I did a real stupid thing this past Saturday.......

[TORMENTOR]

And now I'm worried...
While installing my Steeda UDP's I could not remove my fan without having to unhook my upper radiator hose..... So. We tied the hose up to prevent fluid from leaking out and plugged the upper radiator bung with a plug from a plastic jug because I had fluid running all over the place.
Well to make a long story short I installed the pulleys, hooked up the radiator hose and started the car to make sure the belt was running true, all was fine.
So I drive home which is only 7 miles from where I did the work. and When I pulled into my subdivision I looked at my coolant temp gauge and it is pegging the red. I think to myself Oh crap you stupid idiot you forgot to take that freakin plug out didn't you...
Yep thats right.
I pulled into my driveway and popped my hood to find my coolant reservoir had popped the cap and I have coolant all over my nice clean engine. Not a problem I cleaned it all up.

Here's My question, I need an answer from a mechanic on the forums.
Do you think I could have screwed my engine up driving it 7 miles at 60 miles per hour? While driving it the gauge was reading where it normally does, but when I got home it was in the red...

I fixed my stupidity and haven't driven the car since until yesterday in which I drove it for about 20 minutes and everything is fine, I am not leaking anything and the temp gauge is fine....I am still burning off the antifreeze that I couldn't clean off though...

 

[s8v4o]

How does it idle? If it idles and drives normal you may be okay. If it doesn't idle smooth then you may need to do a compression test to check for a blown head gasket.

 

[Royb]

sounds like you will be ok, if it runsok now and there's no white smoke coming out the exhaust your fine. Running hot causes head gaskets to blow. with that little time I doubt you hurt anything.

 

[MLC40]

$hit happens

How hot did it get? I would bet that you will be ok since you did not drive the car at that high of a temp for long. Didn't the factory message center beep at you or something?

 

[TORMENTOR]

No, all my gauges showed normal, no check engine light came on either.
the only time I had the gauge in the red was when I had to slow down and pull into my subdivision. Its also 30 degrees here in Illinois and the weather was just getting real cold on Saturday and started to sleet and snow when I was driving it home.

 

[MikeVistaBlue06]

As long as you didn't boil all of the coolant out, you're probably ok.

BTW, you could have turned the heater wide open on HOT and pulled some heat out that way.

Hope this helps.

Mike

 

[TORMENTOR]

oh I had the heat on anyways since it was 3o degrees like I said, I had the heat cranked up all the way

 

[88_Stanga]

a lot of the newer fords will throw codes for overheating. I am sure you are fine. Check the oil for signs of coolant mixing in. ive seen people come into my work that have driven many many more miles with no serp belt or a junk water pump and they didnt have any head damage. im sure your fine.

 

[MLC40]

No, all my gauges showed normal, no check engine light came on either.
the only time I had the gauge in the red was when I had to slow down and pull into my subdivision. Its also 30 degrees here in Illinois and the weather was just getting real cold on Saturday and started to sleet and snow when I was driving it home.

What part of Illinois? Do you plan on racing at Byron?

 

[TORMENTOR]

What part of Illinois? Do you plan on racing at Byron?

I live down around the Kankakee area. I am just now starting to do mods to my car. I wouldnt be anywhere close to your set up for at least a coulple of years.

 

[2oo5GT]

If it acted normal when you pulled in and turned her off, it's probably fine. different car but, I know on my 97 Saleen, the coolant temp popped out of my intake, coolant all came out while i was waiting to turn, turned into my drive way, about 2 mins after it happend and burnt up #2 and #5 valves and before i shut her off, it was acting bad and you'll know if it is. Hope everything is good to go.

 

[ZmanM3]

a lot of the newer fords will throw codes for overheating. I am sure you are fine. Check the oil for signs of coolant mixing in. ive seen people come into my work that have driven many many more miles with no serp belt or a junk water pump and they didnt have any head damage. im sure your fine.

Welcome to the site!

 

[MLC40]

I live down around the Kankakee area. I am just now starting to do mods to my car. I wouldnt be anywhere close to your set up for at least a coulple of years.

We all started sometime... Be careful, now that you started you will fine it more addicting than crack.

When the weather gets better, at least no snow, you should think about coming to the track. There are a number of Mustang track days which allows you to get more runs in a shorter period of time. Also, nothing beat a good day at the track. I like Byron the best, as the tech is light and the track is prepped better than US41. Route 66 is the best, but they won't let me run there...

 

[88_Stanga]

Welcome to the site!

thanks. ive been a member for a couple weeks now. just been reading up tho

 

[KIMMER]

Welcome to the site man! We will have to get a bunch of us together next year and hit US 131 speedway in Martin, Mich and have some fun!

 

[MLC40]

Welcome to the site man! We will have to get a bunch of us together next year and hit US 131 speedway in Martin, Mich and have some fun!

I just googled to see how long it would take me to get there, 3.5 hours. How is US 131? How is the tech inspections? I would hate to get all the way there and get kicked off after 2 runs.

 

[RRRoamer]

You should be fine. Modern cars can do a LOT to protect themselves against our inattentions!

I've only hurt one car due to overheating, and that was my first one: a used 1976 Chevrolet Chevette. It developed a leak in the lower radiator hose while cruising down the highway at 75. I had the stereo cranked up (and with 26 separate drivers and multiple amps, it would REALLY crank up!) to drowned out the wind and engine noise.

I started to hear a nock that WASN'T in the music and realized what was happening, so I popped it into neutral to let it idle while I coasted to a stop. But the engine died almost instantly.

When I finally got pulled over, there was a TON of popping and pinging going on under the hood.. Even after replacing the heat gasket, that car never did run right again.

The irritating thing is that I KNEW the radiator hoses needed to be replaced and even had the replacement hose sitting in the back! I just hadn't got around to changing it yet... Live and learn. At least I learned on a cheap car!