hi fitted new radiator at the weekend forgot to tighten bottom pipe
been driving car for 2 days was getting no hot air so checked under the bonnet for water level only to see bottom pipe hanging loose and not a drop of water in the radiator.
i have now filled the radiator back up but what damage could i have done advice and suggestions please

 

i would say check your head gaskets with a compresion test first.

 

Yeah possible head gasket if you ran dry, did the engine temp reach max??
Keep an eye on your water level, if you start getting no hot air through or temp starts to creep up then it all points to head gasket.
Watch water level to, if you get loads of boubles in your remote fill pipe 'right hand side behind pasenger head light'. could be another sign.

 

hi just had car for short run touch wood seems ok temp gauge never got above half way when it ran dry but if there was no water in radiator the temp wouldn't work i think? will just keep an eye on water level for now and keep fingers crossed

 

There were some liquid in engine left, so the temperature gauge stay in normal. But it could lead to local overheat.
Check engine oil plug. Open it to see if there a white emulsion on it. If you find it - then it should be a engine head deformation.
Good luck

 

if there was no water in engine would temp gauge read normal

 

No. But only if there was no water at all.