I just bought a car, and don't know how I missed it, but it had no coolant the entire time I drove it back from Bendigo to S.E Melbourne, good news is the gauge never overheated, it ran fine the entire time. (When I checked I thought I saw the water line in the fogged up header tank and had just drove it so didn't want water to erupt so I left the cap on.

I noticed it when the car starting turning itself off then the low oil pressure warning light came on, bought oil, problem still occurred then I opened the tank lid and found it was BONE DRY.

I am wondering if this would've caused any damage? The whole trip was 100k freeway, and the gauge never went over half way (only got to half during the limp to home) and was at normal temperature almost all the time. Possibly happened on the trip back, as the temps were perfect and don't recall the header tank light been on.

The leak is from the middle/rear of the BBM manifold, pouring over the power steering rack so I hope to god it's a heater hose and not the head, it poured out rapidly like a hose so doubt it's the head.

What damage should I check for, and is it likely? Please any ideas will make me sleep tonight.

Cheers.

If it had absolutely no coolant then your guage wouldn't be giving an accurate read out anyway.

That it is still running tells you not to play pokies/buy any lottery tickets for a while, I have seen cars overheat in a matter of minutes.

If you had a reading on the gauge then in an EF it means you had water and at a normal temperature so likely no more damage was done unless the temp gauge dropped to zero.

It would appear that your diagnosis of a split hose could be the most likely one.

sounds like a trip of mine to the coast lately, which was a split hose under the bbm.

i was in 60 zone on gold coast and saw the temp starting to rise above its normal spot, I pulled over and there was a river of coolant running to the gutter. I saw the reservoir was still full so i Decided to make a dash back to brisbane (hoping for the best)

The highway trip home the temp was staying in its normal spot and when i got home the reservoir only had a little bet left.

MIne was split at the end of hose, so i just cut off the bad bit and rejoined (with just enough slack).