I'd say maybe a block or 2......back when my belt snapped (luckily, on the way home, late at night), I happened to hear a "thunk" from under the hood as I pulled off the exit ramp on my way home......during the drive, I noticed my temp gauge slowly creeping up....and then the alternator gauge slowly decreasing.....yea....don't think I would have made it more than a mile.....as is, when I turned the corner to my street, my headlights (old, big clunky H6054s lol) were starting to dim....but the car did not go into the red.....
How far can I drive without a serpentine belt?
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If you think its the pulley on the tensioner, just put some oil around the bearing then start it up and drive it in the way that makes the noise. If your noise goes away, replace the pulley, if its still there, you've at least eliminated a suspect.
About 4-5 years ago my LS400's serpentine belt broke while driven by my wife about 3 miles from home, I went there drove that car home after consulted with my mechanic. The steering was very heavy but drivable.
I had the battery charged that night and the next morning. I drove the broken belt LS400 to my mechanic garage about 15 miles away. The coolant temp is at the high side while stopped at red light, but not in the overheat range. As soon as the car was moving the engine temperature dropped to normal range.
I had the battery charged that night and the next morning. I drove the broken belt LS400 to my mechanic garage about 15 miles away. The coolant temp is at the high side while stopped at red light, but not in the overheat range. As soon as the car was moving the engine temperature dropped to normal range.
that ls400 must have a timing belt driven water pump. there's no way that you drove 15 miles without a working waterpump
Many of you obviously do not own a GM v8.
Ours will run with NO COOLANT. And without any damage. Others do this also.
On our fleet trucks the engine shuts down 4 cylinders and then alternates back and forth so the engine never overheats. Runs poorly but exactly as designed.
Beats walking and/or a head gasket!
Ours will run with NO COOLANT. And without any damage. Others do this also.
On our fleet trucks the engine shuts down 4 cylinders and then alternates back and forth so the engine never overheats. Runs poorly but exactly as designed.
Beats walking and/or a head gasket!
How far depends on when the car overheats or when the battery dies. I'd disconnect the belt, listen for the noise, shut the engine, make the repair if belt related, and put the belt back. All you need is to overheat the engine and create a new problem to fix. JMO
Originally Posted By: 92saturnsl2
You'll get about 5 minutes of warm-up before the temperature gets out of hand.
Once it reads "normal" it only takes a short time before it gets too hot.
The battery on the other hand, will happily run the car and accessories on average around 70-90 minutes without the alternator, provided you don't have headlights or anything high-drain on.
^^^^ This, EXACTLY RIGHT... The ones that are posting because they "feel" the engine would be damaged, should keep their fingers off the keyboard...
Whether it has the fail-safe cooling system already mentioned I dunno, but the above is 100% safe and won't cause a problem...
You'll get about 5 minutes of warm-up before the temperature gets out of hand.
Once it reads "normal" it only takes a short time before it gets too hot.
The battery on the other hand, will happily run the car and accessories on average around 70-90 minutes without the alternator, provided you don't have headlights or anything high-drain on.
^^^^ This, EXACTLY RIGHT... The ones that are posting because they "feel" the engine would be damaged, should keep their fingers off the keyboard...
Whether it has the fail-safe cooling system already mentioned I dunno, but the above is 100% safe and won't cause a problem...
Originally Posted By: tgferg67
Wouldn't driving without the belt be the same condition as driving "x" distance before the thermostat opens?
absolutely not. when driving "x" distance you at least have the water pump circulating water from the second you start the engine. you dont have that without a belt. Like others have stated, and agreed with, without the water pump moving you could have water boiling around your cylinders and cool water still sitting at your temp gauge sensor. DO NOT trust the temp gauge without the water pump moving.
On to your original question, i wouldnt go more then a mile or so. And i would be gentle to her in that mile.
Wouldn't driving without the belt be the same condition as driving "x" distance before the thermostat opens?
absolutely not. when driving "x" distance you at least have the water pump circulating water from the second you start the engine. you dont have that without a belt. Like others have stated, and agreed with, without the water pump moving you could have water boiling around your cylinders and cool water still sitting at your temp gauge sensor. DO NOT trust the temp gauge without the water pump moving.
On to your original question, i wouldnt go more then a mile or so. And i would be gentle to her in that mile.
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The new engine will fix the problem all right. The early Model T had a "thermosyphon" coolig system without a pump, but it was designed to circulate on the basis of hot water being less dense and rising. Didn't take ole Henry long to put in a pump. Iron block/aluminum heads combos don't like excessive temps. I'd pull the plugs out and CRANK to engine with the starter.
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Originally Posted By: Jakegday
absolutely not. when driving "x" distance you at least have the water pump circulating water from the second you start the engine. you dont have that without a belt. Like others have stated, and agreed with, without the water pump moving you could have water boiling around your cylinders and cold water still sitting at your temp gauge. DO NOT trust the temp gauge without the water pump moving.
On to your original question, i wouldnt go more then a mile or so. And i would be gentle to her in that mile.
Pure nonsense. Without the thermostat open, the water pump isn't circulating much of anything. The coolant temperature in the different areas of the engine will normalize itself through natural convection.
Also, don't you think the engineers had it in mind to warn the operator even if the pump has failed? The coolant temperature sensor will read correctly regardless of whether the pump is working.
Running the car with the belt off, absolutely is a fine way of diagnosing noises in the accessory drive as long as you use your head and don't operate it too long that way.
absolutely not. when driving "x" distance you at least have the water pump circulating water from the second you start the engine. you dont have that without a belt. Like others have stated, and agreed with, without the water pump moving you could have water boiling around your cylinders and cold water still sitting at your temp gauge. DO NOT trust the temp gauge without the water pump moving.
On to your original question, i wouldnt go more then a mile or so. And i would be gentle to her in that mile.
Pure nonsense. Without the thermostat open, the water pump isn't circulating much of anything. The coolant temperature in the different areas of the engine will normalize itself through natural convection.
Also, don't you think the engineers had it in mind to warn the operator even if the pump has failed? The coolant temperature sensor will read correctly regardless of whether the pump is working.
Running the car with the belt off, absolutely is a fine way of diagnosing noises in the accessory drive as long as you use your head and don't operate it too long that way.
Originally Posted By: 92saturnsl2
Originally Posted By: Jakegday
absolutely not. when driving "x" distance you at least have the water pump circulating water from the second you start the engine. you dont have that without a belt. Like others have stated, and agreed with, without the water pump moving you could have water boiling around your cylinders and cold water still sitting at your temp gauge. DO NOT trust the temp gauge without the water pump moving.
On to your original question, i wouldnt go more then a mile or so. And i would be gentle to her in that mile.
Pure nonsense. Without the thermostat open, the water pump isn't circulating much of anything. The coolant temperature in the different areas of the engine will normalize itself through natural convection.
Also, don't you think the engineers had it in mind to warn the operator even if the pump has failed? The coolant temperature sensor will read correctly regardless of whether the pump is working.
Running the car with the belt off, absolutely is a fine way of diagnosing noises in the accessory drive as long as you use your head and don't operate it too long that way.
Incorrect, if you actually study cooling water paths, you see the thermostat doesn't STOP water flow, it reDIRECTS it for faster warmup and quicker heat to the heater core.
Originally Posted By: Jakegday
absolutely not. when driving "x" distance you at least have the water pump circulating water from the second you start the engine. you dont have that without a belt. Like others have stated, and agreed with, without the water pump moving you could have water boiling around your cylinders and cold water still sitting at your temp gauge. DO NOT trust the temp gauge without the water pump moving.
On to your original question, i wouldnt go more then a mile or so. And i would be gentle to her in that mile.
Pure nonsense. Without the thermostat open, the water pump isn't circulating much of anything. The coolant temperature in the different areas of the engine will normalize itself through natural convection.
Also, don't you think the engineers had it in mind to warn the operator even if the pump has failed? The coolant temperature sensor will read correctly regardless of whether the pump is working.
Running the car with the belt off, absolutely is a fine way of diagnosing noises in the accessory drive as long as you use your head and don't operate it too long that way.
Incorrect, if you actually study cooling water paths, you see the thermostat doesn't STOP water flow, it reDIRECTS it for faster warmup and quicker heat to the heater core.
+1 Pump still circulates coolant, just not through the radiator.
I wouldn't drive it, if you can avoid it. But if you must, make it short and sweet. Down the block and back.
I wouldn't drive it, if you can avoid it. But if you must, make it short and sweet. Down the block and back.
Drove the car down a block and back without the belt. The noise is still there so it's not the tensioner. It might be piston slap. Put my hand on the cylinder head after the drive and it was barely warm - outside ambient temp was 50°.
I have a friend who's dad owns a 1996 F150 with the 4.6. He was having problems with the heater not working. I am not sure what all they had replaced, but a new water pump finally fixed the problem. The blades were worn completely off of the impeller, but the truck never ran hot.
I had the belt break on my 1989 2.3 Mustang. I was about 5 miles from town and late for a hair cut appointment. It ran a little warm, but I wasn't real concerned about it. It is an iron engine and worst case senario it would give me a reason to rebuild it. It has over 200,000 miles on it now and was only 90 HP new. I made it where I was going, got my hair cut while it cooled off, then drove across town to AAP and replaced the belt.
I had the belt break on my 1989 2.3 Mustang. I was about 5 miles from town and late for a hair cut appointment. It ran a little warm, but I wasn't real concerned about it. It is an iron engine and worst case senario it would give me a reason to rebuild it. It has over 200,000 miles on it now and was only 90 HP new. I made it where I was going, got my hair cut while it cooled off, then drove across town to AAP and replaced the belt.
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