Serious overheat on a 3.8

[elc32955]

OK, little story here... I left my work today to go run an errand. I got onto the Interstate, and just as I was getting on I noticed the temp was up a little high, not quite into the red zone but a lot closer then it normally runs. I made it to the next exit OK (keep in mind it was a 95 degree Florida afternoon) but just as I pulled into the BP station to check the cooling system, SLAM goes the temp gauge into the red and before I could cut the car off I hear PSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSST from the left front of the radiator. As my heart sunk, I popped the hood and saw what was left of my coolant coming out of a crack in the driver's side plastic tank.

Anyway, I waited until it was completely cool, filled the system with water, and it seemed to run OK just for the min or two that I had it running, no white smoke out the tailpipe or anything. I managed to get a tow (after a 3-hour wait, thank you AAA!!) and when I got a car to use for a little while (borrowed rice... uck) I bought a new radiator & hoses and T-Stat so I'll be working on it over the holiday weekend...

I've heard that you can do mondo serious damage to the motor if it goes into the red zone for any length of time so I'm hoping I killed it before there was permanent damage. What do I need to look for as far as warning signs on damage to the engine??

Also I've gotta get the Dexcool mixture crap out of the system before I contaminate the new radiator. The previous owner converted to green but didn't do a good job in cleaning out the system, there's always been red streamers running through the coolant. I power-flushed the crap out of it a few months ago when the heater core seemed blocked up and flushed & flushed until it ran clear, however the overflow tank seems to be a reservoir of poison because no matter how much I tried to flush it the red/brown junk is still in there. When the radiator level was down before I refilled it the sludge contamination was something you gotta see to believe, and it was rodded & cored less then 25K ago. When I get the old radiator out I'll post up a pic for everyone to see.....

RIDDING YOUR SYSTEM OF OLD DEXCOOL IS WORSE THEN TRYING TO CURE AIDS!!!!

[hockeyman]

Well, you're right...You CAN do extensive damage to the engine by letting the temp gage run in the red.
Wait until the engine is cool, fill rad with water and restart it for about 30 seconds. If no smoke is coming from the tailpipe(s), you should be in good shape.
The seal on the side of the rad went bad. No big deal, it happens. Save yourself some money here, pull the rad yourself and get it to a shop for repair. A walk-in radiator seal fix should be about $80-$100. While that's getting fixed, buy some green coolant (preferably already 50/50 mixed), a new thermostat, and check to see if the hoses are in need of replacement. Get home, flush the balls out of the engine, pull and flush the overflow tank, and install your thermo.
The rad should take a few hours if they aren't busy, and you're good to go.

[chas]

hmm... i would have to guess you will be fine. you did shutdown right after you saw the needle go into the red.

at highway speeds (even in 95* heat) you probably wont need to be running the coolant through the radiator much. when you pulled into the bp you had more circulation through the radiator lost more fluid, developed air/steam pockets and your gage went nuts.