Rep Power: 0

Went on a 7-hour trip up through the Virginia mountains last week. As I got close to my destination, I noticed the engine temperature gauge on the rise. Parked the car and it seemed fine. I drove it several times for an hour or more and saw no issues. When driving the way 7-hour trip home, it overheated about 3 hours in and the coolant from the reservoir boiled out - I stopped and checked the radiator and the radiator was full of coolant but none in the reservoir. I filled the reservoir with fresh coolant and drove home.

Could this be as simple as a bad thermostat or , the dreaded head gasket problem? Seems odd that the reservoir is empty and there's coolant all over the engine near it and yet the radiator is full.

Thanks for any advice

Mark

 
Rep Power: 367

small gasket breach pushes combustion gases enough to push coolant out of the overflow reservoir.
Headgasket
car year/model?

 
Rep Power: 0

Sorry - It's a 2005 Honda Civic LX with 134,000 miles.

I've had for less than a year. It appears that the original owner seldom drove it and generally took care of it. But, they didn't do any of the standard 100,000 mile and up service items. For example, I feel certain it still has the original water pump and timing belt.

Mark

 
Rep Power: 367

the timing belt is a risky item after 100k miles, so recommend doing headgasket and timing belt.
water pump... is recommended, but might be good for 200k? Mine looked pristine when removed...
it's a matter of lucky, really. Some ran 200k plus without issues, majority will encounter timing belt (expensive) failures and headgasket failures as well

 
Rep Power: 224

Timing belt also has a time based replacement schedule. Every ~100k miles or 8 years, whichever comes first. So yeah, it's waaayyy overdue.

For overheating issue, let the engine completely cool then check coolant levels again. If radiator is now low and reservoir high, you'll want to do the HG tests.

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

 
Rep Power: 0

My honda 04 civic had the same issue. Ended up needing a head gasket. The car was at 134,000 miles. Grab a engine block tester and see if any combistion gases are coming through. The other thing to be aware of, if the gasket between the head and the coolant housing is leaking it can also cause you to get gases in the cooling system.

Hope this helps, good luck

 
Rep Power: 367

no need to buy kits to test. Often they don't det3ect small breaches.

this test is surely to catch them, cheap and simple. It's in the link posted before

 
Rep Power: 0

Thanks for all the great advice and suggestions. We have a very highly recommended shop in town that specializes in Honda's and Acura's. I dropped it off today and they are going to pressure test it. I shared with them that it's likely that the thermostat, water pump and timing belt are original. Again, I'll have them check it out and get back to me on what needs done.

I'll report back on what they come back with (my money is on the head gasket needs replacing AND while the patient is open and on the operating table, that they will recommend replacing the thermostat, water pump and timing belt)

 
Rep Power: 367

show them the video.

 
Rep Power: 0

Just got a call from the shop. They have worked on MANY Honda's with this same issue. The pressure tests did confirm that it's the head gasket. They are replacing it, the timing belt, thermostat and water pump. They will machine the heads if required.

 
Rep Power: 0

The shop is done with their work and the car is running great and am back home. They replaced the timing belt, thermostat and water pump. They do not not have to machine the head.

All is well

 
Rep Power: 224

Glad to hear.

 
Rep Power: 0

Good news!!!!... sounds like your car and mine have something in common. I neither had to machine the head, the gasket was toast. Seems like these cars need a HG every so often. Good luck!