24 Valve Engine and Drivetrain Discuss the 24 Valve engine and drivetrain here. No non-drivetrain discussions please. NO HIGH PERFORMANCE DISCUSSION!

run engine with no coolant?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Feb 9, 2005 | 03:17 PM
  #1  
Moose10's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,071
Likes: 0
From: Chaffee, NY
run engine with no coolant?

Sounds like a crazy question, I know. But here's the scoop. Acroos the street from my house is a large ditch, and since I don't have anything big enough to hold all the coolant in the truck for a drain/flush, I want to drain it into the ditch.
Well to change out the thermostat, and pull the radiator out to clean all the **** off it from the old puke bottle I want to work in the garage. The truck would only run for 10 to 20 seconds to get across the street, down the drive, and positioned in the garage.
Any harm in doing this (water pump?)
Also, can I use air to blow all the coolant out of the system?
Thanks for any help !
Reply
Old Feb 9, 2005 | 03:27 PM
  #2  
RustyJC's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,749
Likes: 4
From: Cypress, TX
Re: run engine with no coolant?

Originally posted by Moose10
.....since I don't have anything big enough to hold all the coolant in the truck for a drain/flush, I want to drain it into the ditch....
I'm a pretty conservative guy and am not a tree-hugger by any means, but do you know how toxic ethylene glycol is? Any animal that drinks from that ditch is going to die a horrible, painful death. Even worse, the sweet odor and taste of ethylene glycol draws animals to it like a magnet.

But, no, it won't hurt the truck to run it 10-20 seconds with no coolant.

Rusty
Reply
Old Feb 9, 2005 | 03:39 PM
  #3  
Dr. Evil's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 7,129
Likes: 0
From: The Great White North
Hate to sound like your mom or even worse a treehugger, but, I believe thats illegal....no matter where you live. 1 quart of oil can contaminate a million gallons of water...eythylene gylcol is probably the same....get yourself a big bucket for feeding animals....and dispose of properly. This world is polluted enough.
Reply
Old Feb 9, 2005 | 03:40 PM
  #4  
wannadiesel's Avatar
Adminstrator-ess
20 Year Member
 
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 22,594
Likes: 19
From: New Holland, PA
I agree with Rusty. You could turn the drain **** on and off and use smaller containers instead of dumping it in the ditch.

And yes, you can use air to blow coolant out, just regulate it down to 20 psi.

edit- I see I've been bleeped for using a forbidden word. Guess I should have called it a "drain wiener".
Reply
Old Feb 9, 2005 | 03:46 PM
  #5  
RustyJC's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,749
Likes: 4
From: Cypress, TX
Originally posted by wannadiesel
edit- I see I've been bleeped for using a forbidden word. Guess I should have called it a "drain wiener".
Yeah, I just got bleeped on another thread for saying ****** (that's right, 6 asterisks!) The 6 asterisks were changed to Edit.

Rusty
Reply
Old Feb 9, 2005 | 07:09 PM
  #6  
Moose10's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,071
Likes: 0
From: Chaffee, NY
Re: Re: run engine with no coolant?

Originally posted by RustyJC
I'm a pretty conservative guy and am not a tree-hugger by any means, but do you know how toxic ethylene glycol is? Any animal that drinks from that ditch is going to die a horrible, painful death. Even worse, the sweet odor and taste of ethylene glycol draws animals to it like a magnet.

But, no, it won't hurt the truck to run it 10-20 seconds with no coolant.

Rusty
I agree with you guys about the toxic nature with the coolant, but I didn't think of just turning on/off the drain "wiener" into a catch pan....which is what I'll do.
I got the drain on the ground "idea" from this thread.

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...coolant+ground
Reply
Old Feb 9, 2005 | 07:20 PM
  #7  
tool's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,524
Likes: 1
I wouldn't run it without coolant anyway, personally at least. Yes it's a big chunk of iron and will absorb some heat but still, it wasn't meant to work that way.

My luck that'd be the day something malfunctioned and wouldn't sut off. That thing would get hot ina hurry.

Witnessed a guy that started his boat out of water and had a meltdown in a few momments when it wouldn't shut off.................

Drain it in the garage, dispose of it properly, you'll be glad you did.
Reply
Old Feb 10, 2005 | 11:30 PM
  #8  
Rattletrap1's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 737
Likes: 0
From: South Bay Area, CA
Ever seen a 5 gallon bucket???

I'm no bunnyhugger..but willfull polution is insane.
Reply
Old Feb 11, 2005 | 12:25 AM
  #9  
Haulin_in_Dixie's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 4,199
Likes: 1
From: Branchville, Alabama
Please don't do that to your engine, just asking for big trouble. Also to drain it jack up the back so that the engine is higher in the back than the front, pull the lower radiator hose off the engine and let it drain the rest of the way. That will completely drain the block per Cummins instructions. Then you only have the heater core fluid.
Reply
Old Feb 11, 2005 | 12:58 AM
  #10  
jrs_dodge_diesel's Avatar
Administrator
 
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 4,569
Likes: 40
From: League City, TX
Originally posted by Haulin_in_Dixie
Please don't do that to your engine, just asking for big trouble. Also to drain it jack up the back so that the engine is higher in the back than the front, pull the lower radiator hose off the engine and let it drain the rest of the way. That will completely drain the block per Cummins instructions. Then you only have the heater core fluid.
Then to purge the heater core you pull both hoses off and put one into a bucket. Take the other and blow low pressure air (20-30 psi) and blow all the old coolant out.
Reply
Old Feb 11, 2005 | 01:07 PM
  #11  
Moose10's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,071
Likes: 0
From: Chaffee, NY
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by Haulin_in_Dixie
Please don't do that to your engine, just asking for big trouble. Also to drain it jack up the back so that the engine is higher in the back than the front, pull the lower radiator hose off the engine and let it drain the rest of the way. That will completely drain the block per Cummins instructions. Then you only have the heater core fluid.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Then to purge the heater core you pull both hoses off and put one into a bucket. Take the other and blow low pressure air (20-30 psi) and blow all the old coolant out.


All that and a 5gal bucket (which I have seen before) sounds like the best way to go.
Thanks everyone !
Reply
Old Feb 11, 2005 | 01:26 PM
  #12  
Hemi Cat's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 822
Likes: 0
From: South Western New Mexico
I'm not an avid environmentalist and get very angry with all the epa guidlines, but DON'T POLUTE THE WATERWAYS!!!! OR THE GROUND!!!! That is exactly why we have so many regulations and expense for disposal. Have you ever seen an animal after it drinks a little antifreeze? There is nothing a vet can do for them other that put it to sleep. It is one of the worst deaths an animal can experience. Then if it is in the waterways, fish live in it and people eat the fish. The story can go on with many examples. Remember, DON'T WILLFULLY POLUTE
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
cutthroatxxx
24 Valve Engine and Drivetrain
17
May 22, 2015 07:09 AM
fiveninefo
24 Valve Engine and Drivetrain
3
Sep 21, 2011 12:02 AM
Mark Hodowanec
3rd Gen Engine and Drivetrain -> 2003-2007
4
Aug 17, 2009 11:56 AM
popeyesides
24 Valve Engine and Drivetrain
8
Dec 6, 2004 03:43 PM
ppsi
3rd Gen High Performance and Accessories (5.9L Only)
13
Apr 13, 2004 03:49 PM




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:08 PM.