usajags84

I have done some research but needed some more advice
The other day I noticed that while idling I had no heat out of the vent
From what I read it could be an air bubble in the coolant or the dreaded headgasket...
It puzzles me
Car runs awesome nothing odd no spuddering
No overheating
No overflowing coolant
Can't tell if there's any fluid loss only driven 500 miles since all the work I did
2001 153k newer timing belt and water pump
Thoughts?
Was planning on a 600 mi road trip this weekens

lowlife9

did you check radiator fluid levels also make sure the rad cap is properly functioning.

GolNat

iTrader: (7)

I had the same issue before. Turned out I was low on coolant due to a small radiator leak.

Check you coolant level.

usajags84

I will double check coolant level also I have a parts civic so I will swap the radiator cap. I might try to put on ramps and try to bleed the coolant

ezone

Poor heater output at idle is normally caused by an airlock in the core, usually caused by low coolant level.....your job now is to figure out why the coolant level got low enough to cause it. (Has it been that way since you replaced the water pump?)

External leakage or head gasket.
And all the common symptoms that everyone would be checking on any other car will not be found when these blow a head gasket.

Most people only see that the reservoir overfills while the radiator goes low.

Note: If your reservoir was lower than the max line before this began, some of the head gasket failures won't actually cause it to overflow but will still cause the level to raise significantly and not go back to starting level after cooldown. This can go on for a long time before other symptoms get noticed (lack of heat, or overheat).

sdaidoji

iTrader: (1)

at this point, just go with the easy ones and monitor. if it's fully heated and still blows cold air in traffic lights, then its a sign of warning.

Brandon@fattysmotorsports

check level and make sure no air is in the system. get engine up to temp then fill up on coolant.

usajags84

[QUOTE=ezone;4673879]Poor heater output at idle is normally caused by an airlock in the core, usually caused by low coolant level.....your job now is to figure out why the coolant level got low enough to cause it. (Has it been that way since you replaced the water pump?)

Timing belt and water pump was done before I got it by a reputable shop here.

However coolant was low upon inspection... However with all work I have done it is possible with the 2x I have removed the radiator it could have had a buble...
Tonight I filled pull ran car with heat on full and filled while I did see several air bubbles but alarmed me was when the cap was on I did see some steam coming out of the cap I did grab another cab from other civic and still saw a little not as much but vapor was present

Most people only see that the reservoir overfills (did not notice this)

ezone

Radiator out could certainly explain how it got an airlock in the heater core. Burp it like you did, and continue to monitor.

usajags84

Will do! I am also replacing cap with a new one since there is a vapor or slight steam leak from it when hot...

Gonna watch it like a hawk for the next day and a half but I am still taking it on the trip this weekend as long as everything looks goo

sdaidoji

iTrader: (1)

cap is one of the things most did not have much luck on aftermarket, so get a honda one

ezone

Ya know, any dribbles that got on the radiator when you last removed the cap will steam off when the radiator got hot... right?
JS.
New cap is cheap insurance anyway.

usajags84

Sometimes I over complicate things
106 miles driven yesterday no issues fluid level will be checked this morning, no visible vapors

Going to swing by honda for a cap before the road trip...

usajags84

Trip went fine temp gauge stayed still heat worked until... I get home....
I checked when I got there and it looked fine but when I got almost home stopped at a light and you would think I put on the Ac but I think I have found my issue...

I have a slight dribble coming out of the top of the thermostat housing...

I am wondering and hoping some Hack didn't take out the thermostat and put in a can of that headgasket in a bottle trash... To hot to take apart tonight and not enough self control not to go find the sob person who sold it to me if I find no thermostat

What would happen if someone did use that trash?

ezone

If you had NO thermostat, you would never get heat at all in this freezinass cold.

Wait, you're in the south? How cold is it there now?


See if overflow bottle is overfull, and the radiator is low.

usajags84

Nope overflow was low so was the radiator but there's only one little dribble

But the temps in the 30's this week crazy I know!

usajags84

But what's weird is the gauge has never ever gone over 3/8 I almost thought it was broken until I verified with my code reader

ezone

Ya, I was checking the news earlier....Georgia is colder than Wyoming or something crazy like that.

It's 15*F here right now.

usajags84

Well I hope it warms up soon last year we had an ice storm down in mobile.

I am going to pull it drain it and pull off the thermostats housing and change it. I am going to top it off tonight to take it to work tomorrow. I gotta swing by the dealer and get one and some sealer. honda brand verses autozone???

I don't think it's head gasket it runs so good I mean 35mpg smooth as silk and plenty of power... But honda amazes me with their engines. It's possible that they engineered one to run well with a blown head gasket

ezone

Factory stat comes with rubber seal, no sealant (cheez-whizz) should ever be needed.


Read up. When these blow a head gasket, the first things (and sometimes the only things) anyone ever sees is symptoms related to loss of coolant. Poor heat, overflow overfills, and radiator goes low, then running hot. Once it's ignored and overheated, real problems come.

sdaidoji

iTrader: (1)

yeah, mine did 44MPG while the gasket was leaking slightly. (overflow was loosing coolant)

usajags84

Just an update... Have not put in the thermostat yet just too busy around with all family (I have to do any car work in my mothers car port) heat still intermittent but right now I am just going to keep full and drive it until next weekend. Fluid loss is less then a half a cup a week.
However it seems no matter how many times I burp it there's always more air I feel like a head gasket weekend is in my future!

ezone

Sounds like it.

Have the head measured for flatness. I think 0.002" is the max allowable warpage spec.

usajags84

.002 wholly crap!
Good thing I have a good machine shop close by.
My timing belt and water pump are about a year and a half old with about 15k I guess since I will have it all tore down might as well do that wish I could just change the gasket but if I am going to have it tore down I might as well do the entire job and do it right....

I hate to keep blowing money on it but...

Before the picture of the fortune teller comes up
I am considering doing the following until the holidays are over...

1 adding a secondary water temp gauge (insurance incase the cluster or reader becomes inaccurate) (I have a new one sitting in a box so no added cost)

2 using the car as it is checking all fluid levels on daily basis

How bad will it get? I am the gauge watching driver it will not get overheated if the gauge gets to 3/4 where I drive I can easily pull off and get it cooled down
I don't mind putting the money into it because it's a good car and I have already spent so much but at the same time I don't want to have it down over Christmas, New Years, and my wife and I's anniversary. I know this will take me about a day for tare down my machine shop is really good but his rates are cheaper if I don't rush him ie he charged me $75 to press the two front bearings in as well as the ball joints and I had them back on day two.

So I anticipate 1 day Tare down 1-2 days for the machine shop a day or more for reassembly

ezone

0.002" is a whole bunch of warp where perfectly flat really counts a lot!
MLS head gasket doesn't have room for error.

Timing belt is only like $20

HG "set" from the dealer comes with valve stem seals....If you aren't going to neeeeed a valve job then piece the gasket set together instead of getting the kit.


If you said this:
then you shouldn't have any problem just topping it off, just keep ahead of it fast enough to prevent overheating and keep it burped enough to have decent heat at idle..


Where would you connect your extra gauge anyway?
Leakage (or liquid displacement in this case) is usually very slooow in the beginning.... If it overheats, then it may become faster.



LOL You wouldn't believe what sort of time warranty department allowed for a head gasket R&R job on this. Think...."done long before lunch time" (not including machine shop time)

usajags84

Timing belt is only like $20
I must have overpaid for my last one I will gladly do $20 how much is the tensioner?
And headgasket and I should order from majestic right?



If you said this:
then you shouldn't have any problem just topping it off, just keep ahead of it fast enough to prevent overheating and keep it burped enough to have decent heat at idle..

Gotcha!

Where would you connect your extra gauge anyway?
Leakage (or liquid displacement in this case) is usually very slooow in the beginning.... If it overheats, then it may become faster.

Again, I over complicate things I have nixed this idea


LOL You wouldn't believe what sort of time warranty department allowed for a head gasket R&R job on this. Think...."done long before lunch time" (not including machine shop time)[/QUOTE]

Yeah umm no I couldn't do it in that amount of time it took me like 14 hours to do a valve cover intake manifold new plugs and 02 sensors on my friends 03 highlander v6

ezone

14400-PMM-A02 $19.89 at Majestic.

For a 2001 I got # 04145-PLC-315, look it up yourself.
If you wish. You probably want more than just the head gasket, don't you?
Manifold gaskets, water housing gasket, valve cover set, etc.
All depends on how you do the job I guess, and whether or not the head must be stripped for machine shop work.