Rep Power: 0

I have been reading different threads on this but thought I would post my own specific issues.


About a month ago my Honda's temp needle starting to rise. (I had ran an errand, stopped and then was heading home). I noticed it was going up and down depending. I managed to get to an autoparts store. They filled up the coolant which appeared low /empty in the overflow. There was also some either OIL or coolant that had apparently spewed over a lower part of the engine.


I had then taken it in for an Oil Change at the dealer, and they said that it was just a loose hose or something and so I thought that was the solution and didn't have any further issues , until yesterday.


IN between I have had the AC compressor replaced in my car (AC was OUT) and last Friday My manual gearshift became stiff and wouldn't shift. My clutch pedal was fine, however. (I don't know if this is related) > I put in brake fluid and they pumped the clutch and it generally has been working better. (there may have been a clog in the line but also may be leaking.... )


then YESTERDAY I had a repeat of the original situation. I ran an errand, came back to my one location, turned off the engine for probably just a few minutes and then came back out to head home and again.. the needle on the temp gauge started to rise and go up and down. It would go more to normal as I drove. Went to the auto parts store.. the coolant was again low, we filled it up and I drove home. It still was fluctuating a bit however but normalized out (it was about a 20 minute country road drive). A weird thing about the way it would heat up. It would go normal as it was driving.. would not overheat at idle (stops) BUT it would start to heat up again upon acceleration.


I get it home. This morning, I checked the fluid levels. Coolant was still high in the overflow tank. I drove it 34 miles into work.. NO PROBLEMS> It was a cool morning, however. HOWEVER. I did, at the end, stop and get a teeny bit of gas (less then a gallon) and when I turned my engine back on.. the problem came back. Needle started to rise again... ugh.


At lunch.. I decided to drive it around. . I again checked the levels.. However, the coolant in the overflow was again LOW.. It was topped off in the radiator however. I drove it around. NO ISSUE.. ... however, I pulled it in to a service station and we topped off the coolant again though.


They claimed that I was going to have to replace the head gasket...


I have no white exhaust (that I can notice) . I checked the oil.. Didn't notice any problems. (however, should that be checked on a warm/hot engine or would it show up on a cold engine?.


I don't know if it could be a fan? (related to recent AC compressor fix?)


COULD it be related to the gear shift leak issue? (long shot but thought I would inquire).


I am going to try and clean up that lower engine area. I don't know if there was a large blowout of coolant or oil . It didn't look like it was a slow leak...


Don't know what I should check next to rule out this and that before I go leaping to a head gasket..... which at this point.. due to cost. I might as well get a new used car...


sigh..


thanks


I have over 166,000+ miles on it btw..

 
Rep Power: 517

You'll never see a head gasket problem that way unless it's extremely bad.
These engines don't do what most people expect other engines to do when a head gasket is blown.


You'll have to see if the fan behind the radiator runs when it should. It operates completely independent of the AC condensor fan.
So once the radiator drops so low it runs hot.
Does it push coolant out of the reservoir?


See the first post in this thread for ideas on how to figure out and prove the head gasket is leaking: https://www.civicforums.com/forums/3...reference.html

 
Rep Power: 0

Yes, it did that this morning after I put gas in it.

I drove it home this evening.. NO PROBLEMS. Reservoir tank still full.

??

Keeping fingers crossed. I am just going to have to monitor it daily..

It is cooler here now .


I need to clean up my engine block there is either coolant or oil over part of it so I want to see where that leak may be coming from.

Hopefully I can get that done this weekend.

It is appearing to be interrmittent so I don't know....