Can I drive a car with only water and no coolant if it has a leak?

Question

Recently, I was informed that a car I share ('02 Nissan Sentra) was close to overheating. I was told it gets close to the upper limit very quickly upon running the car. When I inspected the vehicle, I realized that the coolant overflow was empty and the radiator's coolant level was rather low (not sure exactly how low but it seems at most 75% remains).

The car must be taken to a mechanic. However, the mechanic I trust and usually use is about 30 miles away. I assume there is a leak in a hose, connector, or perhaps the water pump. The radiator is new so I do not suspect it is the source of this issue.

Because I am assuming there will be a leak, I think that when I drive it, it will most likely loose coolant. Also because of this assumption, I am weary of putting coolant in if it is just going to leak out.

I am assuming I will have to make a few stops to fill the overflow (not touching the radiator). Can I put pure water in the radiator and overflow tank and limp the car 30 miles (mostly on the freeway - yikes)?

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Edit

Great answers here, I just wanted to post what I actually ended up doing in the hopes of it helping someone at some point, or maybe to satisfy curiosity.

I decided not to go with pure water because I have read that a 50/50 ratio of coolant to water is desirable and figured even if it were leaking, should it be slow, I should follow best practice.

I was unsure what type of coolant my car used, so I just went to the dealer and got a container of what was standard.

The reservoir was completely empty, and the radiator had a low level of water. I added some water (maybe 1.5L) to the radiator to top it off and I filled the reservoir to the "MAX" line.

I read from a post that a simple test you can do is to start the car, run it a little, turn it off, and then listen for a leak. I tried that, but perhaps the car did not get hot enough, or there wasn't a leak evident to that method.

I then looked on the ground for any evidence of a leak and saw none. I started the car and let it run while looking to see if any fluid was leaking and could not see any after a minute or so.

After this I drove the car trying to maintain under 3000 rpm and made it to the mechanic's shop like that.

Overall, I would say this situation was mild in comparison to what could happen. I am definitely not recommending to drive a car with a major leak, or even with a medium one. My car exhibited no signs of leaking and based off of that I drove it.

Answer 1

First thing I'd try to figure out is how quickly it leaks - run it, stick your head underneath it as check if there is any visible leaking. If there is, chances are that it's not going to make it for 30 miles. I'd also check for any evidence of oil and water mixing. If there is, don't drive it.

If it's not leaking that badly I'd be tempted to top it up with plain water just to check if that reduces the temperature to something more normal. If it doesn't there's a chance that you either have a thermostat that's failed closed, a blockage in the cooling system or a really bad water pump. Again, check for leaks with the engine running and warm, any visible leaks this side of the odd drip and I'd be very careful about driving the car.

In general, water on its own tends to cool better than water + antifreeze, so you're not risking any damage from running water in the engine provided the outside temperature doesn't drop below freezing. Even then, you probably are going to be OK as hopefully there is a little antifreeze left in the existing coolant. Either way, advise the mechanic that he might have to drain the cooling system immediately depending on the outside temperatures.

If in doubt, I would get the car transported to the mechanic - even if you pay retail for the recovery it's likely to be cheaper than a blown engine, unless the engine is fairly terminal already.

Answer 2

I agree with Timo - if it is a big enough leak that you can see it clearly, then getting the car transported is much safer.

In general, using water as coolant is OK for a short time or as a "get you home" alternative, but it does not have the anti-freeze and corrosion inhibiting properties of a proper coolant mix, so should not be left in the engine for any length of time, especially if you live in a cold climate.

Additionally, you should avoid adding cold water to a hot engine unless you have no other choice - there is a risk that it can cause a thermal shock and risk cracking the block, which would end up very expensive!

Answer 3

I am glad you got a good outcome, but would like to answer because I have a fair amount of experience with difficult cooling system issues, and the most recent one occurred while I was over 1,000 miles from home. Had I been close to my home it would have not been very inconveniencing. On top of that, it was the hottest time of the year and I had traveled 1,000 miles south into hotter territory. The issues began about 40 miles from home and I made the very bad decision to top off the coolant and proceed rather than turn around back home and choose a different car. Below is my advice based on a lot of experience with managing a vehicle that is overheating.

First rule is simple -- if the temperature is above the normal (usually half-way, or in some cars just a hair above half-way on the gauge), pull over and stop the engine. That is your safest bet to avoid damage and turning a minor problem into a major one. Most cooling issues are solved by replacing a hose, an $8 thermostat, a $50 radiator fan motor, or a $200 radiator. Water pumps are cheap, but not easy to change on a lot of modern cars, so I don't consider that a "minor" fix because of the high labor costs. Driving the car after it crosses the normal temperature for any amount of time increases the chances that a cheap problem will turn into a $1,00 head gasket or $2,000 engine rebuild.

If for some reason you cannot do that, your first order of business is to turn off the air conditioner, roll down the windows, and turn the heat onto the hottest and the blower to full blast. This will increase the cooling system capacity by allowing the heater core to dissipate engine heat -- obviously at the expense of cabin comfort. Also, by killing the AC, the AC condenser is no longer dumping an additional heat load onto the cooling system. If you do this and the temperature stays within normal range (which is often the case) pull over when you can and check the coolant level.

If the coolant level is down, fill it. If you cannot get proper coolant and have to use water from a jug or a hose, that is better than low coolant. Keep in mind that you should circle back after the repair and drain/flush and refill the system (if it was not required for the fix) so that you have the proper proportion of anti-freeze to water. Also keep in mind that distilled water is best for your cooling system, and if you ended up getting it from a hose that might introduce contaminants that over time will cause problems, like corrosion or mineral buildup that clogs the radiator, etc. But, dirty water is better than no water.

If the coolant level was low, the question becomes "how fast is the leak"? If you can't see it, like gushing out of a broken hose or oozing from the radiator, then all you can really do is fill it and then proceed (AC off, heat on, driving very delicately) and see how far you get before the temp breaks the normal reading. Obviously, you carry extra water/coolant with you when you go down this path.

If the coolant level wasn't low, then proceed.

As you drive with a cooling issue you want to avoid stopped traffic and keep the car moving 20mph or better. The reason is the movement creates airflow over your radiator. When you are stopped in traffic, there is no airflow, and the only thing keeping you from overheating is the radiator fan -- and it is very possible that has failed and is the reason you overheated to begin with. If temps stay normal while moving but creeps up over normal while stopped, it is probably the fan. Avoid stopped traffic.

You also want to avoid heavy loads. You may be able to drive with a compromised cooling system at 55mph without overheating, but at 65mph it overheats. This is because engine load is higher, and if you are on the highway driving a long time with a compromised cooling system, the load is higher than the cooling system can dissipate the heat.

Hills are not your friend when driving with a compromised cooling system. If you can't get up the hill without loading the engine to the point it overheats, there isn't much you can do about that.

It is worthwhile to also check the auto transmission fluid, because if that is low the tranny is running hotter than normal and most radiators have a section that is your transmission fluid cooler which is mounted to the radiator putting additional heat on the cooling system.

Using these techniques you might be able to get a car where you need it to be with a compromised cooling system. It is impossible to guarantee results.

If the question becomes "how hot can I run it without doing major damage", the answer to that question depends on the specific engine. Some cars, such as those with steel block and aluminum head, any overheating runs the risk of warping the head (because steel and aluminum expand at different rates). If you can manage to get home or to a shop by using the above techniques, there really isn't too much to worry about. But if you can't do that and must press on with the temp over normal, you are running a serious risk of making a bigger problem. Whether damage is done depends on how hot it got and for how long.

Answer 4

If you think there is a leak and have 30 miles drive, then you can reserve some pure water with ride and use it. pure water is not alternative for radiator coolant, because water will be boil quicker than coolant. but its far better than running empty coolant.

One more thing if you are living in cold area do not keep water inside radiator long ,It will freez and make more problems

Answer 5

I’ve driven without coolant using only distilled water for a week or two. Although, I wouldn’t recommend it for long term usage, it can work in a bind.

Depending on where you live, it doesn’t seem to be that bad for the engine for several reasons:

1. Most thermostat housing open before the boiling point of water which is 100c
2. The coolant System is pressurized, so the boiling point goes up.
3. Depending on what you drive and where you live, the coolant available at your nearest gas station may not be compatible with the coolant within your car, and mixing them may cause coagulation.

With that being said, coolant has additives in it to keep it from breaking down metals and for protecting the seal (water pump).

Answer 6

If there is a major leak 30 miles may be too far, and you may cause major (very expensive) damage to your cylinder head or engine block.

Please read this question on driving without coolant! for some good advice (which broadly speaking boils down to don't do it!)

Answer 7

Radiator sealant can do the job. It will seal up any leaks and is cheap and cheerful, at least until you can make plans to address the issue full on.

Answer 8

The coolant added to the water /coolant and antifreeze are generally said meaning same thing/ it keeps the water from freezing and boiling. Boiling means steam and your water evaps out the overflow and pressure release also it creates air pockets on inside block/head and can't take heat away from it, eventually blowing head gasket, hoses , radiator., Pump, etc. And it also liberates the pump/waterpump, it may not detect it is hot /not sure on this part but seems maybe/ if temp is took close to the exit hose of radiator because water cooling in radiator enuff to fool it and by time it gets half way through engine it boils.maybe But the rest is physically the way it is

Answer 9

As others have said - the short answer is don't do it. But there are extenuating circumstances that you might be able to find a way to reach a good ending.

1. If you can stop the leak, do so (assuming that you can find it).
2. Seek assistance from someone who knows if available. Use stop leak if the leak is not too great. I once had an accident that punched a hole in the radiator, a can of bars leak plugged the hole and I drove 150 miles home without incident - your success might vary!
3. Failing these first two and keeping in mind the cardinal rule 'don't do it' you might be able to achieve a reasonable outcome by making patchwork fixes such as turning off the A/C, etc., adding water periodically if you have a container available to carry a substantial amount - bear in mind that if you use water out of a creek or lake, etc, you are using water dangerous to your vehicle's engine and you will have to correct that later (or maybe even sooner).
4. If you can keep the engine from having to rev too much, you can run for a long time with low pressure in the radiator if you release the pressure to the first click on the cap - this works better with older cars - yes, the car will still leak the coolant out, but it will not blast it out and it won't damage the car as long as you stop and let it cool off before it overheats too much. Lower loads on the engine means less cooling is required, drive slowly. Once the car overheats, do not try to get it going too soon, turn the lights off and preserve your battery power - electrical stuff off, etc. Wait if you can. If you have the cap loose, you can slowly add water to the radiator without shutting off the engine so that it cools down faster and this would be preferable to shutting it off. As soon as it cools off, you can mosey on again.
5. Only you can assess your position and condition relative to the damage that your car might sustain. Inconvenience is not a valid concern unless you are willing to throw away the vehicle's engine in an attempt to save a few hours of time - there could be such situations, I am sure.