I noticed that the motor started loosing coolant (definately headgasket) about 2 months ago and I plan to change them when I get a chance but am I doing permanent damage to the cylinder that the coolant is going into or is this ok for the next month until I can change them.
I loose about the amount of coolant from the hot-cold lines on the overflow every 2-3 weeks.
thanks in advance,
james

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88 WS6 T/A 305 TPI--
K&N,Air foil,hypertech chip, thermostat+fanswitch
free mods, dynomax catback, urethane motor+trans mounts,
SSM SFCs, Bilsteins
very trick homemade ramair, Accel 300+ ignition system.
Planning: hedman 1-5/8 longtubes, NOS 150 plate, world 305 heads, replace the "peanut"! and other susp. mods.
check it out at:
http://www.geocities.com/transam617

 

88,

If the cylinder is filling with coolant, you risk serious damage to a piston/rod/head when you start the engine. If the wet cylinder is on an exhaust stroke and the other cylinders fire immediately on startup, you could slam the wet piston ito the hydraulic-locked chamber, doing all sorts of damage. You might also get lucky and not do anything but thoroughly clean the chambers where the leaks are occurring.

If the antifreeze solution gets into the crankcase, however, you could also be etching the bearing shells to the point where you'll need not only head gaskets but a crank kit as well.

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Later,
Vader
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"Let the bodies hit the floor!"
Adobe Acrobat Reader

 

be best to stop driveing it yesterday. like vader said lot of things can happen because of a blown head gaasket, none of them good.

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ICON Motorsports
1st & 3rd
MM Black Diamond 538 F&AM

 

Not the best scan... but heres what coolant does to bearings, and this is minor... I have seen much worse. I think there was coolant in the crankcase for about 10 miles, and it may or may not have been flushed properly after it happened.

 

It's best to get it fixed right away, but I know people that have driven there cars for years with tiny leaks like you have, they just keep adding coolant to it, are you sure it's a head gasket? and it's not dripping from the water pump weep hole?

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92 Camaro RS 5.0 5-Speed
L98 Alu. Heads
SLP coated headers
Dynomax cat-back
14" open air cleaner

1998 Dodge Ram SS/T

 

WOW
I sure do get some heavy hitters to answer my stupid little questions on the board.
(witness 3 moderators with combined 15000 replys!)
anyway I really shouldent have asked becuase now I know what could happen between now and when its POSSIBLE for me to change them.(beginning August)
I think I should be ok because I start it twice a day and drive for 15 mins + each time so I cant imagine having enough buildup to cause hydrolock.
I guess this is one more thing I will be able to think of as helping me on my way to a bigger motor (wether I like it or not!)
thanks again for replies.

 

The cylinders fill with water AFTER you shut the car off. If your engine runs for a minute, it puts heat into the cooling system, which being a closed system increases pressure. When you shut the car off that pressure leaks into the cylinder.
Think it can't happen in a short time? I had one fill up after in the heat the engine built moving from teh driveway to the garage one time, and before this the leak hadn't been much worse then yours. The few times i had started it w/ the blown gasket i always cranked it w/ the ignition off to make sure it was clear. After it was in the garage, i went to work on it the next moirning and decided i wanted to move it a little. Disconnected the ignition and...click click click. Pulled #2 (the offending cyliner) and water ran out...aka, i put it in the garage right on time, if i had taken one more trip anywhere she would have been dead as she laid (ok, not entirely, but close enough.)
...ed

 

I understand this ed,
I was just commenting that the leak seems to be so slow that it would take weeks to fill the 58+cc chamber in the offending cylinder.
I also always check the resivoir to see how much Ive lost everyday and I never notice a difference unless I compare to last weeks level

 

That's just it, the leak doesn't seem to be losing much 'now'. This could increase at *any* time. And the amount of water needed to cause hydrolock in a 305 prolly would be barely noticeable in the reservoir.
At the very least, you NEED to hook up an ignition kill switch and crank it over for a few seconds EVERYTIME you try to start it. It may seem annoying, but if you do turn it one time and it's locked just think of how much money and aggravation you saved yourself.
If you do find it hydrolocked one time and you *need* to move it, pull the plug from the offending cylinder(s) and crank the engine over w/ the ignition killed. Put the plug back in and you should be OK.

I'm not trying to give you a hard time, hell, what do i care if you blow your engine, lol. Actually, i love seeing pictures of blown engines. I was just trying to tell you what i *have* done to get through the same situation myself. You original question was 'how long can i drive it safely.' We told you - not at all. I then gave you pointers for making the best chance of it.

edit, i thought i'd add this. Religously check your oil level as well. If you see if move up, you know water is getting in. Oil floats, thus your pick-up will be drawing straight antifreeze on start up if it fills while it is sitting. Coolant doens't lube too well and within seconds you have rendered your entire bottom end to waste.

[This message has been edited by Ed Maher (edited June 25, 2001).]

 

The best solution, don't drive it. If you absolutly have to drive it, put in a some super sealer and leave the radiator cap loose(just the first notch) so it won't build up pressure.

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350 with stealth intake, holley carb, 470 lift cam. 700r4 with .5 boost valve, vette servo, tci lock-up kit, B&M megashifter. Richmond 3.73 gears, powertrax locker, timkin bearings, synthetic lube. Custom 3 inch single into 2 2.5 pipes. 1 1/2 drop springs, 1 5/16 solid front sway bar, 1 inch rear bar, custom subframe connectors, custom LCA relocation brackets. Kobel ground FX, current red metallic paint. Lots of other stuff...
82camaro

 

I do appriciate all the input and since I really cant change them now I will just take out the plug and crank like you said ed.

actually I also would like to see my engine go (not that I want the agrivation) just that I want a different one.