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I’ve read the other threads and sticky, and am 90% sure my problem is a head gasket.

98 Honda Civic DX with 175,000 miles (original owner)

Symptom – coolant ‘disappears’ over time. Down about a liter in 500 miles. Temperature ‘creeps up’ when hot and idling. Temperature returns to normal when driving. No sign of leak. Slight sweet smell when hot. Haven’t noticed any performance issues. Oil looks normal, not creamy.
I’ve replaced the radiator and fan (it was cracked), hoses too and from radiator, thermostat.

I can do basic mechanic work, but I’ve never undertaken any repair like this. The shop I’ve gone to in the past gave me a ‘ballpark’ quote of $1500, including the timing belt and water pump, and machining the head. Does this sound like a fair price? I know it’s a lot of labor, but that’s about twice what I expect to pay.

 
Rep Power: 0

Sounds like a HeadGasket to me to. Easy way to check it. Remove Spark plug and check if its clean or white that mean you burn Prestone.

If you have a lamp you can check the top of the Piston if its shiny and look brand new. it probably mean it was cleaned with prestone.

And 1500$ seems good if you are machining the Head including the belt and pump jobs..