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Okay to drive car for 100 or so feet without radiator?

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Old 04-22-2003, 05:02 PM
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Car: 89 TTA
Engine: Turbo 3.8
Transmission: 200R4
Okay to drive car for 100 or so feet without radiator?

Pulled the radiator to flush it today and while taking the thermostat housing off, one of the bolts broke. Basically, the radiator is out and I need to move the car. Can I move it safely for about 100 feet or so to get it back to my shop? What about the transmission lines that run into the radiator and the one that goes to the heater valve; will those be alright too? (91 305 TBI)
Old 04-22-2003, 05:05 PM
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Or you could tow/push it
Old 04-22-2003, 05:05 PM
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Sure, you can run it without coolant for a few seconds; I wouldn't worry about it- as long as you move it quick and shut it down even faster!

The heater valve just passes coolant, you can leave it off. If your trans lines are disconnected, though, the tranny's fluid pump will start pumping trans fluid out of the lines. You might want to hang a bucket or something underneath it.

100 feet? Can't you get a few buddies just to push it?
Old 04-22-2003, 05:58 PM
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Car: 89 TTA
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Transmission: 200R4
Yea. I called a few friends and they will come help me move it. Living out in the middle of nowhere sometimes makes that hard so I'm glad they could help. Thanks for the input.
Old 04-22-2003, 06:15 PM
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Car: 86 Corvette, 89 IROC, 1999 TA
Engine: 350, 350, LS1
Transmission: 700r4, 700r4, T-56
Axle/Gears: 3.07, 373, 4.10
if the radiator is physically out of the car and the trans cooler lines (if you have an auto) are just dangling there your gonna make one hell of a mess with atf as ya move it.. n if it pumps out fast enough it'll just stop movin.. hehe
Old 04-22-2003, 09:36 PM
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Car: 1988 Mustang GT
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damn i love my manual tranny
Old 04-22-2003, 10:24 PM
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It would be a good time to invest in a tranny cooler. Mid as well and they are cheap.

Why is it that I can easily push my buddies 85 c10 with ease but I get a hernia trying to push mine alone. Why are our cars so hard to push?
Old 04-23-2003, 06:31 AM
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Car: 86 Corvette, 89 IROC, 1999 TA
Engine: 350, 350, LS1
Transmission: 700r4, 700r4, T-56
Axle/Gears: 3.07, 373, 4.10
cause they're heavy as hell!
Old 04-23-2003, 07:48 AM
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Car: 91 Camaro RS
Engine: 305 LO3
Transmission: 700-R4
I had to push mine a few weeks ago when it ran out of gas. I didnt find it to be to hard to push, but my street is completly level so once I got it moving it pretty much rolled along on its own.
Old 04-23-2003, 10:08 AM
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try pushing it up a slight incline. Its a PITA. A thirdgen couldnt weigh more than a 85 c10 there is no way.
Old 04-23-2003, 10:45 AM
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Car: 91 Camaro RS
Engine: 305 LO3
Transmission: 700-R4
Originally posted by 88Camaro350
try pushing it up a slight incline. Its a PITA..
Trust me I know all about pushing a car up an incline. that wouldnt happen to be Barboursville your from would it?
Thats where Im from, moved about 6yrs ago but family still lives there.
Old 04-23-2003, 11:30 AM
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Originally posted by Dragons91RS
I had to push mine a few weeks ago when it ran out of gas. I didnt find it to be to hard to push, but my street is completly level so once I got it moving it pretty much rolled along on its own.
did it with my 71 all the time
10mpg I was always running out of gas
Old 04-23-2003, 12:19 PM
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You could try running a hose connecting the tranny lines together and then getting a really long garden hose and hooking it into the upper radiator hose. It would probably be a good idea to take the thermostat out too (if you're going to try this). Disclaimer: I don't know if this will work so do it at your own risk!
Old 04-23-2003, 12:25 PM
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Originally posted by TomP
Sure, you can run it without coolant for a few seconds; I wouldn't worry about it- as long as you move it quick and shut it down even faster!

The heater valve just passes coolant, you can leave it off. If your trans lines are disconnected, though, the tranny's fluid pump will start pumping trans fluid out of the lines. You might want to hang a bucket or something underneath it.

100 feet? Can't you get a few buddies just to push it?
That is what I was thinking. No coolant from a cold startup for 30 seconds I would not worry but the transmission fluid will be pumping out I think. I would opt for a push/tow solution.
Old 04-23-2003, 01:20 PM
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Car: 86 Corvette, 89 IROC, 1999 TA
Engine: 350, 350, LS1
Transmission: 700r4, 700r4, T-56
Axle/Gears: 3.07, 373, 4.10
eh you could always just take a small piece of 3/8ths fuel line and hook both cooler lines togather n drive it in.. but it sounds like he had some help pushin it inside instead
Old 04-23-2003, 01:23 PM
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Car: 86 Corvette, 89 IROC, 1999 TA
Engine: 350, 350, LS1
Transmission: 700r4, 700r4, T-56
Axle/Gears: 3.07, 373, 4.10
oh n 2 gn's n a tta n all of em have like no mileage.. i hate u! lol
Old 04-23-2003, 02:30 PM
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Old 04-23-2003, 03:12 PM
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Originally posted by 89RsPower!
oh n 2 gn's n a tta n all of em have like no mileage.. i hate u! lol
The first GN just turned 27k so it has high mileage, by comparison. No seriously though I wish they had a few more miles so I would not feel bad driving them. I am on the hunt for a higher milege TTA to crank up the miles and do some mods. I miss my 89 Iroc and my 91 Z28 because I drove them all of the time. I only use the turbo cars for shows and nice weather and stuff like that. Talk to you later.
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