Overheated engine?

[Spetz]

Hi everyone,

I started and idled a car for about 60-90 seconds without coolant in it.
At the time I thought such little amount of time won't be an issue.

Since then I am worried that because there was no coolant, the cylinders themselves got too hot as the transfer of heat wasn't possible.


Is it possible to overheat an engine with no coolant during a cold start 90 second idle?
And how would I test if there is damage?
Compression test, leakdown test, anything else?

 

[Skippy722]

99.9% chance nothing happened, it will continue to live a long healthy life. Lots of thermal mass, takes a bit more than that to significantly move the temperature.

 

[Lubener]

I wouldn't worry. That is a very short time. Unless you just replaced the engine having no coolant whatsoever, there is still coolant in many of the passages remaining after draining the radiator.

 

[demarpaint]

I doubt you did any damage. I'd worry about something else.

 

[Zee09]

Just out of curiosity what were you doing? I don't differ from the above posts.

 

[Escape08]

No biggie on the no coolant for 90 sec. You're worst nightmare is to start the engine with no oil.

 

[Spetz]

I wouldn't worry. That is a very short time. Unless you just replaced the engine having no coolant whatsoever, there is still coolant in many of the passages remaining after draining the radiator.

I had the water pump out previously. so presumably very little coolant in there.
Though yes, there would be some coolant.

Just out of curiosity what were you doing? I don't differ from the above posts.

It's a BMW M62 V8 engine, and I had just changed the timing chain and guides. While at it, I replaced the water pump too (hence drained coolant)

 

[Chris142]

It would take a lot longer than that to overheat it

 

[nomas]

Your car is just fine .

 

[Fla]

It wouldn't hurt to do a compession test to see if you might have warped the heads and if they're now leaking. Keep an eye on the engine, if a head is warped it might take a while till a head gaskets starts leaking and water turns up in the oil, or water in the exhaust, etc etc.

 

[Spetz]

It wouldn't hurt to do a compession test to see if you might have warped the heads and if they're now leaking. Keep an eye on the engine, if a head is warped it might take a while till a head gaskets starts leaking and water turns up in the oil, or water in the exhaust, etc etc.

I might be a bit paranoid, but I was worried of damaging the pistons and cylinders.
As I would expect that only the cylinders would have gotten too hot, the rest of the engine was just a tiny bit warm to the touch

 

[oldcodger]

I would be more worried about the seal on the water pump. Running dry can't be good for it.

 

[Fla]

If there's damage to the piston rings or the cylinder walls then a compression test should catch that too. But I think that if there is any damage to the engine it will probably be an overheated and possibly warped head and that that may cause a blown heat gasket at some point in the future. I don't this is very likely if you only ran the engine for a minute but it's a possibility and something that you should watch for.

 

[JavierH19]

In that little amount of time no.

 

[dumkid]

i doubt you hurt anything. i wouldn't worry unless you ran it for over 5 minutes.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I doubt you hurt anything. 90 seconds under no load - likely nothing.

Having said, what difference does that make now. You can't undo it. Put it back together and run it. Odds are you will notice nothing. If you do, well fix it then.

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

If there's damage to the piston rings or the cylinder walls then a compression test should catch that too. But I think that if there is any damage to the engine it will probably be an overheated and possibly warped head and that that may cause a blown heat gasket at some point in the future. I don't this is very likely if you only ran the engine for a minute but it's a possibility and something that you should watch for.

A minute and a half at idle can't possibly cause that level of damage.

 

[Fordiesel69]

Hi everyone,

I started and idled a car for about 60-90 seconds without coolant in it.
At the time I thought such little amount of time won't be an issue.

Since then I am worried that because there was no coolant, the cylinders themselves got too hot as the transfer of heat wasn't possible.


Is it possible to overheat an engine with no coolant during a cold start 90 second idle?
And how would I test if there is damage?
Compression test, leakdown test, anything else?

60-90 seconds? No it will not have hurt a thing. Several minutes and aluminum block I would be concerned.

There is a guy on youtube that rebuilds big cat diesels and after a fresh rebuild runs them with no water whatsoever. They go hundreds of thousands / millions of miles.