Rep Power: 51

Yes yes I know. It’s summer and here come the coolant issues.

I road tested the 2003 Civic yesterday. It was near 90 and I had the ac going full blast. No problems, temp was mostly normal. Drive about 15 miles and I stopped to look at an old nissan z for sale. Shut it off.

I got out of the car and the coolant was damn near pouring out of the reservoir. Burping puking I do t know how to describe it. I got back in and started it and it was basically fine. Gauge was a little high. Fans were running.

Driving home it all went back to normal. A little high once or twice but went right back down. Idling in the driveway at home for 10 minutes with AC it never spiked again, no coolant loss, actually ran very cool.

Now to be sure I may have overfilled it after the water pump job, and I’m guessing this is just some burping happening?

Im getting a new thermostat and cap shortly. Need I do “the test”? Also what is the coolant capacity including the heater core?

 
Rep Power: 368

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

 
Rep Power: 211

Symptom points to a head gasket breach. Best test for that is injecting 125-150 psi compressed air in each cylinder at TDC with the rad cap off and check for bubbles.

 
Rep Power: 51

Replaced the thermostat. Bled it for a half hour. Bubbles never completely stopped. Drive it a bit and same thing. Fresh new coolant percolating from the reservoir.

will do the pressure test next weekend. Maybe the gasses test too.

Argh. I don’t want to do this job. Shop wants 800 without a resurfacing. Machine shop wants $150 to resurface, $650 includes the valve job. OEM gasket kit at Majestic is 250 plus shipping.

 
Rep Power: 126

$800 is actually very reasonable.

 
Rep Power: 51

I thought so as well. But that is the head gasket only, no resurfacing, no other gaskets. Just the part and the labor. If I DIY, I would do the mani gaskets, cooolant gasket and probably the valve cover even tho it’s only a few weeks old. And why not mabey as well so the valve seals.

 
Rep Power: 51

I thought so as well. But that is the head gasket only, no resurfacing, no other gaskets. Just the part and the labor. If I DIY, I would do the mani gaskets, cooolant gasket and probably the valve cover even tho it’s only a few weeks old. And why not mabey as well so the valve seals.

 
Rep Power: 223

Pull the head yourself if you're able to have the car down for a few days

 
Rep Power: 51

Yup. That’s the plan. Got my Majestic order going last night. Reading through the threads and watching videos. I had half this stuff off once already so I’m pretty confident and terrified at the same time.

 
Rep Power: 368

camshaft/crankshaft position sensors end to fail after the job too (grease, knocked during the job - they could be there for a loooong time and they fail if someone moves them a little)
so be prepared to have to get new ones
actually, if you keep timing belt, the crankshaft might not be needed

 
Rep Power: 223

And buy OEM sensors if one fails

 
Rep Power: 211

With those symptoms a Block Test would likely confirm combustion gases getting into the coolant. Sounds like you're already committed to replacing the head gasket. The video below has great tips (2 part video).

You Tube

 
Rep Power: 368

well, coolant pushed out of the overflow reservoir is all the test needed...
ezone method is for deniers to make up their mind

 
Rep Power: 211

Very true. Coolant overflow in reservoir is enough evidence. A few years ago I had coolant loss in reservoir on my 5th gen. I was fearing the worst, so I did an Ezone style leak down test on it and it turned out to be a failed radiator cap.

 
Rep Power: 51

Thanks to the members for the opinions. I did this head job myself with the help of the only machine shop around. The old gasket was clearly breach on cylinders 3 and 4. See my other posts.

it still ran a little hot after the job, but no puking of coolant. After a rad replacement it’s good for a while.