Re: Running without coolant - Bad?

From: jon@dakota-truck.net
Date: Sat Aug 28 2004 - 15:28:12 EDT


"David Henry" <DML@henryweb.net> wrote:

: I'm attempting to fix my timing chain for the second time. Screwed up the
: alignment the first time :(

: Is it a bad plan to try and start the engine without coolant? If I've
: managed to still have things screwed up, I can save a bunch of time (and
: anti-freeze) if I don't bother to put any in. I'd only be running it long
: enough to confirm that it will run and then I'd shut it off and put the
: anti-freeze in.

   If you're just starting it up to let it run for a few seconds, I
don't see any problems with running without coolant. The motor won't
heat up enough to actually need the coolant, and although it probably
isn't great to run the water pump for a while without coolant, for the
few seconds it would take to verify that the engine is running it
shouldn't do anything.

  (Or, if you are still concerned, you can use the garden hose, or
at the very least just add water - no need to put the coolant in.
Course then once it runs, you do need to drain it again to add the
proper mix.) :-)

 
  Anyway, you might want to wait for a few more responses just
to be sure, but I can't think of any problem with running the
engine without coolant for 10 seconds or so.

-- 
                                          -Jon-

.-- Jon Steiger ---- jon@dakota-truck.net or jon@jonsteiger.com --. | 1970 Barracuda - 1990 Dakota 'vert - 1992 Ram 4x4 - 1996 Dakota | | 1996 Intruder 1400 - 1996 Kolb FireFly - 2001 Ram QC 3500 CTD | `------------------------------------ http://www.jonsteiger.com --'



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