utahbmxer

I was reading an old post about a guy having a similar problem to mine. Here is whats happening with mine.

About the middle of last winter, suddenly my heater would go from hot to cold while I was at a stoplight. I also noticed that the car took longer to get warm (temp gauge reading) from a cold start. I never did anything about it because I thought maybe it was my heater valve (its not BTW). So I drove all this summer with no problems at all in the cooling/heating system. I used the heater a few weeks ago when it got cold here and the problem was still there. So I bought some coolant, mixed it up and poured some in my radiator while the cap was off. I followed the bleeding procedure correct with the heater on and Eng at oper temp. Filled til I didn't notice any more bubbles or air, reved eng slightly. Installed Radiator Cap and drove it around. Problem fixed? I thought for a week. Heater rocked and the car got up to operating temp quickly like it used to.

The other day I noticed the heater getting flakey again. Glanced at the reservoir and its at the top now. The car has never once overheated, or even got above 1/3 of the way up, even in the 106f temp here (city and freeway). I am confused. I don't think its the head gasket, maybe it could be just leaking from the cylinder to the coolant and pressurizing the system. i've never noticed the head gasket smell from the exhaust. Or coolant in the oil or vice-versa.

Symptoms
-Coolant escaping into reservoir to overflowing point, returning Air in system.
-Heater stops at low RPMs
-Car takes longer to heat up to Op temp

Things I'm going to try
-Flushing the cooling system.
-Replacing Radiator Cap? (radiator was replaced by body shop the fall before this started happening, due to frontal accident)
-Pressure test on cooling system.
-Compression Test. (how is this performed??)

Has anyone tracked down this problem? I guess its not very common.
-utahbmxer

Boilermaker1

iTrader: (16)

Start there, let them sort it out.

The at home remedy is to drain the radiator, refill it, then let the car run with the cap off, as the level recedes, add more fluld, when the rad. is full at atmospheric pressure, shut the car off, put the cap on and turn it on, once it pressurizes, it'll push whatever's left over into the over flow, drain that to a reasonable level.

Still no luck, pressurize the system and see if you've got a leaky hose.

If the coolant looks like its mixed with oil, check the compression, but if the A/F is clean, I wouldn't go through the trouble.

againifall

iTrader: (6)

might wanna check out yer thermostat as well.. those lil suckers can do all sorts of weird stuff when they stick

utahbmxer

Ya, I'll have to check the Thermostat out this weekend. I think I might drain it and refil it to. It hasn't pushed nearly as much out as there was before. I also didn't turn off the engine before installing the cap. I should try and run my AC to and let the fans kick on a couple times. I don't even know if they came on when I filled it up last time.

-utah

Ichiban

iTrader: (2)

I had the same problem, It was my head gasket so that might be the problem.

tinman

Replace the radiator cap FIRST. It's the cheapest. The radiator cap not only pressurizes the cooling system, but it ALSO has to hold a vacuum when the engine cools ans sucks some overflow coolant back in. If it doesn't do this, the coolant stays in the overflow, gets lower in the engine, etc.

Start there. Oh, buy a real Honda cap.

utahbmxer

I just got a new radiator cap but haven't had time to bleed the cooling system. I'll try this first, if not, I'm positive there is something up with my head gasket.

-utahbmxer

utahbmxer

Ok, so I think all signs are pointing to early signs of the head gasket. I just bled the cooling system today and installed a new cap. I'll see what happens. The past week or 2 the engine shakes a little more than normal at idle. Its making my whole exhaust shake bad and rattle against the chassis and rear bumper. I'm going to figure out my options.

1. Sell the car and get a new/used one. =( Its almost paid off..

2. Have a shop do the head. ~ $860
(120k mi, needs new WP and TB to.) another $500-600 worse case maybe?

3. Buy the parts and do the work myself. I'm a good mechanic and could probably do it all.
$24 Head Gasket
$57 Water Pump
$16 Timing Belt
$75 Belt Tensionser
$22 Cam Pulley *Driven (might as well?)
$194 Total (Plus some other small parts that are recommended to be replace when disassembled and some labor to have the head checked/plained)

DropDownCivic

help my car is over heating? i was wondering does the car have a bleeder ? how about if it has air in the system i already changed the thermostat

aznboysrfr

iTrader: (10)

these retarded d17's really seem to have head gasket problems ...

DropDownCivic

You know i changed my radiator brand new from honda king $90 but when i opened my hood there was fluid all over by the inake am thinking it could be my reservoir. i changed my hoses as well.... <---- losing my mind here

sniperscout

iTrader: (8)

utahbmxer- I just fixed that problem on mine. It ended up needing a new thermostat and a powerflush from pennzoil.