xynder0

Just today, my baby Civic EX 2007, 120,000 miles, started leaking coolant. The car is not overheating. The coolant is basically pouring it out... it empties the reserve tank, I fill it back up (with Honda coolant) and it pours out at a pretty good rate from the bottom of the car.

The car is not overheating, making me think there is not a problem with the radiator. I checked the oil and it doesn't appear any coolant is in the oil.

Thoughts?

mikey1

where exactly is it "pouring it out"????

you need to identify where this coolant is coming from

is the coolant reserve tank overflowing?

xynder0

no it is not, it is emptying and i refill it.

ezone

Get under it and see where the leak comes from.

Back of block, coming from a place hidden behind the starter?
Front of block, crack in the middle between 1 and 2 or between 3 and 4?
Warranty block replacement (10 years unlimited mileage IF your VIN report says so), go directly to a dealership.

ezone

Here's where the cracks can be found, if it's done so:

xynder0

I thought this recall was 8 years? Where can I find if my VIN is covered? I went to the Honda website and it said there were no recalls for my VIN#...

ezone

It's not a recall, it is a warranty extension. It was upped from 8 years to 10 years not long ago.

Your dealer has to verify eligibility by VIN report, and must verify/diagnose the cause of the issue.

xynder0

engine block was cracked. replaced under the warranty program does this require them to replace the entire engine or just the block? how much of the original engine will be there? it only took them 2 days.

ezone

Good for you!

At our shop it's "Whatever it takes to make the engine operable and reliable again."

Read your receipts, whatever was replaced should be listed there. It will be an engine block (block, crank, rods, pistons, water pump) and a whole pile of gaskets and nuts and bolts and assorted hardware.

If the engine was overheated badly enough to warp the cylinder head, it should have been replaced as part of the job. If the cylinder head still measured as "flat" within the specs, it is to be reused.

I've even replaced a radiator in the past with one of these jobs, as it was damaged during the overheat, which was a consequence of the coolant loss. Collateral damage, if you will. "Whatever it takes."





Someone posted here that their local dealer was trying to blame them and deny warranty coverage because the engine had been severely overheated and make them (the customer, the poster) pay for a whole bunch of stuff that the warranty should cover. Not Kosher at all IMHO, very shady dealer.

It's about a day and a half job. Maybe a little longer.

Engine stuff has to be ordered for each job, I don't think any dealer is keeping engines block on-hand. Most of the time we can get parts shipments overnight......




If everything goes smoothly with no stumbles or roadblocks (LOL)
AND if I get one of these engine jobs started before lunchtime:

I can take the whole thing apart one afternoon, have it inspected and measured and a parts shopping list ready in time to get the parts order made, then get the shipment at 8 AM the next morning, then go to work and have the car back together the next afternoon.






If you are interested in seeing what goes on, I took a few pics while doing a block replacement on one of the cars (I do it my own way). Pix in thread here (CLICKY): https://www.civicforums.com/forums/44-suspension-performance/355639-subframe-alignment.html

Sol1212

Does anyone own Honda Civic 2006-2009. Are you having over heating issues, leaking coolant or, engine problems??? Has your stranded you or, caused accident as result of stopping while driving. Speak up then file complaint on biggest billion dollar 10 year extended warranty for American Honda. This should be safety recall. Your complaints can get to recall for no expiration. Clearly Honda doesn't want to take accountability for selling cars with cracked engine blocks ! If you're car is totaled but with no damage to engine area they are leaving you out to repair their mistakes. Speak up because the National Highway Safety Administration needs to know what danger this defect is to owners! Lawsuits can result if seriously injured. Please speak up for me, for you and for all the people affected. Here's the website:
https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/vehiclecomplaint/

RIPSAW

Know my 2007 Honda Civic EX Coupe R18A1 1.8L Engine has never leaked but I have only had it for few years starting at 85,000. Has 124,000 on it now. Does use a slight amount of coolant over time but not anymore then my 2005 CRV which I have had since new.
I did replace the coolant in both within the last year with Honda premix antifreeze.
Just noticed my wife's new Subaru calls for a similar antifreeze change at 11 years /137,500 miles. They mention adding their Subaru cooling system conditioner whenever coolant is replaced. I can only assume this is some type of water soluble oil for the water pump seal or maybe a sealer for minor leaks.

Does Honda have something that should be put in with their antifreeze?

ezone

Ignore the poster above you crying that their broken car isn't covered by warranty.
The person obviously bought a car with a 'branded' title (junk, salvage, rebuilt, whatever it may be), and they knew that when they bought it.
Maybe they didn't understand how that little title problem can complicate things later on, but they now own the car and therefore they own all the problems that came with the car.
Hope they bought it cheap, title issues like that usually cut the cars value in half. That savings should cover the cost of the engine replacement LOL

I remember thinking mods ought to remove that persons posts.



============================================

Anyway...I have noticed that just about the entire car line needs to have the coolant reservoirs topped up every so often. I just do it during an oil change, it's so normal to me now that don't think anything about it unless there's that smell or I notice leakage evidence.

It's stop leak and I thinki it's intended to help with the head gasket coolant leak problems their flat 2.5 engine is known for. I doubt it would hurt anything if you put it in with your subie coolant change even if you have a different engine in your car.

http://www.scoobyenthusiast.com/subaru-maintenance/all-about-subaru-cooling-system-conditioner-soa635071/

I remember hearing that most manufacturers do install some sort of sealant in the cooling systems during the build process.
I've not heard that about Honda though.

I used to deal with many other manufacturers products so I have kept some of GMs stop leak pellets in my toolbox for years though. The GFs old Saturn and my dads GMC truck were the last things I remember using them in.

No. None that I am aware of.

===============================

Subaru vs. Radweld





GM/AC Delco stop leak vs. Bars Leaks brand:

RIPSAW

My first Brand new car was a 69 Firebird. Kept it for years and restored twice. Use to pull maintenance on it ever 3 months. Don't exactly remember when but had little miles, water pump went and I change the anti freeze and flushed it. It leaked like a sieve after that. The parts parts man gave me a sealer that fixed it. What a piece of junk as compared to a Honda.

RIP's Subie has the 2.0 boxer. (Lot of the casting's look like crap on it..especialy that big timing chain cover on the front..seen better looking aluminium casting on toy electric car gear boxes you see 5 year old's on) Going to take a look at my Civic sometime in December in the places you mention above.

Would imangine my 07 is out of any warranty if it occured. If it did happen in a area you could get a patch on, it there enough thickness to drill and tap a few holes there and pull up a sheet metal patch with RTV gray under it?

Thanks Ezone,
SAW

ezone

The warranty ext states 10 years from the original in-service date. You're close...you need to know the in-service date, the date the car was sold brand new.



If it was already thin enough to crack there....what do you think?
The areas that do it are very irregular, not flat. Crack can be long and run across very uneven surfaces. I doubt it's a viable repair.
Google 'civic block crack', pick google images and you can see more pics of them.

I've literally replaced more of those engine blocks for leaks than water pumps for leaks on the same engine. Probably 20x as many...that says something about the water pumps and coolant LOL.
A new block comes with a new water pump too.

Tyler Honeycutt

I have a crack in the block where the coolant leaks out...i emptied the radiator 3 days ago but there is a small dribble where the block crack is...how do i empty the block of coolant without starting the vehicle...???

FRSam

IIRC, there’s a lower rad hose that inserts near the bottom end of the block. That will get rid of basically everything once you remove it. Other option is to remove the water pump.

mikey1

there is a coolant drain plug on the block, it is at the rear near the oil filter,

or remove your water pump

mililani

Damn, I did not know this gen Civic had a damn engine block crack problem. We have a 2009 Honda Civic. I guess it's out of warranty for this engine repair, right? I think this is likely the last Civic I buy. Maybe even the last Honda. The 7th gen Civic had issues with AT transmissions failing. Luckily, mine has lasted near 20 years and 220k miles with only transmission flaring. But, last Honda I ever buy.

ezone

If you can find and read the bulletin, it does not apply to all 2009 Civics. The bulletin states "early production 2009".