. Is it driping any coolant?
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 62,143
Likes: 1,730
From: Athens AL
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
Re: How long can I run... (Steel Blue 91)
Yeah you should replace that WP as soon as you can. Try to replace it with something aftermarket, that flows better. Like a stewart or an Edelbrock Hi-flo pump.
A friend and I were in his 74 when his belts came flying off because his WP shaft was warped. We had to baby her back home to keep it from blowing a head gasket.
A friend and I were in his 74 when his belts came flying off because his WP shaft was warped. We had to baby her back home to keep it from blowing a head gasket.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski