I doubt you did any damage. I was thinking more about this fellow rolling
down the road at 65 mph for an hour or so, and great big air pockets in his
coolant above each cylinder. 500 yards you could prolly do without any
coolant at all. The trouble starts at 501 yards. :)

G. Matthew Bulley
Bulley-Hewlett
Corporate Communications Counselors
www.bulley-hewlett.com
Cary, NC USA
888.468.4880 tollfree

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-----Original Message-----
From:   Alan Bosch [SMTP:arbosch@RA.ROCKWELL.COM]
Sent:   Wednesday, December 08, 1999 12:18 PM
To:     vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject:        Does overheating = piston ring damage?

Been following the "Does this bus go to my office?" thread with more than a
little interest.  The alternator and waterpump belt on my van broke
Saturday -
one took out the other, though I don't know which one took the other.  The
van
overheated and blew out the coolant distributor.  When this happened, I had
to
drive maybe 500 yards to get the van off the road.  Now, following the
above
mentioned thread, I'm wondering if I've done major damage to the engine -
burnt
the piston rings, for instance.  As I'll be replacing the coolant
distributor
tomorrow, and doing a complete flush and fill for the cooling system, I
should
probably do a compression check too.  Unless the chances of minimal that
any
real damage was done.  Anyone want to offer assurances or you-witless-fool
scares?

Alan Bosch
& Phred ('88 Wolfsburg) - out back, on the ramp, waiting for UPS...
Rochester, NY