evilrod

Ok to start, I own an 03 civic base model. I have ac and electronic locks but manual windows. It currently has around 195000km on the dash.
I bought the car about a year ago and havent had any problems except my sway arms which I replaced.
Yesterday, I drove to work no problems but on my way home any time I was under 4000 rpm the heat guage would start to climb rapidly and so ive been forced to run my car in the higher rpms then I would normally. Ive read manyyyy threads and most with my issue have been a toast head gasket. What other symptoms should I be looking for? Is it possible its my water pump? How difficult is it to change the whole engine versus the head gasket, pump, timing belt and tensioner? If I go the route of the gasket, is there other things I should change out too? Anything else you gurus of these cars could lend me in my pursuit of knowledge is greatly appreciated.

I plan to start work on it on friday morning around 5 am, advice and things I should try before enter the dragons den of tearing it apart is also appreciated.

mikey1

chances are its your head gasket,

is your overflow bottle filling up with coolant?

that is the number one sign of head gasket failure,

evilrod

Yes, the over flow bottle has twice theamount of fluid its supposed to have in it. How do I tell what motor I have ? Single oh or dounble and all that? Its a replaced hood, so no stickers.

Andddd I cant upload pictures..ugh. any help guys?

mikey1

that is for sure a faulty head gasket,

i would repair the motor you have, not replace it, the "new' motor you buy could easily develop these same symptoms very quickly

evilrod

How can I find out the information on my motor?

ezone

Engine code is stamped into the front of the flat pad here:




Yours will probably say D17A1
SOHC, non-VTEC