So I ran my Engine without Coolant...

[Magusigne]

TDLR: 2007 Altima 3.5, Ran the Engine without Coolant (cracked Radiator) Car went into Limp mode. Limped it home a few miles. Replaced Radiator, Gutted Clogged Cats, Cyl 5 Misfiring constantly, kinda stops misfiring at +3k RPM. MPG went from 27 to 15. Engine Damage or Fouled Plugs/Coil?

So I left my car idling for an hour (long story) come out, everything is fine, about halfway home heat shuts off and car won't rev above 2k RPM. I have no clue, limp it home, battery dies in driveway. I trickle charge the battery thinking that had something to do with it.

Next day, take it to Autozone, replace said battery, notice I have no coolant (Engine temp was showing that morning finally).

Codes pulled engine overheat, misfires, all sorts of bad temperature codes.

Replaced the radiator, still in horrible limp mode, figure out cats are clogged so I gut them. Now can drive car finally. No 02 codes, just a misfire on Cyl 5, which kinda goes away at high RPM's.

I still need to compression test it, but do you think I A) Warped a Head, B) Lack of Cat is screwing with my ECM and causing fuel mix to misfire only on Cyl 5 with no other codes or C) Super rich fuel during overheat caused my plugs to gunk up.

Car has 116k and I haven't replaced the plugs yet..so on my things to do.

I know I'm an idiot, but do you thinked my engine is F'd?

 

[master_shake_]

compression test and cylinder leak down test will tell the story.

the miss doesn't go away its just less noticeable.

 

[Magusigne]

compression test and cylinder leak down test will tell the story.

the miss doesn't go away its just less noticeable.

I feel the power surge at high RPM kinda like the misfire actually went away.

The CEL flashes at High RPM when I feel like the misfire stopped. Otherwise it's on all the time.

 

[master_shake_]

flashing cel is notification that catalytic converter damage imminent.

miss is still there.

 

[LTC8K6]

Swap the coil and see if the misfire moves to the new cylinder?

 

[jlee]

Flashing CEL means active misfire, which is bad.

http://blog.carmd.com/flashingcheckenginelight/

 

[monkeydelmagico]

pull plug 5. If it's wet that's a problem.

 

[bruceb]

If the engine block or head is aluminum, you probably warped the head. Probably a blown head gasket as well. Hopefully coolant did not get into the oil, or your main bearings will also be shot. A leakdown test can show a mechanic how bad everything is likely to be.

 

[slag]

Hopefully coolant did not get into the oil, or your main bearings will also be shot.

Probably not if its only had moisture in there for a day or a week or whatever. I rebuilt a ford 4.0 liter explorer engine once that had milkshake oil due to cracked heads. There was no knock or noise. The vehicle is still running today.

 

[The Day Dreamer]

Expect cracks in valves. Had somewhat similar experience in the past with my 1500cc Suzuki vehicle.

 

[iamwiz82]

You drove it around with no coolant, then idled it for an hour, and then drove it again? Eek

 

[LTC8K6]

Yeah, the coolant temperature sensor needs some coolant to heat it up and register the temperature. If there is no coolant, it might not show a high coolant temp.

 

[Vdubchaos]

Replaced Radiator

Gutted Clogged Cats

if the engine overheated it would just blow up. if it didn't get to that point and there was damage, the only way to find out would be to do a compression test.

 

[ghost recon88]

Guaranteed blown head gasket, possible cracked head. Gonna need to take the head off and have it scanned for cracks.

 

[master_shake_]

Guaranteed blown head gasket, possible cracked head. Gonna need to take the head off and have it scanned for cracks.

for the amount of money a shop is going to charge to remove the head and inspect it, he's further ahead to swap the engine.

 

[ghost recon88]

for the amount of money a shop is going to charge to remove the head and inspect it, he's further ahead to swap the engine.

Uh, depends on what kind of labor he can do himself. If that motor only has 116k on it, I'd think he's much better off getting the head replaced, or resurfaced. Again not gonna be able to tell anything until he does a compression check.

 

[Brian Stirling]

I don't know that I'd be inclined to dump any more money into it. An 8 year old car isn't worth very much if nothing is wrong and if I were in the market for a used car this would 100% rule it out as an option even if it was free!

Sometimes, to steel a word from Patranus, you get doxed -- maybe time to cut your loses...


Brian

 

[Magusigne]

Updates:

No. Everything was fine, I had to teach a class that was an hour long and left my Key FOB at home. So I left my car idling (In perfect condition) for an hour. I jumped in the car and about 5 minutes later Limp mode enabled.

Radiator was cracked, so I replaced that. The cats were clogged from all the fuel dumping into the engine, it ruined my cat. Car was still in limp mode so I pulled the Cats off and gutted them. Now it runs aside from my misfire and horrible gas mileage.

Changed the oil...it looked fine. Testing will start monday.

 

[Zenmervolt]

I pulled the Cats off and gutted them.

You do realize that it's a $2,500 federal fine for each catalytic converter you remove from a vehicle right? And that your vehicle is no longer street legal?

Seems like something you might not want to be admitting on a public forum.

ZV

 

[Magusigne]

You do realize that it's a $2,500 federal fine for each catalytic converter you remove from a vehicle right? And that your vehicle is no longer street legal?

Seems like something you might not want to be admitting on a public forum.

ZV

and promptly replaced them with new ones. I suppose I left that part out.

 

[Midwayman]

yah, at some point its easier/cheaper to install a junkyard engine than guess and try to replace what's wrong after a major screw up like this.

 

[lsd]

You do realize that it's a $2,500 federal fine for each catalytic converter you remove from a vehicle right? And that your vehicle is no longer street legal?

Seems like something you might not want to be admitting on a public forum.

ZV

I take it you do not spend much time on real automotive forums.

 

[Zenmervolt]

I take it you do not spend much time on real automotive forums.

The fact that lots of people do a stupid thing doesn't magically make it stop being a stupid thing.

If you want to remove your cats, that's fine by me. But admitting it publicly on a forum where that information will be available forever is not smart.

ZV

 

[Zivic]

The fact that lots of people do a stupid thing doesn't magically make it stop being a stupid thing.

If you want to remove your cats, that's fine by me. But admitting it publicly on a forum where that information will be available forever is not smart.

ZV

and enforcement starts here in the AT garage......

I can see it now-

Look it here boys, we have another one guttin' cats and postin' about it. let's go get 'em

 

[BUTCH1]

and enforcement starts here in the AT garage......

I can see it now-

Look it here boys, we have another one guttin' cats and postin' about it. let's go get 'em

Depends on where OP lives, here in FL there is no state inspection whatsoever on your vehicle but if an LEO finds out you did that all the federal and state fines will apply. The part I cant figure out is why he let it idle for an entire hour "because he left the key-FOB at home", I thought all cars still have a drivers door key-lock access just in case the FOB gets lost or malfunctions you still have a means to enter, run, and lock your car.