Should be no problem firing it up BRIEFLY with no coolant.  Unlike the WBX,
there are no rubber bands to melt!

You might as well fill it up with water though; you'll want to run it for a
while and the system will be flushed clean that way.   :)

On Wed, Apr 9, 2008 at 7:49 PM, neil N <musomuso@gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi all.
>
> I searched the archives, but of course why would there be anything
> listed under "run without coolant" ? --- ;^)
>
> I am very close to seeing if the Jetta engine in my Vanagon
> (conversion) will start.
>
> Any risk of damaging head, coolant pump or ?  if I fire it up for a
> few seconds without coolant?
>
> My thinking is that if there is something horribly wrong with this
> engine, I'll hear it right away. If there is, I"d rather not have to
> drain all the coolant out.
>
> Maybe I could run with just straight water in place of coolant....
>
> TIA,
>
> Neil.
>
>
>
> --
> Neil Nicholson. 1981 Air Cooled Westfalia - "Jaco"
>
> http://web.mac.com/tubaneil
> http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/
>

--
Jake
1984 Vanagon GL
1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"
Crescent Beach, BC
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
http://subyjake.googlepages.com/mydixiedarlin%27