Did Something Stupid To My 79 Cadillac 7.0 Engine

[JimPghPA]

I had a 1964 Yamaha 175 motorcycle that my friends and I use to take trail riding. There were several of us and only the one motorcycle and we took turns. In the winter one of the things we did for fun when standing around waiting for you turn to ride, was to make cantaloupe size snow balls and throw them at the cylinder on the bike as it went by. If you hit it the cylinder would cool so much that it would shrink and cause the piston to have too much friction, and stall the bike. About half a minute later it could be started and would run fine. We put several more years of riding on that engine and it was still running fine years later when I sold it.

Sometimes engines can take abuse without causing any future problems.

 

[eljefino]

I changed the water pump on my volvo and while 1.5 gallons of coolant came out only a gallon went in. I said okay whatever let's start it up and the water pump will push the air out and draw more water in. Let it run, run, run, maybe 2-3 minutes later it wasn't taking anything and I removed the top rad hose. Steam! So while it was off I back-filled and everything has been normal since. Yeah no big deal.

 

[Turk]

I'm with the group that all should be well.

Relax.

 

[Zaedock]

The 425 is a tough engine. If it was only idling, I'm sure it's fine.

 

[TFB1]

Originally Posted By: JimPghPA
If you get a new radiator cap, get it from the dealer, and get the same pressure as original.

After market radiator caps not from the dealer are almost always at least one pound different than the original. You may not think one pound is a big deal, but it can cause problems.

You are much better off staying with a radiator cap with the same pressure rating as the original, and that would be the one sold by the dealer.


Ummm. I've never had a problem running a 7Lb cap on my '88 T-Bird & '93 Lightning, they came factory with a 16... I can't remember why I did so on the Bird, it has all new hoses, rad & water pump, but on the Lightning figured I give the original heater hoses a break(just replaced hoses recently, the 7Lb cap is still on it).... In seven plus years I never had a issue with either... Also ran a '93 Grand Marquis with the cap loose for probably five years because it had seepage at one of the radiator tanks, cap was still loose when I sold it...

 

[mechtech2]

The coolant may have just been from the overflow.
It is likely that no harm was done.

My greater concern is the years of using the cold thermostat.

 

[Rhymingmechanic]

Originally Posted By: Stanley Rockafeller
Originally Posted By: crazyoildude
nope shut off as normal....I cant believe how much this bothers me...


It's because your sick, that's why it bothers you so much.


I agree--especially since you mentioned overactive thyroid.

Change the thermostat and let us know how it goes.

 

[Colt45ws]

I ran a Ford 4.2L V6 for about 5 minutes with no coolant in it. Just what was left in the block after doing headgaskets. It was 4am and I was dead tired. I just wanted it to run. After I realized my goof, I shut it off, took a shower and hit the sack. When I woke up, I filled it up and it started without any problems.
Well except that I somehow messed up the lower intake gaskets and they leaked. Coolant. Bad. It spun a bearing shortly after. But it was fine until then!