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Driving with no oil pressure can wreck a car's internal parts in minutes. Or less. Severe overheating can blow your head gasket or warp or crack your cylinder head or block just as quickly.
No oil will kill an engine faster than no coolant, but the difference is not significant. We're talking 30 second vs. 90 seconds once it really gets too hot.
It doesn't matter what kind of engine. Generally speaking, either is just as bad for a V8 as a four cylinder.
No oil will kill an engine faster than no coolant, but the difference is not significant. We're talking 30 second vs. 90 seconds once it really gets too hot.
It doesn't matter what kind of engine. Generally speaking, either is just as bad for a V8 as a four cylinder.
Out of curiosity, why do you ask?
Oil will stay stay in the chambers, longer than coolant will. I guess I should have rephrased my question.
No oil is worse than no coolant. There's no question about this, and it makes no difference about what kind of engine it is.
Engines used to be air cooled, remember? No coolant whatsoever. They relied on just fans and heat sink fins to stay cool. But run one of those engines without oil, and they'll seize.
Some water cooled engines can run just fine with absolutely no coolant in them, provided you are moving at a fast enough pace to keep the engine from overheating.
An aluminum engine, heat is the item that will destroy it quickest. Aluminum is a heat sponge and it doesn't matter if the heat comes from lack of oil or coolant, let it get hot and it's done. Cast iron engines can tolerate a lack of both more than an aluminum engine but none are going far these days. If yer going down the hiway and a hose blows, by the time you get to the side of the road, the aluminum engine has damage. Gaskets, especially head gaskets can't make the stretch. Valve seats crack, bearings get scored, etc. Let an oil filter blow (yes, they can and will blow) and you'll probably make it to the side of the road but with some damage.
Lack of maintenance. Things like changing the timing belt regularly, changing the oil, and fixing little problems before they become big problems. Some of those little 4 cylinders will run forever if you take care of them.
As is the case with many threads in CD, the only thing dumber than the question are the answers.....
There are several good answers here. Numbers 5, 6, 7, and 8 are all good.
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