# how hot its to hot?



## tyler t (Aug 15, 2010)

i took my gto down about a mile away from my house and back and somewhere i lost my fan belt.  car was about 280 with boiling coolant when i got it back. im sure my 455 is ok. no knocks, compression test was good. 
So how hot would it have to be to cook the engine? just curious.


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

Anything above 240 for any length of time can fry a motor. 280 is hot enough to cook the engine oil and do severe damage. It is waaaay hot. The length of time it was at that temp will be the determining factor. Change your oil immediately, and keep an eye on it. You probably got lucky.


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## tyler t (Aug 15, 2010)

why would it effect the oil if it was only that hot hot for a very short amount of time? :confused

i started hosing the rad off and i filled it up with water and flushed it and filled it up and put a new belt on ihad at the house and rand it and then flushed it again. i was freaking out haha  i wanted it to cool off


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

tyler t said:


> why would it effect the oil if it was only that hot hot for a very short amount of time? :confused


Hey Tyler, it depends on a couple of things... how hot did the oil itself actually get, and what kind of oil it was (mineral or synthetic). Mineral/petroleum oils, once they get hot enough, will very quickly turn into something that resembles thick mud. That stuff doesn't pump or lubricate very well, so death of the engine usually occurs shortly thereafter. Synthetics remain "liguid oil" at much higher temps than petroleum oils do, but even they will eventually break down and lose their "oiliness".

It's sort of one of those Dirty Harry "do you feel lucky?" situations. An oil and filter change is relatively cheap, reparing engine damage due to an oiling failure... not so much. 

Bear


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## tyler t (Aug 15, 2010)

it has all of 2 miles on it since i changed oil/filter. its synthetic 15-w40.. idr whar brand... it had the 76 ball on it tho.... i guess i will just park it untill i change the oil. cause truth be told . i am severly unlucky and i dont want to take the chance.


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## 66tempestGT (Nov 28, 2009)

never seen one get that hot in 2 miles.


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## tyler t (Aug 15, 2010)

i washed it, and warmed it up. i left the house. left the my neighborhood an once i was in a 55 zone. lets say i got up to that speed quite fast and with some burnt rubber. went about another 1/4 mile and turned around. and once i was in my neighborhood i noticed how hot she was. it was past 250 then and i was maybe 3 blocks away. i got in the drive way turned it off and popped the hood and hosed the rad down. haha i took the rad cap off with a broom handle.... and none of this would have happened if i would have checked the belt alignment after i put my new alternator on.


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## take5 (Aug 9, 2009)

Be on the SAFE SIDE - invest $35.00 for the 6 1/2 to 7 quarts of new fresh oil and a new oil filter. Tell yourself any sludge in your engine has been completely emulsified with a heated oil bath treatment.
Don't play games, get that old liquid that was once functioning oil out of your engine.
Always be on the side of having fresh, clean oil protecting your investment - you will never be sorry.


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## freethinker (Nov 14, 2009)

tyler t said:


> i took my gto down about a mile away from my house and back and somewhere i lost my fan belt.  car was about 280 with boiling coolant when i got it back. im sure my 455 is ok. no knocks, compression test was good.
> So how hot would it have to be to cook the engine? just curious.


if you still had coolant in it you probably didnt damage it.


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## freethinker (Nov 14, 2009)

tyler t said:


> i washed it, and warmed it up. i left the house. left the my neighborhood an once i was in a 55 zone. lets say i got up to that speed quite fast and with some burnt rubber. went about another 1/4 mile and turned around. and once i was in my neighborhood i noticed how hot she was. it was past 250 then and i was maybe 3 blocks away. i got in the drive way turned it off and popped the hood and hosed the rad down. haha i took the rad cap off with a broom handle.... and none of this would have happened if i would have checked the belt alignment after i put my new alternator on.


you should have just shut it off and let it cool down. adding cold water to an overheated engine can crack it.


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## tyler t (Aug 15, 2010)

freethinker said:


> you should have just shut it off and let it cool down. adding cold water to an overheated engine can crack it.


yeah if it was 400 degrees. witch it wasnt. and i didnt spray the engine i sprayed the rad.


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## tyler t (Aug 15, 2010)

take5 said:


> Be on the SAFE SIDE - invest $35.00 for the 6 1/2 to 7 quarts of new fresh oil and a new oil filter. Tell yourself any sludge in your engine has been completely emulsified with a heated oil bath treatment.
> Don't play games, get that old liquid that was once functioning oil out of your engine.
> Always be on the side of having fresh, clean oil protecting your investment - you will never be sorry.


 yup already changed it this morning. looked like brand new oil


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