Question on short term running engine without coolant - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

SilverGT3RS · 07-17-2019, 12:20 PM

I have a 67 C10 with an LS swap....It is the LQ9 iron block.

Long story behind everything, so short story is I have been working on the truck, and it currently doesn't have a radiator in it.

I need to move the truck out of my garage, and onto a trailer to transport it to its new home. Is it safe to run the engine that long without coolant? I'm guessing no more than 5 minutes of running time.

Thanks!

tinydb84 · 07-17-2019, 12:30 PM

I wouldn't run it for more than a few seconds. Grab a few friends and push it on the trailer if it doesn't have a winch.

**Steeveedee** · 07-17-2019, 12:35 PM

Does it have the coolant hoses on it? You could plug them all after filling the block with water and run it for the time needed (don't run the water pump). Guys fill the water jacket of their drag engines with an epoxy compound for strength. They drive up to the starting line, stage, and race without cooking the engine. I blew a hose on one of my old cars, and drove it several miles by starting it, getting up to speed and then shutting it off and coasting. Or get some help and push it like tiny says.

tinydb84 · 07-17-2019, 12:43 PM

Steve's suggestion would work well. I would have never thought to drive/coast. Great idea!

**kidatheart** · 07-17-2019, 01:39 PM

Don’t forget to do something with the tranny lines before you start it if it is an automatic.

**Steeveedee** · 07-17-2019, 04:22 PM

Yeah, I didn't think of that! That could make quite a mess.

68Gold/white · 07-17-2019, 05:13 PM

I have done what Steve mentioned several times. Maybe even put some duct tape on the lower rad hose outlet on water pump (may need a zip tie to keep it in place), plug the heater hose out lets, cram it full of water..........

saxart · 07-17-2019, 05:54 PM

Can you push the truck right up to the trailer ramps, then start it so all you have to do is fire it up, drop it in gear and pull it up on the trailer? That shouldn't be more than about 20 seconds if you set it all up right in the first place. That shouldn't hurt it, but at 20 seconds your about at the end of your rope, so either get it up on the trailer in that amount of time, or shut it down and let it cool.

**AussieinNC** · 07-17-2019, 06:42 PM

Connect the two auto cooler lines with a piece of rubber tube.

Have the trailer ready, ramps in place, start her up and drive it on, then shut it down....

This WILL NOT HURT THE ENGINE !!!!!!

Just do it and move on....

57taskforce · 07-17-2019, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AussieinNC

Connect the two auto cooler lines with a piece of rubber tube.

Have the trailer ready, ramps in place, start her up and drive it on, then shut it down....

This WILL NOT HURT THE ENGINE !!!!!!

Just do it and move on....

I agree.

truckster · 07-17-2019, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AussieinNC

Connect the two auto cooler lines with a piece of rubber tube.

Have the trailer ready, ramps in place, start her up and drive it on, then shut it down....

This WILL NOT HURT THE ENGINE !!!!!!

Just do it and move on....

That's how I would do it... in fact, I have several times.

**leddzepp** · 07-17-2019, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AussieinNC

Connect the two auto cooler lines with a piece of rubber tube.

Have the trailer ready, ramps in place, start her up and drive it on, then shut it down....

This WILL NOT HURT THE ENGINE !!!!!!

Just do it and move on....

This ^^^

Blue Rat · 07-17-2019, 08:48 PM

Think I would find a way to get it on trailer with starting it.

**jaros44sr** · 07-18-2019, 07:29 AM

Park the tow vehicle with trailer attached at a 90 degree angle to each other, then use a second vehicle to pull the C10 onto trailer. Just did it to get my Jimmy to shop, flawless

ls1nova71 · 07-18-2019, 07:37 AM

It's an LS engine, driving it on to a trailer without coolant wont hurt it. Apparently nobody seems to remember when the LS1 first came out, the Camaro brochure said that in the case of complete coolant loss, the car could be driven up to 50 miles, or something to that effect. Not that I would try that, but a minute or two wont hurt anything. If you're still worried about it, just fill the block with water through the upper hose, the thermostat is in the bottom hose so not much if any water will leak out in a short period of time as long as the belt is off the water pump.

SilverGT3RS · 07-18-2019, 08:03 AM

Thanks for all the replies everyone, this such a great site. Ended up winching it up on the trailer, and when we off loaded it I had to start the truck for about 25 seconds to get it off an incline so we could continue to roll it into the garage. I can state that everything seems ok, and there weren’t any noises or smoke or fires. Lol.

07-17-2019, 12:20 PM	#1
SilverGT3RS Registered User Join Date: Apr 2019 Location: SC Posts: 74	Question on short term running engine without coolant I have a 67 C10 with an LS swap....It is the LQ9 iron block. Long story behind everything, so short story is I have been working on the truck, and it currently doesn't have a radiator in it. I need to move the truck out of my garage, and onto a trailer to transport it to its new home. Is it safe to run the engine that long without coolant? I'm guessing no more than 5 minutes of running time. Thanks!

07-17-2019, 12:30 PM	#2
tinydb84 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: San Jose Ca Posts: 2,871	Re: Question on short term running engine without coolant I wouldn't run it for more than a few seconds. Grab a few friends and push it on the trailer if it doesn't have a winch. __________________ David Used parts build: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=638991 My brother's Nova: http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...d.php?t=727985 Rear suspension rework: http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...d.php?t=750557 Instagram: myfabguy

07-17-2019, 12:35 PM	#3
Steeveedee Who Changed This? Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Simi Valley, CA Posts: 10,723	Re: Question on short term running engine without coolant Does it have the coolant hoses on it? You could plug them all after filling the block with water and run it for the time needed (don't run the water pump). Guys fill the water jacket of their drag engines with an epoxy compound for strength. They drive up to the starting line, stage, and race without cooking the engine. I blew a hose on one of my old cars, and drove it several miles by starting it, getting up to speed and then shutting it off and coasting. Or get some help and push it like tiny says. __________________ ~Steven '70 Chevy 3/4T Longhorn CST 402/400/3.56 Custom Camper Simi Valley, CA

07-17-2019, 12:43 PM	#4
tinydb84 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: San Jose Ca Posts: 2,871	Re: Question on short term running engine without coolant Steve's suggestion would work well. I would have never thought to drive/coast. Great idea! __________________ David Used parts build: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=638991 My brother's Nova: http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...d.php?t=727985 Rear suspension rework: http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...d.php?t=750557 Instagram: myfabguy

07-17-2019, 01:39 PM	#5
kidatheart Senior Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Assaria, Ks Posts: 465	Re: Question on short term running engine without coolant Don’t forget to do something with the tranny lines before you start it if it is an automatic.

07-17-2019, 04:22 PM	#6
Steeveedee Who Changed This? Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Simi Valley, CA Posts: 10,723	Re: Question on short term running engine without coolant Yeah, I didn't think of that! That could make quite a mess. __________________ ~Steven '70 Chevy 3/4T Longhorn CST 402/400/3.56 Custom Camper Simi Valley, CA

07-17-2019, 05:13 PM	#7
68Gold/white Registered User Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Ark City, Kansas Posts: 3,411	Re: Question on short term running engine without coolant I have done what Steve mentioned several times. Maybe even put some duct tape on the lower rad hose outlet on water pump (may need a zip tie to keep it in place), plug the heater hose out lets, cram it full of water..........

07-17-2019, 05:54 PM	#8
saxart Registered User Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: St. Croix River Valley, WI Posts: 795	Re: Question on short term running engine without coolant Can you push the truck right up to the trailer ramps, then start it so all you have to do is fire it up, drop it in gear and pull it up on the trailer? That shouldn't be more than about 20 seconds if you set it all up right in the first place. That shouldn't hurt it, but at 20 seconds your about at the end of your rope, so either get it up on the trailer in that amount of time, or shut it down and let it cool. __________________ Meet "Old Roy": http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=707801 Last edited by saxart; 07-17-2019 at 06:02 PM.

07-17-2019, 06:42 PM	#9
AussieinNC Moderator Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Cherryville, NC Posts: 2,204	Re: Question on short term running engine without coolant Connect the two auto cooler lines with a piece of rubber tube. Have the trailer ready, ramps in place, start her up and drive it on, then shut it down.... This WILL NOT HURT THE ENGINE !!!!!! Just do it and move on.... __________________ Family and country before all others... 2006 Chevy Silverado (Daily Driver) 2012 Chevy Equinox

07-17-2019, 08:48 PM	#13
Blue Rat Registered User Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Arkansas Posts: 608	Re: Question on short term running engine without coolant Think I would find a way to get it on trailer with starting it.

07-18-2019, 07:29 AM	#14
jaros44sr Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Philadelphia, Pa. 19454 Posts: 9,766	Re: Question on short term running engine without coolant Park the tow vehicle with trailer attached at a 90 degree angle to each other, then use a second vehicle to pull the C10 onto trailer. Just did it to get my Jimmy to shop, flawless __________________ Semper Fi...Uncle Sam, you da man All parts offered to help are free, unless otherwise noted Dont try this stuff in my build thread, unless you have 55 years of mechanical OTJ training SAFETY FIRST AS usual, off topic They say your mind goes second, can't remember the first Jim

07-18-2019, 07:37 AM	#15
ls1nova71 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Independence Mo Posts: 4,119	Re: Question on short term running engine without coolant It's an LS engine, driving it on to a trailer without coolant wont hurt it. Apparently nobody seems to remember when the LS1 first came out, the Camaro brochure said that in the case of complete coolant loss, the car could be driven up to 50 miles, or something to that effect. Not that I would try that, but a minute or two wont hurt anything. If you're still worried about it, just fill the block with water through the upper hose, the thermostat is in the bottom hose so not much if any water will leak out in a short period of time as long as the belt is off the water pump. __________________ My '72 short bed build. http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/conver...6-0-4l80e.html 5.3 swap into my RUSTY '71 C10 http://ls1tech.com/forums/conversion...71-c-10-a.html

07-18-2019, 08:03 AM	#16
SilverGT3RS Registered User Join Date: Apr 2019 Location: SC Posts: 74	Re: Question on short term running engine without coolant Thanks for all the replies everyone, this such a great site. Ended up winching it up on the trailer, and when we off loaded it I had to start the truck for about 25 seconds to get it off an incline so we could continue to roll it into the garage. I can state that everything seems ok, and there weren’t any noises or smoke or fires. Lol.



Register or Log In To remove these advertisements.

Register or Log In To remove these advertisements.