Sa2010

I just bought my 2002 EX in December of last year and have had nothing but problems with it. My newest however is the fact that the temperature gauge is going haywire. I tried the hold the trip/reset button and do the jive to see if you get all 8's or ERROR on your info display and I got 8's so here I am.

My car is drinking oil, and the temperature gauge is going crazy. When I got it I noticed that the radiator fluid level in the reservoir was all the way at the top (way too high) and didn't think anything of it just ran it. Last week however I was driving it home from and work and noticed the temp gauge was H. I turned the heat on and eased it home.

I replaced the Thermostat hoping that was the issue but the problem remains. A day after not driving it I take it out and see how it acts but 3 miles from home it shoots up to H and then back down to 1/2. I drove it just today (3.22.2011) and it was up and down like it was on a trampoline. I don't know what else to do but to plead for help. Also the level in the reservoir has gone down dramatically but the fluid on the top of the radiator cap is LIME GREEN! I can't tell how much is in the reservoir because Honda decided to make it opaque so you can't see into it.

Sorry for the novel but long story short, I need some help. I park the car on concrete everyday and absolutely NOTHING is left underneath of it. I have 152,000 miles on it (1.7L Vtec) and was hoping to put a lot more on it. Any help will be appreciated, THANKS!!

-Shawn

BlueEM2

iTrader: (1)

Head gasket failed.

Sa2010

How much is that going to run me?? And is it something I can do on my own, for cheaper if I study up on it and have someone assist me??

BlueEM2

iTrader: (1)

Not sure in the states but here in Canada they wanted 1500+ for the job. You can do it yourself but its pretty tricky and you need to know your way around the engine bay.

Sa2010

So the bad head gasket would cause the car to drink oil (easily understandable) but it would also cause the car to overheat as well? I'm not trying to demean you in any way I just don't know. I am trying to learn as much as I can. Thanks

BlueEM2

iTrader: (1)

Yea, car would overheat. What happens is exhaust gases displace coolant in the system and eventually it causes the car to overheat. You can always get your head gasket checked by doing a check for exhaust gases in the coolant system at a shop.

Sa2010

Thank you very much for your help it is greatly appreciated. Not exactly what I wanted to hear, but what I needed to hear. Thanks again you're a big help.

-Shawn

BlueEM2

iTrader: (1)

No problem, good luck with it!

MajinB

iTrader: (21)

yea my car did this all year last year. the temp gauge never moved around though.
I burned oil but couldn't find where it was going.
here's whats up. either your head gasket is dead, or your head is warped. either way, you need a new motor. why do I say that? because labor on fixing either will just you more than a motor with like 50k miles on it.
I ended up getting a 50k motor from japan thrown into my car. worth the 2600 bucks that it cost me. keep in mind, I did have transmission work as well. and some other stuff too, like new water pump/timing belt so I wouldn't have to do it in 40000 miles.
you can pick up a d17a2 for cheap! probably under 1k. and then get it installed. go find you a mechanic, ask him how much for the motor/labor. shop around. you should be able to get it all done for under 2000 easily. most mechanics(if they are good) will tell you to get the water pump/timing belt replaced so you don't have to do it later. unless the motor has less than 30k miles on it because you have to do those at 90k miles.

BlueEM2

iTrader: (1)

I'd change the head gasket in my driveway before replacing the motor. It's not too often you hear people pulling motors because of a failed HG but its up to the OP.

Sa2010

I don't know exactly what specific kit I need to replace the head gasket, but I've found some packages online that cost like $115 ish. Does that sound right?? That doesn't sound too bad, obviously it'll be much higher with labor.

I was thinking about selling it and cutting my losses, I shouldn't have bought a car with that many miles on it in the first place (import or not). The fella that I'm talking to is interested still even after I told him I thought it was a head gasket problem, so that may be a win for me.

I understand that these cars run forever if you take car of them but it just seems like since i've had it, I have had little issues and am thinking about an upgrade. Don't laugh....a 2012 Focus 5-door

BlueEM2

iTrader: (1)

I'd fix it.. replace the tensioner, water pump and seals and stuff while your at it and most of your maintenance is done... it's up to you though.

MajinB

iTrader: (21)

yea but you have no proof either way that it is or is not the head itself that is warped.
and I personally can't do that type of work myself because
A. would take too long and I have full time school/work
B. I have no idea how
C. I might do more damage than good
good luck either way. i would pick up the mazda version instead of the ford one

BlueEM2

iTrader: (1)

Well I mean for a shop to replace an engine is expensive too and often you don't know what your getting yourself into ( I Swapped in an H22 once and it was destroyed ). You can get the head checked for 150 dollars and then you know what you have. I guess it's just opinion I'd fix the engine unless the head check came back with some ugly results.

Sa2010

Been a while, but I have an update on my car. Yeah the overheating was happening but really I don't believe that it was actually overheating. Since my car doesn't have a oil pressure gauge, I would have to check it from time to time. I knew it was low and just went with it, my bad I know.

I put about a quart of oil in it before I was supposed to meet with someone who was interested in the car and it hasn't overheated since. Do you think that the temperature gauge was going nuts just as a fail-safe (becuase it doesn't have an oil pressure gauge) letting me know that there was an issue and that it was that the oil level was low??

I don't know, but I've driven it about 100 miles since it was acting up and I put the oil in it and it hasn't "overheated" once. Could this be my problem? I know it is burning oil, but I'm fairly certain that it was never actually overheating becuase it would happen so quickly after start-up.

Please let me know if this could be the case. Also, if this is the case, what could I do to stop it from burning so much oil. Is it possibly still a head gasket issue? Again, it never misses, the engine runs like a champ. I've been told, by people who probably don't know as much as you guys, that the motor would probably miss if it was a head gasket issue.

Thanks guys, appreciate it.

BlueEM2

iTrader: (1)

My vote is still head gasket. It could be the temp sensor though but I doubt it. Get your coolant system bled and see if it overheats for a while.