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Old 06-13-2019, 08:27 AM   #14
Kurt in NJ
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: on the Littlefield
Posts: 6,163
Default Re: Start up w/o coolant, REALLY !

Quote:
Originally Posted by 1crosscut View Post
After putting on a new head gasket I will start an engine without coolant for 20 seconds and only 20 seconds at low idle. Then I shut it down and let the heat saturate through the head. After it saturates I will torque it and let it cool completely and then torque again.
After that I will run it again for 20 seconds and let it cool completely and re-torque.
Only running 20 seconds will not get an engine too hot and allows the head gasket to settle in without the chance of coolant sneaking in between the gasket and the head/block and causing troubles.
Works for me.
So when it is running the intake port is cooled by evaporation of the fuel and airflow, the exhaust port--and seat get HOT, then shut off the heat moves to the intake port----then started a rush of cold hits it ---cast iron is quite tolerant of many stresses, but thermal shock is something it gets all broke up over at times.
I got to take apart 2 engines that had a known history of being run without coolant "just for a min or 2" --both had valve seat cracks
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