Did I screw up my Car engine entirely? Need some help?

Question

Okay. I'm obviously no car mechanic or expert, and I am a rookie Driver(I've had my license for only 1 1/2 years; I'm 19). Here is the story(I'll try to make it as short and simple as possible).

I was driving to my destination which was 3 hours from me. Due to appalling traffic jams and how unfamiliar with the area I was, it took around 4 1/2 hours. It was the middle of the day at about 100 degrees and I was stopped a lot. About an hour untill I got to my destination, I noticed that my A/C was acting up and there wasn't gross but a funny smell. When I looked down at the floor of the passenger seat, I noticed it was wet, almost like I had spilled something. The problem was, I keep my car pristine, and I had no food or drink. That was very odd. I checked all of my controls WHILE DRIVING and they seemed fine, so I reached my destination. I had a friend look at it, they thought it was water and it was a minor problem with the A/C. Okay, I thought, I'll just get it fixed when I getback.

Started driving back a couple days later. The smell had gone away. I was driving back and the car temp looked fine, and halfway through I was going nonstop. I was driving in the middle of the day, during 100 degree heat, and with massive traffic jams. When I drove this time, right when I started my car, I noticed the A/C wasn't running fully, my car seemed to be running okay but slightly below quality, and by the end of my trip, there was a pool about an inch thick of some liquid on the floor of the passenger seat. When I finally reached my house I check my stats butwith the car on. My engine began to overheat! Then, I checked the liquid coolant, and it turned out that was what was leaking into the seat, not water! I had been driving for several hours on an overheating engine. Basically, my question is this, what do you think happened? Why is my coolant leaking onto the floor of my passenger seat? Do you think the damage is serious? What would you do? Yes, I know Iwas stupid tonotstop.

I checked my manual and it said if no steam or smoke is coming out of the overheated engine then it is a minor problem. There was no smoke or steam coming out of my engine, so do you think it is okay? Despite the fact I was stopped for a long period of time, I was moving overall most of the time down the freeway so that probably kept it cool.It is a Grand Prix car BTW. After driving 4-5 hours on an overheating engine, do you think it is okay?

I know it was a long story, and I probably provided more than enough info, but if you need more, just let me know. Thanks a lot.

The car is a 03' Grand Prix. Yes, that was extremely wierd too. I don't why the coolant was ending up on the ground of the passenger side. It said in the manual the engine has built in cylinders that are supposed to counter an overheating engine. That problably helped.

It still starts and runs pretty normal. Of course we will have it checked out. I still can't believe I drove on an overheating engine for 4-5 hours without knowing it. But it still works normal, but I will have it checked out soon at the nearest garage, but I just wanted your verdicts on this. And do you think the repairs will be costly? And do you think the engine is shot?

Yeah, it didn't shut down on me, so that is one good thing at least.

The other thing was that I think the overheating engine was cooled by how 80% I was driving down the freeway at 65-70MPH. I had creep slowly for around 30-45minutes out of 4 hours driving back for several traffic jams BTW. I should've checked while I was stopped.

Answer 1

it blew a heater core in it,and it may not be ruined,because they usually leak out slowly,and as long as you was moving it was cooling some,if its not miss-firing id have the heater core repaired,and go from there with it,there is a good chance it may not have hurt the engine,considering you made it home and it never shut down on you,it didn't help it none by driving it like this,but then again it may not have hurt it that bad either,have a shop check it,you might have gotten lucky this time,hopefully you did,good luck with it.

Answer 2

your heater core was leaking you have a coil under the passenger side of the dash that has coolant from the engine running through it. no matter if the heater or a\c is on the coolant still flows through it thats not that bad of a fix but as far as if the engine is trashed thats hard to say try to start it back up if it starts and runs normal then you probably didnt hurt it but i would take it to a good shop and have it checked out

Answer 3

You have a leaking heater core up under the dash. This needs to be repaired. You do not want to breathe all that anti-freeze while you are driving the car. Plus it will keep running low on coolant, and it will wind up messing up your interior. Good luck with the repair.

Answer 4

you have a bad heater core possably one of the two heater hoses that go to heater core are leaking more then likly its the heater core depending on make & model this can be very labor time consuming that is where the cost will be .heater core isnt that much labor to change it is .you can bypass heater. this is a temp. fix untill you can get it fixed with heater bypassed you wont have a heater though but its summer so you probabley dont need heater anway.hope this helps good luck.

Answer 5

To me, the not gross, but funny smell ,was hot antifeeze mix dripping out of the heater core, that has rusted out underneath the dash on the right hand side.

Answer 6

Hi,
please let us know about what car,year etc info.The coolant is in the engine and it is strange that you are telling that coolant has come to passenger compartment.