Q45tech
Member posted May 18, 2002 06:02 AM
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A 93Q was made in 92 so almost 10 years old. Non perfect coolant system mainteance means that they are accidents waiting to happen!
110k Q pristine outside and inside [not the coolant system] blown radiator! The owner drove it 15 miles [20 miutes] in an overheat [only 80F outside] finally pulled over when it started bucking and shut off.
Plenum hoses, melted and runny knock sensors , valve covers, front and rear main seals, oil crystalized in pan.....it runs but will be a smoker from now on!
I'm sure the tranny is damaged from the heat.
I once drove my Q 65 miles [70 mph on expressway] with the radiator cap off in winter [40F] only about 2 quarts got blown out but the heater was sucking enough out and the temp gauge never moved!
Obviously there is a fine line and Mobil 1 doesn't hurt in critical conditions along with my super all aluminum radiator--- no plastic end tanks to leak or blow off.
Change your plenum hoses every 5-6 years or every 100k.You should see some of the jury rigged radiator hoses we see.
Q45tech
Member posted May 19, 2002 09:07 AM
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The point of some of my posts is that the Q needs a cylinder head temperature warning DEVICE just in case the water level drops below the impersion point of the normal interior gauge sensor.
Because of lack of owner monitoring or a sudden hose or radiator leak [again owners fault].
Not understanding the difference between aluminum heads/block and iron engines is again owners fault. If you purchase a High Performance 32 valve V8 you are expected to know what you are buying.
[[I always rememeber the Q owner who opted to not spend the money for a water pump replacement and an hour later [after leaving]pumped all the coolant out the weep hole and returned from a 30 mile drive with an engine glowing and totally destroyed and tried to say we should have forced him to have the pump changed - as just writing down on the work order that the pump need replacement was what the dealer had said earlier ......2 warnings in the same week wasn't enough to spend $300]].
The ecu knows the engine is getting hot and tries to compensate but above 230-240F this does more harm than good [the ignition retard makes the engine run hotter].
The knock sensors [cracks/melting] are historical proof that the engine overheated [operated above its design temperature] but it would be nice to know while it's happening to be able to make a decision about driving on or immediately stopping.
Every owners level of tolerance [the possible cost of repairs/junking the car] will be different.
But $100 tow bill is usually the correct answer vs losing the car.
