My car's temp reached over 110 today,what to check exactly?

Question

While I was driving a radiater hose blow off, the car reached over 110 degree,and I didn't pay attention at the exact time the problem happened,now I have fixed the hose problem and refilled the coolant,my car is running...but I'm afarid if something could be happened to the engine or the headgasket,so what to check exactly to insure the engine is still fine and no problems at all?

to be clear my temp reached the red line!

Answer 1

I am guessing you meant 110 degrees Celsius and not Fahrenheit... 110* F is barely even warming up for most cars. 110* C, however, is about 230* F, which is above the boiling point for water, yet not above the boiling point for most modern coolants/antifreezes. However, since you say a radiator hose blew off and your temperature gauge needle reached the red, it is possible that your engine, cylinder head, gaskets, etc., could have been damaged. The extent of this damage could vary greatly, depending on other factors such as the quality of your engine oil, the age and/or build quality of the engine itself, your driving speeds / driving conditions, how long you drove it in this condition, etc.

Really, the best way to test for any sort of major engine damage would be to have a certified mechanic, shop, or dealership run a compression test and/or a pressure test on your engine. Low compression in a compression test could indicate everything from a blown gasket, to actual physical damage to engine parts. Fluid pressure testing can help identify leaks that can develop when seals and gaskets are overheated.

Unless you were driving for several hours with your car in this condition, I would not worry too much. You would probably have seen steam coming out of your hood if the problem was really bad. My last car overheated several times due to a failed water pump (mechanics repeatedly misdiagnosed the problem as a faulty thermostat); every time, the engine would begin to lose power, and steam would start coming out around the radiator. A couple times the steam was so bad that it actually began to hinder my view, especially when stopped at a red light. Every time it happened, I would find the nearest gas station and refill the radiator with water, coolant, or a combination of the two. For the most part, air flow to the engine would keep it cool enough to not overheat. Over time, the problem got progressively worse, especially when sitting idle in traffic. Finally, after having the thermostat replaced for the third time to no avail, I went back and demanded that the shop check the water pump. They did, and sure enough, that was the problem. They replaced the pump and it never overheated again.

Before replacing the pump, the car had overheated a dozen times or more. I was driving well over a hundred miles a day, and under stressful conditions, with a faulty water pump. Miraculously, the only damage the car suffered under the hood was heat damage to the seals, gaskets, and hoses. I was stuck with multiple leaks, and forced to replace many of the seals over time. All in all, the damage was costly (some of those gaskets can get expensive, not to mention labor costs), but I was lucky to not have any physical damage to the engine or cylinder head themselves.

Since your car only overheated once, and probably not for very long, you likely do not have very much to worry about. But again, if you want to be sure, your best bet would be a compression test. Fluid pressure tests would be optional; for the most part, you are going to notice if your car has a major leak. Check your fluid levels often (oil, transmission fluid, coolant, etc.) and watch for any puddles under your car. If you have a significant leak, you will probably notice at least a small puddle under your car after parking it in the same spot overnight or for an extended period of time.

A dealership would actually be your best bet, unless you are knowledgeable enough to do the tests yourself. In the long run, the extra money you pay in labor will be worth it. Dealership mechanics will have more experience and know-how regarding your particular make and model of vehicle. If I had taken my last car to a dealership instead of a second-rate "we-fix-any-kind-of-car" repair shop, they would have correctly diagnosed the problem as a faulty water pump the first time, and I could have saved myself thousands of dollars and several hours of my time. A dealership will know the specs of your particular engine's compression, as well as which parts are most likely to fail first when overheated. Chances are they will have dealt with similar situations in other cars of the same model, and will already have some idea of what kind of damage to expect, if any.

Hope that helps. Good luck!

Answer 2

110 isn't boiling for a car with antifreeze not even 210. It may have put out alot of smoke because of the antifreeze hitting the hot engine. But if the needle bottomed out in the red and you drove it till it started knocking, then it sure wasn't good for it. There ain't nothing you can really check without taking things apart. Just drive it, check the dipstick and make sure the oil doesn't get creamy or water bubbles on the dip stick. if it does, you have a blown gasket or a cracked block. Try using a good block and gasket sealer, you get from an auto parts and read the instruction. That helps sometimes so you don't have a big mechanic bill.

Answer 3

Ummm the coolant contained in the radiator???? LOL. the following is the finest to the hardest. enable the automobile quiet down and examine the coolant contained in the radiator. If it really is powerful go away the radiator cap off and start up the motor. Peer down into the radiator (circuitously over it you do not opt for to have is spray on your eyes. you should verify the coolant swirling somewhat because the water pump does its interest. The water pump sends coolant via the engine to sit back it. If there is no action there it would want to be your water pump. If there is turn the automobile off placed the cap back on. examine your oil and be conscious in case you will discover any beads of water on the dip stick with the oil. that is undesirable...very undesirable skill your head gasket or seals are undesirable. If that is tremendous. start up the automobile back and enable in idle making particular the purple mark isn't obtained and gently squeeze the right radiator hose is should be confusing because the water pump builds up pressure even if it isn't that is maximum likely back your water pump. Oh I skipped over something....ensure that you do have sufficient oil contained in the automobile besides. strong luck

Answer 4

C* or F* ? If it didn't actually boil itself dry , you probably are OK. If the engine is not leaking coolant , the head gasket is probably OK . You could have a compression test done, but if it seems to be running good, just drive it

Answer 5

a 110 isn't high ,you might have meant 210 not that's a little high ,I'm not really sure what temperature your engine reached,so if you can clarify on this a little i might can help you some,good luck with it,