I recently picked up a 6bt for real cheap and am planning to sell it. I was told it runs, but would like to be able to show it running to potential buyers. I have it well mounted on a stand, and its full of oil. My main question is this- will it be ok to run it with just a flex plate since it was out of an auto truck? Also, should i just fill the block with water and block off the coolant ports, or not even worry about coolant if i'm just running it for a minute or two? thanks

 

i dont see a problem with running the engine without a trans, if only to prove it runs.

i would run it without water, but only for a few seconds at a time. maybe 10-20.

but thats just me...

 

I'd find a way to put some water in it. Garden hose and an adapter and let the outlet water hit the drain.

 

i dont see any problem with letting it run a minute or so without water. we should all know these things are cold blooded and take awhile to warm up

 

Running it for 20 - 30 seconds max won't hurt it unless you continue to repeat the process over and over without it returning to room temperature. Yes, they are cold natured whenever it comes to raising the water temperature but without water the extended heating and lack of cooling differentials will not prolong expected cylinder head life. These engines crack enough cylinder heads with the coolant in place. I personally would never consider buying one demoed on you tube with a one minute video running dry, but that's me. Get a few PVC fittings and hoses and fill it up with water if you really want to be safe running it for a minute or more.

 

I'm like ofcmarc I would adapt a garden hose to it. That way no chance of it getting hot unless the thermstat is stuck.

 

I would not bother with water as long as you are just going to run it for less than 5 minutes.

Make sure the stand is low and stable. You see how these things shake the truck when you shut 'em down, you don't want the motor you just about had sold flopping all over...

 

when i was in school we would run the CTD big cam 400 cat 3406e detroit's for long time on a stand with no water never had one burn up if you have a laser thermometer just dont let the side of the block hit 150*

 

No coolant = bad idea for the waterpump seals

 

I have run many engines dry. A teacher at school used to run his 3208 on a stand all the time. ( to make noise ). In our shop we outdid him with a small block chevy. He would wheel his cat out and rumble the building, then we would roll out the smallblock and redline it.

 

If it is stable, run it on the stand until the filter runs out of fuel while taping it with a camera or phone. Then you only have to do it once.