Ran out of engine coolant! What damage could I have done?

Before we start, yes it's all my fault and yes I am an idiot - but in my defence I didn't expect my car to guzzle all the water in about 150 miles since i filled it up.

Anyways, I was on my way to work on Friday and I noticed the temp gauge was a bit higher than the halfway it usually sits on. I didn't really pay it much attention. Coming home yesterday the temp gauge was up about 3/4 and i could hear the rad fans kicking in - rut roh thinks Spunkey. I park up and can hear the engine rattling a hell of a lot at idle (well... more than usual anyway - it is a 1996 Rover 216)

I checked the oil when i got home and it was fine. Then i checked the water to find the reservoir absolutely bone dry

I topped her up and took her out again. After about 5 miles the temp gauge settled back on halfway, and the engine sounded back to usual.

So now, although the car sounds ok, is there any potential damage I could have done thats just waiting to make the whole thing go pop?

*ninja*
Forgot to mention, i must have done about 30 miles tops with no water in her - I only go to work and back.

Where has all the coolant gone? That might answer some other questions!

if it's used all the coolant in 150miles, then you have another problem - be it headgasket or leak.

if you filled it up, didn't bleed it properly and then did 150miles then it could be just that you had an airlock - which cleared and made the res empty. what is the cooling system capacity and how much did you put in after the 150miles?

how hot did the engine get? they don't like being hot. do you know if your car has a rover or a honda engine? the rover engines (k series) are a known for being a bit dodgy head gasket wise, overheating can damage them

BUT if the car sounds fine now, isn't loosing coolant, isn't overheating, isn't mixing oil and water or spluttering then i'd wouldn't worry.

Doubtful any damage was done as if you had of cooked your lump there would be no oil left. No oil is what does the real damage so don't worry to much. get the leak fixxed though. Where is it leaking from by the way, If there is no leak then it could be HGF & then No water would have made a right mess of the head/mating surfaces so the above only applys if it's a leak rather than HGF.

LOL Rover 216, its HGF!

Thanks for the replies guys.

I dont know what the coolant capacity is, but i put just under 2 litres in it. I've got a Haynes for it at home so I'll have a check.

The hottest it got was about 3/4 up the gauge - it was never closer to the redline than that. What that equates to in real terms i couldnt tell you.

Good point about the HG. AFAIK it is a K Series in her. I'll check for mayo round the oil cap at lunch.

216 has a Honda engine doesn't it?

flat-6 said:

216 has a Honda engine doesn't it?

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No, not in 1996 (the so called "bubble" shape). If it's using water at that rate then it should be pretty obvious where it coming out, assuming it's not all in the sump. Check around the radiator (they rot quite badly), the bottom of the cambelt cover (possible water pump), and the front and back of the block (head gasket and/or inlet manifold gasket).

Prepare yourself for the possibility of a head gasket replacement though, K series don't like being overheated and if the gasket wasn't gone before there's a chance it won't be very healthy now.