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ok, i know this is a repost, i found the same thing somewhere on the site before but cant find it again...my 02 civic ex 104,000mi keeps over heating!!! i changed the thermostat 3 times got a 195 (cold in NH) changed the coolant antifreeze twice and got all the air out (shop done) and water pump is fine... but it only over heats when im at a stop light or slowing down?!?!?! any ideas plez help?! in college and dont have a lot of $$$....
-john

 
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I am no expert, but if you car is overheating only when you are stopped it could be a fan issue. When you are driving down the road you have constant air moving past the radiator so it won't get as hot.

 
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i would say fan too

 
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fan for the win... or loss in your case. Check if it comes on when your parked. If it doesnt and you over heat... your fan is out- check the wiring and get a new one.

 
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ok, well fan does turn on...and i dont have a cracked head-gasket that i no of cuz my oil isnt chocolate milk looking....any other ideas? i think im just gonna spend the money and go the the honda dealership.... sux being in college and all

 
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maybe check and make sure you dont have any air bubbles in the radiator. Basically just rebleed the system see if it helps.

 
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any other opinions? plez anybody? i need help bad, its driving me insane!!!!

 
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well turn the a/c on and see if both fans come on. if they dont, theres the problem.

 
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Plus one on the AC test-

the car has a little temp sensor (usually in the head) that activates a relay and then the fan.
Typically ONE fan motor comes on for engine temp control, but BOTH come on for AC.
When you switch on AC it over-rides anything the normal temp sensor or fan relay does and forces them on.( regular temp relay and or sensor could still be very bad)



- ALSO, don't rule out head gasket just because there's no water in your oil or there's no oil in you radiator, you can get a hair-line crack in the head or gasket and purely just leak a small amount of compression (fire and heat)into one of the water passages. It's rare, but CAN happen-

Usually you can completely rule-out bad or cracked head or head gasket by doing a compression test and visually reading all the plugs, if there's one that's leaking into the water jacket, it will look VERY different than the other 3.

Good luck!!! You are among friends who care about you!!! LOL

Dont keep driving it while its getting hot, you will FOR SURE smoke the engine!!
(warp the head, or the block) (cause it to start burning oil pre-maturely) or something even worse-

Fix it now, dont keep driving it- please!

 
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how do i do a compression test again? and i will do the fan thing just i dont want it to overheat...thanks for the help man....^^

 
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you're not gunna like the answer:

you remove each spark plug-

you insert a compression testing gauge into each hole, one at a time

crank the motor (the same amount of times each hole)

Hh,huh uh, hu, er uh,.... I said "hole"

write down the results

post them on here so we can all laugh
(that last bit is kinda optional)

GOOD LUCK!

 
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ok, fans do turn on...i no that, i saw, BUT only when a/c was on and both were going...i was told that it couldnt be a head gasket cuz it would overheat right away not after driving for 45 min or so (this true?), becuase like i said it only overheats after a while...well any other help? taking it to garage next friday and only got so much $$ being in college... thanks for all the help guys! and Geek-squad-man, not imature about the hole thing...im going to do this probally mon when its warm (warm here is 40 F)