Jabooty

I have a 97 Honda civic with a vtec head swap. Great compression but pissing out coolant when I get it above 4 grand while driving. Sitting its fine. Hoses are good new thermostat and cap on radiator. Old cap was leaking. Any ideas?

jimmycivic

were is it leaking from

Jabooty

Looks like it is coming from my lower hose. Hard to tell where because it only leaks when I'm beating on it. Radiator hold pressure for a couple days. Can hear it when I take the cap off.

Jabooty

I thought it was my head gasket until my compression test. Still leaning towards head gasket. Tiny bit of oil in my coolant just stumped why it holds pressure so long and only pushes coolant out when I have it at 4 grand or above under power. Can rev it all I want in the driveway and nothing

Gunner

does it start to overheat at all?

Jabooty

Temp gauge is broken but my fan almost never turns on. Just started this winter so haven't driven it in any heat yet. Fill up my coolant every time I get somewhere. Idk I say head gasket because it seams to be compression in my cooling system but good compression in all four cylinders. Keep getting told I'm wrong by Honda guys but no advice to what it might be.

jimmycivic

well there shouldn't be any oil in the coolant yes that would be the head gasket but first start with a new thermostat and lower hose with new clamps should be about 10 bucks worth of parts then let the car idle for about an half hour if the fans do not come on then replace them and look into replacing your coolant temp sensor your fans not coming on will over heat your motor and can defently cause a blown head gasket

jimmycivic

and when you changed the head over did you reuse the head bolts because this a fatal mistake never reuse head bolts and always torque to specs in correct pattern

Gunner

Update?

Jabooty

Haven't been able to work on it yet. I didn't do the head swap and the guy I bought it from I can't get ahold of. Hopefully this weekend I can dive back into it. I do need to do a valve lash adjustment. Cam is fin tho no pitting or anything. Almost looks new.