A little scare

[tirebird]

Actually, a big scare. I was driving home the other afternoon and stopped to visit some friends who run a repair shop on a main street near my home. The Bird was idling while talking to them,..and I noticed no problems.

Next, I drove up the hill toward home, about 10 blocks and stopped to chat with a neighbor. After about a minute, he said, "wow, you're really throwing out some coolant". I looked, and I sure was. I opened the hood, and coolant was pouring out of the overflow tank. I next looked at the temp. gauge and it was at 212 deg. and climbing. I shut off the engine and took a closer look under the hood. It was quickly obvious, I threw a belt.

Fortunately, no damage to the engine. I replaced the belt, bought a spare, and added a gallon and a half of coolant. Things are fine now, but I was amazed about how fast the big block got to critical temp. I was probably only a few minutes away from serious damage to an LS-6 engine.

Now, I always drive checking the gauges. I grew up with gauges and not idiot lights so I'm in the habit of sweeping my gaze across the dash board. But, even the most careful of drivers can quickly lose an engine if a belt, or hose blows.

So, I'm thinking of installing some type of warning light/buzzer on the temp gauge or temp. sender. Is there such an item? Has anyone here done that or something similar?

Thanks.

[Don_Lightfoot]

I've had the same thing happen to me twice in the past.

About 1999 in my 69 Camaro I noticed the heat gauge going nuts just as I pulled into a friend's place. Turned the engine off, got out of the car and within seconds you could not see the car from all the steam from the overflow. Luckily no damage to the engine.

Last year in the Velle on Interstate 81 north of Syracuse lost a belt as well. This time I noticed it before it got too bad. After the Camaro incident I always carry a spare with me now. However, doing repairs on the shoulder of a major Interstate at rush hour can be a little intimidating

[Jeff Murphy]

I did the same thing the first time I drove my ZL-1 hard. Luckily about half the membership of this board was standing there as I pulled back into the parking lot and saw the coolant starting to go.

I spent half of SCR7 cleaning my car up. What a mess.

[budnate]

[ QUOTE ]
So, I'm thinking of installing some type of warning light/buzzer on the temp gauge or temp. sender. Is there such an item? Has anyone here done that or something similar?



[/ QUOTE ]

yes cheap to do, you need to land another probe at a value/temp you want to be notified of, in the flow of coolant and head down to Radio shack and grab a obnoxious 12V buzzer and hide it under the dash...my bro cooked the motor in one of the salt boats a few years ago, again all the gauges but no idiot buzzer,,happens to the best of us, I think the hole thing cost me 10 bucks in parts and Rob had it in and working in a couple hours.

Bud.

[SS427]

[ QUOTE ]
I did the same thing the first time I drove my ZL-1 hard.

[/ QUOTE ]

The witch strikes again.....................

[Chevy Phil]

Try losing a belt while crossing the Mackinaw bridge.


The witch strikes again.....................

Now I gotta know WHO or WHAT is the Witch ??

Maybe it got me on that damn bridge

[SS427]

[ QUOTE ]
Try losing a belt while crossing the Mackinaw bridge. Now I gotta know WHO or WHAT is the Witch ?? Maybe it got me on that damn bridge


[/ QUOTE ]

Oh yeah, same witch for sure now!!!!!! She will show her face (and broom) soon.........