New owner with a blown radiator
 

Hey so as the title suggest...

Was on the freeway when the radiator blew/crack. Coolant flew all the way up to the windshield, the car completely stopped.

Now, trying to figure out if any engine damage occurred?

I was told the censor shuts the engine as soon as any damage is done to the radiator to prevent engine damage. So im hoping i can just replace the radiator/hoses/seals and get the car running again.

What are your thoughts?

I have a feeling you are in line for a new engine :(. These engines do not last very long without cooling.

IF, and I repeat IF, your coolant was within normal temperature levels (180F to 210F) when the radiator blew, AND the engine was shut down 10 seconds or less, then you probably escaped engine damage.

There is no fail-safe that shuts the engine down. If you waited for the engine to shut off on it's own, then either you waited for the engine to start melting stuff or the coolant luckily shorted out fuses causing the engine to stall quickly. Hopefully the latter.

If the needle didn't start moving at all before the engine shut off then you might have escaped damage, but you can cook a coolant seal around 220F, which is before the needle starts to move (around 230-240F). But, keep in mind that the sensor isn't where the seal is. If you suddenly lost system pressure, it's possible that the coolant in the engine suddenly became stationary and the coolant temp sensor isn't seeing the temp of the coolant in the engine any more because it isn't flowing past.


Basically, you have a bunch of stuff to replace, but you won't even be able to start testing for possible engine damage until you replace it all.

The engine stopped instantly when the radiator blew/cracked. there is no sign of water mixing with the oil, as the dip stick only shows oil residue...

still a 50/50 chance for the engine... dump the car or try to repair?

Any idea how hot the coolant was when it blew?

having a tuff time recalling where the temp needle was when the radiator cracked. Was very hot as i remember steam coming off the coolant that splashed up...

If the needle wasn't in a normal position, I would be very much surprised if you escaped engine damage. If the needle was normal, you probably escaped damage.

get the cooling system fix first, it'll be from 100-300, if you diy it.
Or just straight to compression test, which will be around 100 depends on which stealer.
gl.

Last week I noticed coolant on my garage floor. Drove it immediately to the garage, less than two miles away and had the radiator replaced. I lucked out as I noticed the fluid and when I got under the car I could see where the leak was coming from. Never overheated. Whew! Good luck with yours.

My radiator blew and my engine did indeed overheat. I drove it for about a mile with it over heating. I quickly pulled over and only added oil to the engine. I did nothing else. I replaced the radiator and it started up like a champ. 5k miles later, still a champ and I had it checked, Mazda said it was still fantastic and the plugs still looked brand new. There were no signs of anything wrong. I may just be lucky, but there is still hope for your engine. Also, I must say this. When it overheated, my needle was definitely on H and when I parked it, there was smoke coming out of my exhaust. But, still have no issues and it has passed with flying colors. My engine still roars all the way to the redline.

i remember my fc blew up on me ( the radiator ). and i heard the sound of the engine turn off within 8 seconds. Saw smoke coming upon the hood, (thinking my motor blew) i opened my hood to see what happened. Radiator blew up into pieces water everywhere, smoke too. So i took it to the mechanic( not a rotary mechanic ) and he did know few pointers but not much. My engine had inhaled a bunch of water and therefore i had to get it replaced. What is the best solution to a situation like this? i was losing money from every angle..

good starting point to clear out of trouble
 

one of the first things I did to mine was replace the hoses with the polyurethane ones, as I had found signs of a small leak and wear, I know I diverted disaster by doin that!

which brand have you purchased? theres many and im looking for reviews on each