No Water Reservoir

[Bongani]

My buddy had some spots fitted to the TLC and the fitment centre forgot to slide the radiator reservoir back in. Off course this was only noticed when he got back home (40km of highway driving at moderate speeds). As he pulled into his driveway the heat gauge climbed to under the hot line but never entered it.

He immediately switch of the truck. He is busy sourcing a repalcement reservoir and would like to know if this could have caused engine damage?

 

[Scamper]

Short answer is yes. The head gasket, if original, is prone to blowing out with the least provocation. As the temp gauge is non-linear (big dead spot at midpoint), the reading of "near red" means he got it really hot and may have caused sufficient movement in the head to damage the HG.

I'd have him look for signs of HG failure right away (bubbles in overflow tank--once he get's it refitted), water in the oil, seepage around block/head interface, acrid smell from exhaust, etc. IIRC, it most often fails at #6, and usually does not result in oil/coolant breaches (I think most who have reported HG failure here have noticed air in the overflow, but no oil/coolant mixing), but you never know.

Regardless of what he finds, I'd be paying very close attention to the temp while driving. IMO he's driving a ticking timebomb.

 

[Scamper]

PS: Just noticed your sig line and you have a 100 series...

What does your friend drive (model/year/engine)? I was assuming it was a gas powered 80 series IL-6.

 

[White Shark]

Not likely. The reservoir is used to hold fluid as it expands out of the radiator. When the radiator and fluid cool, it vacuums out of the reservoir and back into the radiator. As such, any fluid lost during driving would not be a big deal unless constantly repeated. It's possible that they test drove the rig, then your buddy drove it home and enough fluid was lost to heat it up a bit. These engines have a lot of metal in them and cool pretty well, and you have to heat them up pretty good to warp or crack a head, so I wouldn't worry a bit if it didn't even enter the red zone on the gauge.

Keep you eyes on the headgasket though. The bubble test is a good way to test for problems. Catch it quick if there is a problem, and you might be able to force the shop to own up to their responsibility.

I hate the factory gauge. I replaced mine with a numerical, mechanical temp gauge from Summit Racing. I can read real time, exact numbers and I feel much lessed stressed about seeing that needle move.

 

[Bongani]

My friend as a 95 80 series GXL (Aus Spec). 4.5l Petrol 1FZ-FE. Thanks for the advise guys. It is rather disheartening to hear.

BTW. My 105 series is very much a 80 series, but one with the new body styling.

 

[e9999]

snip

BTW. My 105 series is very much a 80 series, but one with the new body styling.

or is that a 100 with 80s drivetrain?

 

[Bongani]

105 = SFA
100 = IFS (Spit on ground)

SFA Rules!