MADMAXPTT

I have a pinto 2,1 on my Mk3 Cortina, a friend of mine started the engine for maintenance because I had it in his garage for the past few years but he hasn't noticed that there wasn't any water in the cooling system.
He started up the engine and after several minutes he noticed that engine overheated and the water temperature gauge was at max heat.
What should I check to see if there is any damage in my engine.
I have removed sparkplugs and turn the engine by my hand and I have noticed something like compression without and sparkplug installed.
Oil is clean and there is no water in it

gcfcos

First things first do a compression test with a compression tester

Caddyshack

Same reply from me.

If the compression or cylinder leak down test is fine then you will need to check the coolant for oil contamination and vice versa.

You can buy small bore scope cameras from machine mart and the like, if in doubt have a look down the plug hole at the bores or take the head off for inspection

haz87

The sender is usually submerged in water to get its reading. The fact it read max in "several minutes" strikes me as very odd, more so when you say there was no water in circulation.
I'm gonna say the engines fine if it literally was a matter of minutes - it takes far more punishment to kill an old pinto .

Edit: Note you then say theres no water in the oil etc - Well there wouldnt be if there was no water in the system regardless?

lee2cossies

iTrader: (2)

Knowing a pinto it will be fine, their bullet proof. Some of the drag pintos you see at Santa pod run without a rad for the 1/4 mile run, rad removed to save weight!

MADMAXPTT

Thanks everyone for your replies, I'll start it this weekend, fill up cooling system with cooling liquid and after an hour of letting the engine to warm up I'll do a compression test
I'll post reply with photos

moondustka

Compression test when the engine is cold will tell you more IMO.

Same as above, if there was no coolant, you wouldn't find any contaimination between oil and water.

I also think that if it was a matter of a few to several minutes the engine will be fine.

lesley7

comp test isnt really the way head of look down the bores see if its picked up comp test can show reasonable if its picked up it will smoke like a twat when its warm a couple of mins can be fine