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I had this problem last July; she only overheats when I'm stuck in traffic for an hour drive. I thought I posted it on this forum, but I don't see it anywhere. Maybe there's another Honda forum?
Last time I brought it back and forth to the shop, and the guy insisted it wasn't a head gasket, and tried a new water pump (changed the timing belt) patched up the radiator, then told me the radiator was shot, and put in a new radiator. It was okay till Feb. 7th, then the same thing started happening again, only when I'm stuck in traffic, the temperature indicator goes slowly higher and higher.
I took it back to the same shop, but the guy who worked on it before had retired and moved out of state.
The new guy insists it's not the head gasket, cause it only happens when I'm stopped in traffic. He just replaced the water pump again, and also changed the thermostat, and put in a new switch. I'm out another $520.
I had brought it to another guy, who insisted it was the head gasket, but he didn't even look at it. So I took it the guy I mentioned above. Am picking it up later today.

 
Rep Power: 0

Was the car losing coolant? My old 02 had a HG leak for a long time but never even overheated. It used to blow coolant out the surge tank from combustion gas going past the gasket into the coolant. It only happened when it was hot outside though. In the winter the heat didnt work very well because the radiator wasnt totally full. Is your heat working? You have to test the heat with car at idle and on level ground. I would actually get heat while driving or giving throttle while in park because that would push the coolant into the heater core.

 
Rep Power: 223

its most likely the headgasket go read:
https://www.civicforums.com/forums/3...reference.html

 
Rep Power: 0

He changed the switch on the fan, the thermostat and the water pump, and charged me for coolant.. He said it wasn't the head gasket, because the heat was blowing hot when being driven,and the temperature gauge was only moving when I was stuck in traffic. A friend of mine said the fact that the engine only has 86K miles on it might mean that it's not the HG.
I'll find out if he's right the next time I get stuck in traffic. So far she's running cool otherwise.

 
Rep Power: 512

Get a compression and/or leakdown test done. Or if you have an air compressor, you can do a DIY test. Alternatively, a quick, but not 100% definitive test is do an oil change. If it looks like a chocolate milkshake, then you're leaking coolant into your oil system (e.g. hg failure). Can't say "yes it is" or "no it isn't" based on heating behavior. If you're heating up at a stop, good chance you're losing coolant somewhere. To put a band-aid on it, top off and burp your coolant system

 
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Well, it had been running okay through the pandemic, but here in NYc (Queens), I haven;t taken it on any long runs.
Today my brother and sister wanted to visit our parents' graves, way out in Calverton, and they insisted I drive. It's over 90 degrees today, so I kept looking at the indicator, and after 45 minutes the temp. indicator went up to the 75% point.
I told them we're not gonna make it, and pulled into the nearest service station. I asked the guy for some coolant, and he gave me a container of universal coolant, which he said was better than the crap that my guy had been using. At first, one of the guys thought it was the thermostat, but I told him I just got a new thermostat and switch in Feb., and hadn't taken it on anything but five minute runs since then.
They told me it was probably the head gasket, and I should have it towed I asked him if it was possible to drive it back myself, because we put a lot of coolant in it, and he said I could chance it, but I'd have to stay away from traffic, turn the car off at red lights, and turn up the heat all the way if starts to get too hot.
I followed his advice, and was able to make it back home without the indicator hitting 'H', but it came close a few times.
I immediately drove it to the guy who thought it was the Head Gasket to begin with and he said he knew Civics like the back of his hand, and I should've left it with him, and I agreed.
He said it would be $700 if it was only the head gasket, but if it had caused further damage to something, it would be $300 more. I gave him my key, and now I'm waiting for his call...

 
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I just got back from the station, minus $1180 in cash for the head gasket job. The mechanic said there was enough damage so he replaced everything, just to be sure.
He said with all the work I had put into the car, I should get at least a few more years out of it considering that it only has 86.5K miles on it.

 
Rep Power: 512

That's fairly reasonable for a HG job. I'd mostly seen them for the $1500-ish range

 
Rep Power: 225

Ouch...

That seems steep to me but I guess it depends on what was replaced. Before I started doing everything myself I had someone replace my head gasket, cost me $800. He didn't replace the head, timing belt, water pump, etc though so maybe that's why yours is a lot more.

 
Rep Power: 0

Yeah, he replaced the head, otherwise he was only going to charge about $800.