Can You Drive Without Coolant?
2 Answers
You cannot drive a car without coolant. Here are the relevant explanations: 1. Hazards: Due to the lack of coolant, the engine and its surroundings cannot dissipate heat, ultimately causing the engine temperature to rise rapidly and leading to engine failure. 2. Coolant Temperature: For traditional engines, the normal operating coolant temperature is 80°C to 90°C. However, for electronically controlled engines, due to their high speed, high compression ratio, and high power, they experience significant mechanical load and thermal load. The friction heat is very high, so the required normal operating temperature for coolant has been increased to 95°C to 105°C.
A few days ago, my car's coolant temperature warning light came on. Upon inspection, I found the coolant reservoir was completely empty. Driving in that condition would have been disastrous. When the engine is running, temperatures can soar over 200 degrees Celsius, and it relies entirely on coolant circulation for heat dissipation. Without coolant, the engine can overheat and be ruined within minutes, causing anything from cylinder head warping to piston melting and seizing. I have a friend who stubbornly drove 3 kilometers like this and ended up spending 20,000 yuan on major engine repairs. Now I always keep distilled water in my car for emergencies, but if you're completely out of coolant, calling a tow truck is the wisest choice. After all, repair costs can be dozens of times more expensive than a tow.
