Coolant sensor - no coolant.

[Colloin]

If there's no coolant in the engine, what does the sensor read? Is there a warning that goes off when coolant is low?

 

[Immortality]

No low coolant sensor. Assuming that there is coolant in the engine it would be reading the temp of the steam

 

[Deuce]

Steam is pretty up there in temp, so temp gauge should head north

 

[Jxfwsf]

Air doesn't work very well for conducting heat, better as an insulator, whatever it's reading is going to be wrong.

 

[Immortality]

The thing is though, if you have a coolant leak the water pump is going to keep pushing coolant through the engine until there isn't enough coolant left in the system (primarily the radiator), until that time you will most likely not notice any major change in coolant temperature and you won't get air in the engine until that coolant level drops severely at which point the engine will suddenly overheat with what seems like very little warning.

 

[Colloin]

The thing is though, if you have a coolant leak the water pump is going to keep pushing coolant through the engine until there isn't enough coolant left in the system (primarily the radiator), until that time you will most likely not notice any major change in coolant temperature and you won't get air in the engine until that coolant level drops severely at which point the engine will suddenly overheat with what seems like very little warning.

I lost about 5-6 litres via a radiator leak. The temp gauge stayed where it always had been, maybe a little higher at the lights. The car runs just as it did. Have I damaged the heads with 5 litres in the system only - or would the water pump still push that 5 litres around the heads?

A water level sensor would have been pretty useful...

 

[Turtl3]

If its not and hasnt been overheating, the oil isnt milky and the cars not running rough, or blowing white smoke then your heads are probably fine

 

[Immortality]

As above, if it's running as before then consider yourself lucky

 

[BlackVXGTS]

If there's no coolant in the engine, what does the sensor read? Is there a warning that goes off when coolant is low?

There is a low coolant warning but only on models with the LSx V8 engines.

 

[edals]

It will still go to the red eventually, i lost all my coolant in my vr, did not notice due to the lower hose split. thankfully the guage went into the red and alarm sounded. Mind you it was ####ing hot ! Thankfully did not crack the heads or anything.