SR run dry ~ if it fires up again, can I trust it?

[GSXRJJordan]

So I had some issues (turbo manifold stud snapped off) and had to pull the turbo/exhaust/manifold/etc, and when I put it all back on, I wanted to bleed the coolant system - no problem, done it tons of times, except this time I'm in my dad's garage with horrible drainage, and as soon as I start gettin the right color water out (had greenish coolant before, used orangeish tonight) I shut off the car and plugged the bleeder hole with the screw (hand tight), then went and put all my tools away.

Took the car around the block, all guages read normal, let it sit, no leaks (I still hadn't tightened the bleeder bolt though), and took a freeway onramp sideways followed by a 2nd 3rd 4th pull. Got right off the freeway, and the car started acting sluggish, so I pulled over and instantly smelled the pungent aroma of a cooked engine. Sure enough, bleeder screw was gone, radiator was dry, and I prompty threw up my dinner all over the sidewalk.

So my question to any who've had experience with seized motors is this: tomorrow I'm going to put some more coolant/water in and try to start it, if it starts and runs, can I assume no catastrophic damage took place? Obviously if it doesn't start it's time to make this a builder motor and get a new longblock.

The only experience I've had with seized motors is with an oil leak on a turbo bike, and the motor went from running fine to totally stuck (wouldn't start or even turn over) - my SR tonight was still running, just sluggish/unresponsive (like your MAF got unplugged, or you had a IC piping leak), so what does that say about the condition of the motor?

Thanks for any educated insight ~

[spdfreek0o]

First off, you never mix green and orange coolant, even in the slightest amount it will be corrosive. Second, why would you leave the bleeder screw hand tight like that? You need to keep your coolant system pressurized to keep the coolant from boiling. What you probably did was blow the headgasket and the sluggish feeling is from very bad compression. :mrmeph:

[!Zar!]

That smell is blown hg. You most likely warped your head also.

Time for a rebuilt/new engine.

[scottie]

You need to keep your coolant system pressurized to keep the coolant from boiling.

www.evanscooling.com

No Pressure, No water, No corrosion.


As for your problem, there is only one way to find out. I say fill it all back up with fluids and try to start it.

Scott

[steve shadows]

So I had some issues (turbo manifold stud snapped off) and had to pull the turbo/exhaust/manifold/etc, and when I put it all back on, I wanted to bleed the coolant system - no problem, done it tons of times, except this time I'm in my dad's garage with horrible drainage, and as soon as I start gettin the right color water out (had greenish coolant before, used orangeish tonight) I shut off the car and plugged the bleeder hole with the screw (hand tight), then went and put all my tools away.

Took the car around the block, all guages read normal, let it sit, no leaks (I still hadn't tightened the bleeder bolt though), and took a freeway onramp sideways followed by a 2nd 3rd 4th pull. Got right off the freeway, and the car started acting sluggish, so I pulled over and instantly smelled the pungent aroma of a cooked engine. Sure enough, bleeder screw was gone, radiator was dry, and I prompty threw up my dinner all over the sidewalk.

So my question to any who've had experience with seized motors is this: tomorrow I'm going to put some more coolant/water in and try to start it, if it starts and runs, can I assume no catastrophic damage took place? Obviously if it doesn't start it's time to make this a builder motor and get a new longblock.

The only experience I've had with seized motors is with an oil leak on a turbo bike, and the motor went from running fine to totally stuck (wouldn't start or even turn over) - my SR tonight was still running, just sluggish/unresponsive (like your MAF got unplugged, or you had a IC piping leak), so what does that say about the condition of the motor?

Thanks for any educated insight ~

First of all Siezed is totally wrong vocab for this accident...

Siezed means like rod through block or hydro locked rod warp etc.

I would call this overheating...maybe

Are you sure that you blew anything? Or did you pull over immediatly after the temp gauge started going up or the water shot out?

If so you may be ok.

Do a compression test when the engine is ice cold then go fromthere.

[GSXRJJordan]

Thanks for the responses guys ~ I did pull over right afterwards, and haven't started it up yet.

First off, you never mix green and orange coolant, even in the slightest amount it will be corrosive. Second, why would you leave the bleeder screw hand tight like that? You need to keep your coolant system pressurized to keep the coolant from boiling. What you probably did was blow the headgasket and the sluggish feeling is from very bad compression.
Wow, I've always thought that ethelyne glycol is ethelyne glycol - what is it in the two different colors that makes it corrosive? And corrosive to what? The whole engine's aluminum. Anyhow, I'll look into this, thanks. Didn't think about headgasket, but it totally makes sense.

Or did you pull over immediatly after the temp gauge started going up or the water shot out?
Temp guage never went up, because the water wasn't making it from the motor back to the radiator to get picked up again by the cooling system. I saw it go from 180 to 185 when I was coming down from the top of 4th, and after that it stayed pretty steady at 180 until I shut it down - by then it was already dry. You're right about the vocab though, it was late.

Guess I'll update when I get out there with my compression tester and some water. Thanks again ~

[MELLO*SOS]

As mentioned before... I'd fill it back up with water, then leakdown test each cylinder. You should be able to hear bubbles along with a > 10% leak rate if the HG is done for. If the HG is gone then you'll almost certainly need to have the head checked & machined flat again.

Edit: Scottie, thank you for that link, it looks very interesting.

[scottie]

Edit: Scottie, thank you for that link, it looks very interesting.

Dont mention it. I ran that stuff on my FD RX7 and my SR20DET Nissan. Not only did it lower the temps but the fact that its non-water based and last 100K miles, its the last coolant you will ever use. Buy a new container dedicated solely to that coolant so if you ever need to drain the fluid you can catch it and reuse it. Never had a problem. A friend swears by it on his ATV's as well. All the dirt track IMCA's and Sprint cars use it. Serious stuff mang.

[MELLO*SOS]

Yeah I just read through their site, they have some good info there. Might give that stuff a shot later on with the RB.

[GSXRJJordan]

Update: Got out to the car and filled it with water (there was still some in the radiator, it took less than a gallon... weird?), tried to start it up, and got a chug or two but definitely not catching. Compression was all over the place, from 40 to 65 psi, so I'm gonna bet the farm that it's the head gasket.

Now it's the decision to bring tools and pull the head with everything in the car (and leave the car on the street a mile away) or have it towed to my house and pull the whole motor, and possibly freshen up the bottom end also while it's out. Ugh... any thoughts? How tough is it to pull the head while it's in the engine bay?

[MELLO*SOS]

Probably a pain in the ass. I would pay to have the car towed home to your garage, at least you'll have all your tools and everything else you need nearby.

[downshift_sideways]

Yea bro. How long would you think the car was running w/o coolant?

Warped head, Blown HG, coolant shouldn't be mixed either.

stay color cordinated!:ghey:

[spdfreek0o]

Wow, I've always thought that ethelyne glycol is ethelyne glycol - what is it in the two different colors that makes it corrosive? And corrosive to what?

generally orange is for american cars, green is for import cars, generally.

Choosing the right coolant and you:
http://www.popularmechanics.com/how_to_central/automotive/1272436.html

[steve shadows]

Yeah If your switching to dexcool you need to COMPLETELY DRAIN and Flush the system then add aluminum radiator new water pump and in some cases coolant temp sensor and thermo.

[GSXRJJordan]

Thanks for the help all, Steve I PM'd you about comin up next week... lockin it down ~