Dilbones

So this weekend I overheated my car. Pegged it at full hot. I lost my radiator cap during qualifying.

We put water back in the car, got a cap on it, and got it back on track and it ran fine-- getting me P1 on day 2.

I'm worried that there is residual damage that hasn't surfaced yet. My next race is in July and I want to make sure the car is reliable for then.

Do you guys have any recommendations for maintenance before the next race?

Dublocivic

Any data on how hot it got? If it was me, I would do a leak down test just to make sure the HG is still in good shape.

Kaan

iTrader: (3)

this is basically what I would do. I don't know what your oil change schedule is, but i would also change that because your oil was taking the brunt of the temp while it was overheating.

dirty19

iTrader: (1)

All this^^^^
Hopefully you dodged a bullet on this

90civichbsi

iTrader: (1)

You can also try bleeding the coolant system with one these funnels:
I'd let it run through a few fan cycles and watch for continuous bubbles. A leak down test might not always pick up a blown head gasket.

sjg88

wouldnt be a bad idea to pop off the head and make sure the mating surfaces on the cylinder & head are still level.

ross2004

This is true- I had a weepy head gasket once that wouldn't show on a leak down test (performed cold, it may have hot). A coolant combustion gas tester eventually confirmed it.

iwannarace

This. Just went through this 2 weeks ago (just got head back from machine shop actually). Buy the funnel thing. Top off the radiator, and let the car idle for 20-30 minutes. If you see consistent bubbles, you're getting exhaust in the coolant system and it's time to replace the HG. Mine was very minor. Head was barely warped (0.002).

Dilbones

Thanks for all the responses guys and sorry I took so long to get back. I am prepping the car for Lime Rock before July.

No tempearture gauge with quantitative data but the gauge was pegged.

I change it after every weekend.

I am seeing bubbles every once in a while on a consistent basis in the coolant when it's hot, but it ran fine for a 20-minute hardship session and the whole 35-minute race...so weird...

I'm also fairly certain I saw these bubbles before the overheating incident and it always ran fine. I assumed it was stagnant regions in the system causing boiling zones that are mitigated when you increase the pressure and prevent boiling.

You think it would get worse?

I am trying to avoid this....but if I have to....

Kaan

iTrader: (3)

if you have that funnel setup.... get it warm and blip the throttle... under pressure it will boil like a crab feast if the HG is legit gone.

send it until it fails! that's the midatlantic way.

ross2004

$40 for a combustion gas tester will tell you certainty.

Dublocivic

Just make sure that its a legit failure and not that you sent it until you ran out of gas and have to get towed, then people will joke you.

sjg88

even if its slightly warped it will prob last the rest of the season since its only driven once or twice a month, right?

assuming its a full on track car and you arent driving it on the street

iwannarace

Except for when it overheats cuz gas in the system pushes coolant out, and you do more damage.

90civichbsi

iTrader: (1)

It probably will. I ran my old engine for a while even though I knew the HG was on it's way out. In my situation it also stayed cool just fine. My engine already had a long life and was getting blow by so I was going to be replacing it soon anyway. Eventually it will get bad enough that it'll start affecting the idle. I ended up blowing the upper coolant pipe off exiting a corner (boost entering the coolant jacket). I swapped in a replacement engine after that.