Rep Power: 0

Ok so i just got my 1996 honda civic ex 2 door coupe maybe 2 months ago from a previous owner.now at the time being there were no visible leaks or anything wrong with the car.and i do work on my own cars as i am mechanically inclined but im stumped here.maybe a month after my purchase i realized she was leaking.found it to be engine coolant.now for awhile being it wasnt a big enough leak to worry to much because the recirculation of the coolant was enough to keep it from leaking while driving and it was only a small leak when it was parked.about 2 days ago,im assuming something went different because she was losing more engine coolant than before and the temp gauge is redlining after 5 mins of driving.so i opened the hood today and put the fan and heat on full blast waited till the engine got hot and found neither of the two fans were spinning.oh and by the way.my car doesnt heat up at all inside since this got worse.Anybody help please?

 
Rep Power: 235

Does the A/C compressor spin too? If it does you have an open between the fan relays and the ECM/PCM, or an open between the fan relays and the fuse box. If it doesn't it's the A/C pressure switch, or the evaporator temp sensor, or the thermal protector on the A/C compressor, or an open between the control panel and A/C pressure switch, or an open between the A/C pressure switch and A/C compressor clutch, or an open between the fuse box and any of those items mentioned above.

 
Rep Power: 0

first of all, if your fan(1 radiator, 1 a/c condensor. condenser fan wont spin if the a/c is off) isnt spinning, your coolind system wont work at a stop at idle. if you are moving, air is passed through the radiator and it really doesnt matter if your fan is working or not. if you are stopped at idle and you let it run still, the heat of your engine is going to cause expansion of your coolant and its going to find the easiest way out whether it be water pump, hose, cap, etc. my best advice would be to fix your fan, then drive it to autozone and run a coolant system pressure test. it will pack air into the cooling system and if it cant maintain the pressure, it will allow you to see the leak if it is external. also pressure test your radiator cap. i have seen several peoples cars overheat and lose coolant because the radiator cap is defective. if you still cant find the leak and the system wont hold pressure, its an internal coolant leak, ie head gasket or cracked/warped head, both could leak coolant into the combustion chamber, making the car run like poop soup and would most likely be showing in your oil as a milkshake consistancy or exiting the exhaust as steam. if you still have a prob, pm me

 
Rep Power: 204

Just pinning the temp gauge to the top once is enough to do that.

 
Rep Power: 313

Start with the basics: Where is the coolant leak coming from? It should be easy enough to find. Your heat is not coming on because you have air in your coolant system. So the coolant is naturally getting displaced with air while it leaks... That being said, you need to properly flush the coolant system to prevent overheating, something you probably haven't done hence why the problem seems like its getting worse. As far as the fan not coming on when your idling it's not really supposed to unless the car is running hot, or it's very hot outside. I understand how the fan functions and moves air into the engine compartment but at idle the rpms are so low that excess heat isn't there unless your in a hot climate... I'm rambling on here... A good way to test your fans is to turn on your air conditioning and see if they both come on, they should. If they do come on but they don't come on naturally you have a relay problem. This fan problem probably has nothing to do with your coolant leak, which might be coming from a drain bolt near your oil filter. The leak is your major problem, get it fixed.

 
Rep Power: 0

hey i know im a new member and all and this is my first civic (95 dx coupe) check the 20A fan fuse, and im still having the leaking problem, after like 4 days to a week my rad is just dry... think i got a hole in it.. i dont see any leaks in the hoses.. any help would be awesome

 
Rep Power: 189

Rad stop leak my boy or if your in a jam mustard works as well. On a side note letting the rad go dry is a really bad idea, any white in smoke from the exhaust?

 
Rep Power: 0

yea im super broke, i was going to try some "stop leak" but im to poor for that as well.. will try the mustard, and i know letting the rad go dry is bad... i check it often and keep her topped up with a 20/80 glycol to water mix

edit: not that im aware of.. muffler is kinda haggard and rusted off.. so i will have to check next time i go somewhere

 
Rep Power: 313

Put stop leak in if you hate your car... Great way to plug water jackets but if your broke your broke

 
Rep Power: 0

I have a 96 Civic saloon vtech which is having the same problem. I have to top up a cup of water weekly. I sent to a few mecahnics and all are quite reluctant to open up and change the head gasket as they claim that 9 out of 10 metal head gasket replacement always leaks again. I have been living with this problem for half a year now and is considering disposing this car and look for another one.

Checked- new radiator cap, no white smoke and oil not milky. Contrary to what was written, my two fans work independently. Once the A/C is ON, the A/C fan starts but the rediator fan does not, it cuts in and off by itself.

Vincent
vincent.hkchua@gmail.com

 
Rep Power: 0

buy a gasket online when it gets there save some money and just do it your self... there are tons of instructions online i bet there is some on this website or another civic related website just remember when googling use key words and the less words the better

 
Rep Power: 189

If they are scared to take it apart then they are not very good mechanics that you are talking to, the civic head gaskets do not leak again if they make sure that both the block and head are not warped and are clean of all debris when they install the head gasket using new head bolts. I would be highly inclined to say that they just do not have the experience nescessary to ensure a good job on your car so do not let them do it. I would recommend doing it yourself with the guides online as they are very well done. For what you would spend in tools and time its worth the effort. I would also recommend arp head studs or bolts if you are worried about the leaks, yes they cost more but they work very well.