Joined: Mar 2018

Posts: 67

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03 Civic Lx, previously had a bad radiator, was falling apart where the metal is crimped to the plastic, replaced it literally last weekend.
Lastnight went to the store (about a 20 min drive) pulled up and my heater was blowing cold (big indicator there’s no coolant, was NOT overheating)
Before I replaced the radiator I was aware of an issue so I kept a close eye on temperature gauge, I NEVER let it actually over heat, once I saw it start moving past what was a normal operating temp for my car (typically normal is right under halfway) anything past that I stopped and let the car sit, checked coolant, put more in. Never let it completely overheat, I have cracked a head in a PREVIOUS vehicle (my POS Jeep)
Lastnight I popped the hood and the air intake resonator had coolant along the left hand side of the seam, it was not blowing it out of it, it was just sitting there. I put more coolant in the radiator (I waited for the engine to completely cool) and limped it home keeping an eye on temp and for any steam from the engine compartment
Everything ran normal no lights, no weird sounds, ran smooth as butter. Got home popped hood let it cool down completely started tearing it apart.
Unfortunately the reservoir was still full from when I filled it when I replaced the radiator there was no signs of leaking from the twist on cap or upper hoses and thermostat housing
I removed the battery, took the air intake resonator off, the reservoir off and disconnected the tiny tube that runs to the radiator and took ship towels to clean any coolant I spilled at the store (didn’t have a funnel)
I emptied the reservoir (because I’m stupid and the plastic is really dark and it’s hard to really see how much coolant you put in it until it’s overfilled) I cleaned the tube and inside to make sure no gunk was stuck in it. Filled it back up to the proper max fill line and reassembled. Also wiped any extra coolant that was on the resonator before reassembling it. I looked for possible leaks, squeezed hoses, listened for anything out of the ordinary. Checked around the engine for any sort of leak that may be going on (nothing)
Filled radiator up, ran it for about 2 hours (driving around town and watching and listening for anything)
She ran smooth all the way home, popped the hood to see if I had anymore coolant sprayed on the resonator or surrounding surfaces (NOTHING)
Been driving it today and nothing. So I wonder if it was just there was no way for the radiator to suck coolant from reservoir because it was so overfilled (by stupid me)

Joined: Dec 2008

Posts: 15,177

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From: TN