Water pump down, can i drive short distances

Papa_Lion · 06-15-2015, 04:29 PM

New pump and stat on the way, but I need to get to work. Its a short drive, maybe 10 mins. Car goes completely limp at about 230° or so. If I drive and stay under normal operating temps, will I risk damaging turbos or warping the head? Not too worried about turbos, upgrading them next month.

Bartman619 · 06-15-2015, 04:43 PM

I would not do it. You could do more damage to your engine, as you said.

Meeni · 06-17-2015, 11:13 PM

You can, but it's like playing russian roulette. You do risk warping the heads. Even monitoring the temperature constantly is not a good indication, the WP is dead, so water is not circulating => you are measuring the temperature of the cold water outside the engine!

DoubleParked · 06-24-2015, 01:18 PM

Definitely not, the cylinder wall temperature will go through the roof. Combustion temps on the inside of the cylinder are a couple thousand degrees. The water on the outside surface of the cylinder walls will turn into steam, which will help insulate the wall from the surrounding coolant and the metal wall will experience a runaway temperature increase.

06-15-2015, 04:29 PM	#1
Papa_Lion Private 8 Rep 55 Posts Drives: 335xi Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: us iTrader: (0)	Water pump down, can i drive short distances New pump and stat on the way, but I need to get to work. Its a short drive, maybe 10 mins. Car goes completely limp at about 230° or so. If I drive and stay under normal operating temps, will I risk damaging turbos or warping the head? Not too worried about turbos, upgrading them next month.
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06-15-2015, 04:43 PM	#2
Bartman619 Captain 25 Rep 701 Posts Drives: Bimmer Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: SDCA iTrader: (2)	I would not do it. You could do more damage to your engine, as you said.
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06-17-2015, 11:13 PM	#3
Meeni Gateropode 329 Rep 2,848 Posts Drives: BMW 330i 06 Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: TN iTrader: (0)	You can, but it's like playing russian roulette. You do risk warping the heads. Even monitoring the temperature constantly is not a good indication, the WP is dead, so water is not circulating => you are measuring the temperature of the cold water outside the engine!
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06-24-2015, 01:18 PM	#4
DoubleParked New Member 7 Rep 23 Posts Drives: 325i Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: High Desert, under a Joshua Tree iTrader: (0)	Definitely not, the cylinder wall temperature will go through the roof. Combustion temps on the inside of the cylinder are a couple thousand degrees. The water on the outside surface of the cylinder walls will turn into steam, which will help insulate the wall from the surrounding coolant and the metal wall will experience a runaway temperature increase.
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