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Ok my Honda brethren. I need a little help and concurrence. So I bought a 1998 Honda civic lx with a overheating problem to flip and sell. When I first inspected it before I bought it, I found it was spitting coolant out of the reservoir and smoke and I noticed the fan wouldn't come on so I bought it thinking it would be a simple fix I could fix the fan and then sell it and be good. Wrong. So I tested the fan by hooking it up to the battery and it worked. The fuse and the relay were also good. So I thought it was the fan switch. So I replaced the switch and thermostat and bled the coolant system. I left the radiator cap off and it wasn't spitting water out as it would if it were a head gasket, but there was no flow and I noticed a very light white smoke coming out of the radiator. There was also a very small amount of coolant coming out of the tailpipe. But nothing like what ive seen with a blown head gasket. So I thought it was a faulty thermostat or maybe the water pump. So I pulled out the thermostat tested it and it worked fine. The car was still overheating and the fan still not cutting on. So I left the thermostat out put everything back and filled up the coolant. It then did not overheat and the fan came on after a while. It bubbled a lot when I was bleeding the air out of the system and I still noticed a small amount of white smoke coming from the reservoir. I took the valve cover off and no milky oil or any indicating a head gasket leak. It looked really clean as the people I bought it from said it was a rebuilt engine so that checks, however when I went to go pull the spark plugs to check the cylinders for coolant I could only get the #2 spark plug out and #1,3,4 were all stuck and I couldn't get them out. I checked under the timing belt and took the top cover off to check for a leak from the water pump but nothing. So I'm wondering if its the water pump or the head gasket. Or maybe even both??I'm hopin somebody can really help me out with this one. I appreciate anybodys help so thanks a lot in advance. Also it does have a new radiator.

 
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What does all this say to you?


How many different types of head gasket failures have you experienced?


Suuuurs it does.


Head gasket is blown or breached, and the head is likely warped from serious overheating.
Probably has more problems on top of that that you haven't had enough time to discover, like heavy oil consumption.




Word:

https://www.civicforums.com/forums/3...reference.html



HTH

 
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Milky oil is just one sign of many that may indicate a head gasket leak. I haven't seen many Civic threads (on various Honda forums) that state milky oil in head gasket repair threads. More commonly there will be coolant loss in the radiator and coolant gain the reservoir on a daily basis when HG is breached. Also, continuous medium to large sized bubbles in coolant is a sign. The best way to test for an HG leak is to rent (free) a Block Tester from Autozone or Reilly's and purchase the testing fluid ($10)

Easiest way to test a water pump is to cold start the engine with the radiator cap loose and once it reaches a warm (thermostat opens) or operating temperature remove the radiator cap and watch coolant in radiator. If, water pump is functioning correctly the coolant will be moving through radiator (top, under neck) rapidly in one direction. Failing water pumps can partially function (weak) which can cause overheating. Usually, if there is total water pump failure coolant will leak through it's gasket.

Personally, I'd avoid any rebuilt engine unless the seller produced a receipt of service from a reputable mechanic. Even a professionally rebuilt engine I'd most likely avoid.. rebuilt throws up red flags.
Have to be careful removing spark plugs from an aluminum head. They may have been over-torqued or rusted or stripped threads?

Quoted from this thread: http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums...Number=2904773

"I prefer to do it with the head slightly warm to the touch. A spritz of penetrating oil at the base of the threads the day before is a good option as well. Also ever so slightly tighten the plug first before turning it out - helps break any corrosion and the plug to turn freely. Use the smallest ratchet reasonable in order to lessen the chance of any side loading.

I've read NGK's treatise on anti-seize, I still say bollocks to that and put a tiny dab of nickel-based anti-seize on all spark & glow plug threads before hand-threading it first and finishing with a 1/4" ratchet by hand. A couple other issues with their tech bulletin - typical 'trivalent Zinc chromate' coating is not a long-lasting corrosion treatment and the amount of anti-seize they show in the second page is a ridiculous amount. I put a tiny dab on a gloved finger and roll it around the threads, only putting the thinnest film possible onto the plug. Never had one get dorked up with this method and always had them come out easily."

I agree with this method and the use of small amount of anti-seize on the threads for future installs.

 
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my apologies, its not coolant coming out of the tailpipe but a very light smoke

 
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There is no heavy oil consumption. The oil is fine and still at proper level. There is also no loss of coolant and the bubbles stop after a little while once it is filled. And when the thermostat was in, there was no flow but when I took it out, there was a slow flow, but not rapid as u had said turd ferguson. Thanks for ur help

 
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Sounds like normal emissions. A small amount of condensation dripping from tailpipe while idling is also normal. If, I am wrong Ezone will promptly and rightfully correct me..lol

 
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If you brought the engine up to operating temp with the thermostat out or a good thermostat while open...water should be flowing at a good clip through the radiator with a properly functioning water pump.
Please post a video of coolant flow at operating temp.
I forgot to mention to rev your engine while watching coolant:




Also, is the radiator cap OE or OEM and in good shape/holding pressure?

 
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Ok. Im gonna go record the video and then post it for you. and yes the radiator cap is good. Its new and holds pressure with the reservoir overflowing when its overheating

 
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How do i post the videos

 
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Put it on youtube then Just post the web address in the reply



Turd: You're right, and it can come out the exhaust at any time, idle or high RPM......Steam is normal from the exhaust, water is a byproduct of Hydrocarbon combustion. Steam from water usually dissipates quickly in the air, time varies with temperatures and humidity.

If the steam smells sickeningly sweet, that would indicate antifreeze in the exhaust. It can hang in the air a long time without dissipating.

 
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Ok cool. The exhaust does not smell sweet tho

 
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This is when I rev the car and the thermostat is not in. It does not spit up like this with the thermostat in.

 
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This is the car at temp and idling.

 
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This is right after I started the car. It does not bubble like this with the thermostat in. But here there is a lot of bubbling that looks just like the video u posted turd ferguson. But the bubbling stops. So blown head gasket????

 
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As Ezone stated: "What does all this say to you?"

Definitely, should not be bubbling and frothing like that. That is caused by hydrocarbons in the exhaust emissions getting into the coolant via a blown head gasket. Read all of this: http://www.agcoauto.com/content/news/p2_articleid/200 and as I stated previously do a Block Test (video below). Once, you do the block test and prove that it's indeed a head gasket failure the next step is to do a compression test (video attached) and report results here. Follow both the block test and compression test exactly as shown in videos. Please do not cheap out and buy Blue Devil or other type of supposed leak fix in a bottle.. it will just complicate things and possibly ruin your radiator.

 
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Turd Ferguson, I did a block test today. Went and picked it up at autozone and I did two tests just to be sure. both tests, the fluid came out light blue almost clear. Wasn't yellow at all! So what does this mean, do u know?

 
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Did you follow this instructions in the test kit to the letter OR as shown in the video? Was the test fluid dark blue or light blue to begin with? Different manufacturer's have some color differences (light to dark blue) as well.
How long did you perform the block test for? I would say a good 10 to 15 minutes is needed to be completely sure. The guy in the video I linked stated the longer the test is done (on an engine with a blown head gasket) the more the color will change: from blue to yellow to green.

If your test fluid was a deep or dark blue to begin with and became clear through testing there still may be concern depending on how long you tested it for. If, the head gasket is not breached the initial blue test color should not change color at all.

So, if you did do the test properly and gave it 10 to 15 minutes and block test passes and confirms no head gasket issue ..then the next suspect IMO would be the water-pump. If you are going to do the work to replace the water-pump you might want to install a timing belt kit as well unless, you have records of the last timing belt install. A new timing belt would also look good to a potential buyer of the car.

 
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Video on post #14, WTF is the foam in the radiator neck? Soap suds?

I doubt water pump, there's serious action when OP blips the throttle.



Just because it passes that test doesn't mean all is hunky-dory. Plenty of 7th gen engines will pass even with combustion leaking from a blown head gasket, a 6th gen is not much different.


Try the test that will positively prove a breach. As briefly outlined in the overheating sticky, apply 150+PSI shop air line pressure to each sealed cylinder while watching for water level change in the radiator.

 
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Goddamnit!.. I knew you'd find holes in my replies...lol. You and your many years of real world experience against my internet auto repair education. Watching the vids again I agree the coolant flow looks good and not a water-pump issue.
Ezone: can air get into coolant system through a failed intake manifold gasket?

 
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I'm trying to START with the test that finds the problem LOL

I've learned quite a bit here too. There's a lot of stuff discussed in forums that I'd never get to see in the shop.
For that matter, over the last ~20 years, probably 90% of my automotive education has been internet based.

 
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Leak down test vid:

 
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Video is loading up slooow for me, for some reason. I've only viewed about 5 minutes and got tired.

What I see so far looks about right, with the exception of the actual leakdown tester he's using.
Balloon on the hose is a great idea. I sometimes use a rubber glove instead of a balloon, because it's handy.

A leakdown tester uses air pressure regulated down far below line pressure.
That will work ok if there is a huge breach between combustion chamber and cooling system.


IMO even if it is dialed up to 100 PSI it may not be very effective in proving a tiny breach.
Most of the time I'm dealing with very small breaches, so I want to be able to apply as much pressure as I can get, when necessary, for my test.

I connect our shop air line directly to each cylinder (using a compression tester whip with the Schrader valve removed).
No regulator. Full pressure, our compressor in the shop goes as high as 170 PSI.
This is nowhere close to real maximum combustion pressures under a load, but it's a lot closer than 30, 50, or even 100 PSI.

 
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Good info. I don't have an air compressor but, I am eyeing this one: http://www.harborfreight.com/6-gal-1...sor-68149.html probably a piece of crap and I await your opinion.

 
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I don't think that would be big enough to run an Ingersoll-Rand 2135 series impact gun long enough to take off 2 wheels without waiting for the compressor to catch up.
I use a lot of air, almost all of my power tools at work are air powered. If I can get a gun onto something and pull the trigger, I'm gonna use air LOL

And it says "Professional" on it. That's akin to a car salesman going by the name "Honest".


I guess it all depends on YOUR wants and needs though.


I'd also skip oilless if it were me. I'd want to be able to service a compressor.

 
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For my occasional repairs I really don't need an air compressor but, I'm sure I can find a lot of automotive and other uses if I ever get one.

It's all about the marketing. I just bought a $20 harbor freight timing light today.. it literally lasted 10 minutes and it no longer works..returning it tomorrow. HF is good for a few things, has a lot of variety, but in general most of their products are not made for long term use.

 
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Toilet plunger, air powered drain clearing. Don't laugh. LOL

I got some stuff from them too.
Some of it is good, some is good enough, some is really crap.

Some you can find better and cheaper elsewhere.

 
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I meant to write: Not made for long term use.

This is going off topic a bit but the OP might get use out of this too if he ends up replacing the head gasket. Timing marks on the crank pulley.. I know the white mark is to line up mechanical timing and the red mark is to line up ignition timing but, what are the other two for?

 
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I meant to write: Not made for long term use.

This is going off topic a bit but the OP might get use out of this too if he ends up replacing the head gasket. Timing marks on the crank pulley.. I know the white mark is to line up mechanical timing and the red mark is to line up ignition timing but, what are the other two for?

Getting back to the OP's situation: If, there isn't any soap or other product in his coolant system.. what else besides a head gasket breach would cause all that bubbling?

 
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Probably just due to turbulence in the liquid from the apparent combustion leak.



One mark is zero degrees or TDC,


If you have a timing spec of....example 10 degrees plus or minus 2 degrees, and you have 3 marks all grouped close together on the edge of the pulley, those are the 10* and +/-2* marks.....representing 8*, 10*, and 12*.

Was that it? Do I win a prize?

 
Rep Power: 210

Your prize:
I wonder ... where did the OP go?