Overheating Troubles
12-12-2013
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Overheating Troubles
Hey y'all, I've been having trouble with my car for a while. If I could get some professional/hobbyist/any kind of opinion, I'd appreciate it!
My civic is a 2005, EX - I'm pretty sure. 130,XXX miles on it. My problem is that the engine will overheat whenever the heat setting (and the fan is OFF, not on) is not on the coldest setting and the vehicle is in motion. So, let's say the heat dial goes from 1 to 10 with 1 being the coldest setting and 10 being the hottest. As long as the dial is on 1, the engine won't overheat. But once the dial is set to 2 or higher, the temperature needle goes skyrocketing. And the vent fans' dial (not sure if I'm using the right terminology here) is still set to OFF. Also, while sitting in a parking lot, I've tried seeing if the heater works at all; turn up the temperature dial to 10, and the vent fans to MAX, and the vents gave out cold air for over 30 minutes, however, the engine did not overheat while just sitting there. The car works perfectly fine as long as the temperature setting is on 1, but with winter at the doorstep, I'm not so keen on being heaterless. Coolant/antifreeze level is fine, no leaks that I can find anywhere.
Here's some extra background information if y'all want it:
I took the car in for a basic routine tune up before leaving for another state in the summer. While I was driving through Atlanta, I decided to turn on the heat because it was getting a little chilly at night. Roughly 15 minutes after turning up the heat, the engine light came on, the engine overheated, and the car started shaking, so I pulled over. Either steam or smoke was spewing out from under the hood (couldn't exactly tell in the dark and the rain - great time to have engine troubles, huh? But I'm pretty sure it was just steam), but I don't remember where exactly it was coming from. Probably the radiator or coolant reservoir tank. Had the car towed to a mechanic, and they couldn't find any problems with anything. At all. Continued on to my destination without touching the heat because I didn't trust it, and I didn't have any more problems. Just kept the temperature dial on the coldest setting.
A few weeks ago, randomly, the engine began spewing steam. I had been driving with the temperature dial on 1, and I didn't have the fans on, so I wasn't sure what was happening. I checked under the hood, and found that the coolant/antifreeze reservoir cap was missing and the steam was coming from the reservoir tank. No idea how the cap went missing at the time, but I bought more coolant and a new cap and started looking into my engine issues.
I found a set of vice clamp pliers clamped onto one of the radiator hoses! The pliers were tucked back behind the radiator, and were blocking flow of what I assume was the coolant/antifreeze. I removed the pliers and tested out the heater again, thinking that I had 'unclogged' the hoses. Still have the same problems with the heater - the engine overheats while the car is moving and the temperature dial is at 2 or a higher setting, and the vents can only blast cold air.
Here's my (inexperienced) theory of what happened:
Back in the summer routine check, the mechanics left the vice clamp pliers on the radiator hose (they are notorious for leaving tools lying around) while doing their work, and had the pliers tucked away to keep the hose out of their way. On my drive to Atlanta, the clamp was blocking off coolant/antifreeze flow, and causing the heater core to overwork itself and overheat the engine. The mechanics in Atlanta didn't find the pliers because they were tucked behind the radiator, so that's why they didn't notice anything. I guess enough pressure built up in the reservoir tank to pop off the cap one day. And now that I've taken off the clamp pliers, there is still damage to either the heater core or head gaskets. Or maybe the heater core's hoses are clogged with something else?
Does anyone have an idea what would be causing these symptoms? Or some solutions? I'm just trying to get a good idea on what I could do before I start undertaking anything.
Again, I appreciate y'all's help.
My civic is a 2005, EX - I'm pretty sure. 130,XXX miles on it. My problem is that the engine will overheat whenever the heat setting (and the fan is OFF, not on) is not on the coldest setting and the vehicle is in motion. So, let's say the heat dial goes from 1 to 10 with 1 being the coldest setting and 10 being the hottest. As long as the dial is on 1, the engine won't overheat. But once the dial is set to 2 or higher, the temperature needle goes skyrocketing. And the vent fans' dial (not sure if I'm using the right terminology here) is still set to OFF. Also, while sitting in a parking lot, I've tried seeing if the heater works at all; turn up the temperature dial to 10, and the vent fans to MAX, and the vents gave out cold air for over 30 minutes, however, the engine did not overheat while just sitting there. The car works perfectly fine as long as the temperature setting is on 1, but with winter at the doorstep, I'm not so keen on being heaterless. Coolant/antifreeze level is fine, no leaks that I can find anywhere.
Here's some extra background information if y'all want it:
I took the car in for a basic routine tune up before leaving for another state in the summer. While I was driving through Atlanta, I decided to turn on the heat because it was getting a little chilly at night. Roughly 15 minutes after turning up the heat, the engine light came on, the engine overheated, and the car started shaking, so I pulled over. Either steam or smoke was spewing out from under the hood (couldn't exactly tell in the dark and the rain - great time to have engine troubles, huh? But I'm pretty sure it was just steam), but I don't remember where exactly it was coming from. Probably the radiator or coolant reservoir tank. Had the car towed to a mechanic, and they couldn't find any problems with anything. At all. Continued on to my destination without touching the heat because I didn't trust it, and I didn't have any more problems. Just kept the temperature dial on the coldest setting.
A few weeks ago, randomly, the engine began spewing steam. I had been driving with the temperature dial on 1, and I didn't have the fans on, so I wasn't sure what was happening. I checked under the hood, and found that the coolant/antifreeze reservoir cap was missing and the steam was coming from the reservoir tank. No idea how the cap went missing at the time, but I bought more coolant and a new cap and started looking into my engine issues.
I found a set of vice clamp pliers clamped onto one of the radiator hoses! The pliers were tucked back behind the radiator, and were blocking flow of what I assume was the coolant/antifreeze. I removed the pliers and tested out the heater again, thinking that I had 'unclogged' the hoses. Still have the same problems with the heater - the engine overheats while the car is moving and the temperature dial is at 2 or a higher setting, and the vents can only blast cold air.
Here's my (inexperienced) theory of what happened:
Back in the summer routine check, the mechanics left the vice clamp pliers on the radiator hose (they are notorious for leaving tools lying around) while doing their work, and had the pliers tucked away to keep the hose out of their way. On my drive to Atlanta, the clamp was blocking off coolant/antifreeze flow, and causing the heater core to overwork itself and overheat the engine. The mechanics in Atlanta didn't find the pliers because they were tucked behind the radiator, so that's why they didn't notice anything. I guess enough pressure built up in the reservoir tank to pop off the cap one day. And now that I've taken off the clamp pliers, there is still damage to either the heater core or head gaskets. Or maybe the heater core's hoses are clogged with something else?
Does anyone have an idea what would be causing these symptoms? Or some solutions? I'm just trying to get a good idea on what I could do before I start undertaking anything.
Again, I appreciate y'all's help.
12-12-2013
#2
If you think a good mechanic is expensive, try hiring a bad one
Re: Overheating Troubles
My civic is a 2005,
I guess enough pressure built up in the reservoir tank to pop off the cap one day
The radiator is pressurized, not the reservoir.
Open the radiator cap.
Is the radiator empty?
Refill the antifreeze to the top.
Completely full
Leave the cap off.
Start the engine while watching through the gap at the bottom of the hood.....Is there a geyser spewing up out of the radiator? (That would be a severely blown head gasket)
Blown to a lesser degree would let 'air bubbles' into the cooling system.....until so much liquid has been displaced that it has no heater output.....and overheats very easily.
See this post: https://www.civicforums.com/forums/182-7th-gen/352984-idle-behavior-normal-vid-included-redid-thtle-body-clean-worse-now-2.html#post4629441
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