Rep Power: 0

I have a 2005 LX Sedan with 114,000 miles. I purchased it from a dealer 3 months ago with 112,000 miles. After a month of driving it, I noticed that after a long ride (30+ min) on the highway that the AC would stop blowing cold air. This happened twice over the past few months. Fast forward to Monday. The cold air stopped blowing again after a long ride on the highway; this time I noticed that the temperature gauge was at a little more than 3/4. Once the car has been off for half an hour, the AC blows cold again.

I took it a Honda dealership and they told me that they could not replicate the issue. But they did test my head gasket and that it is in its early stages of failing. They also want to charge $1,150 to replace it. I called a good friend of mine who is a Honda repair whiz (unfortunately lives 100 miles away) who thinks that the chances of the head gasket being bad on my 05 is very slim. I'm going to contact a few other repair shops, but this forum always steers me right and I'm looking for an opinion.

1) Any idea what is causing the intermittent AC from blowing cool?

2) What are the chances that a head gasket on an 05 LX w/ 115K miles is bad ?

3) If the head gasket is bad, is $1,150 steep?

 
Rep Power: 0

Thoses cars are known for that from what I have read
I had to replace mine in February.
2005 si-g with 85000km's at the time.
does your overflow fill up when u turn it off?
if it is cold open rad and look inside antifreeze should be up to the collar
you couldnt touch mine with finger ever when it was bad unless
I just filled it up.
and I could smell exaust when I took rad cap off.
I drove over 1000km's like that just puttin antifreeze in
when i saw the temp rise a little above 1/2 on guage
Not really intentionally
Think I was in denial....lol

If I left mine idle for a while after being hot
it would go to the red if i let it.

Mine cost 1100+tax
but they did
head gasket
water pump
timing belt
plugs
thermostate
oil change
new antifreeze.

Wish I would of had him pop in a
Crankshaft sensor as they just tore mine all apart today
to replace crankshaft sensor.nuther 600 bux (sensor was 150)
If I ever change a belt again on a Honda I think
I would have them change the crank shaft sensor too
while there are there

Must say they where cool about it showed me the old parts they changed
Ran great until yesterday

1100 is steep I think for just the
Head gasket

 
Rep Power: 0

Head gasket repairs are between $475 to $700 with private mechanic shops.
there is a kit you can buy for Honda Civic that costs $200 approx.

 
Rep Power: 313

Yeap. Except the costs to mount though.

Your looking at probably about 800 labor, 200 for the kit. Then about 300-500 to get your head milled. If the shop says you don't need to mill the head take it elsewhere.

^ Canadian prices at a private shop. Included in the labor is the odds and ends you will need (antifreeze etc.)

 
Rep Power: 518

Need more technical info.
Does the compressor quit running?
Does it keep running, but airflow stops coming out of the dash vents?
Be real specific here. "IT QUITS" ain't enough.


The PCM can shut the AC down during times of overheating.

Good.

Depends®.

 
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Mine cost 1100+tax
but they did
head gasket
water pump
timing belt
plugs
thermostate
oil change
new antifreeze.

Now thats what i would pay $1100 for? maybe only $800 if its HEAD GASKET WORK.

 
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Honda dealer didn't mill mine.
Said it was Good.
He also said was unusual but I never let it get
real hot.
The shop forman did it too.
looks like bran new under hood now


Hopefully if it goes again its under a year but I have put around 10000kms so far

 
Rep Power: 313

Well... you should mill the head, especially if it's the Honda dealership. The dealership near my place wanted the head milled.

 
Rep Power: 0

Great responses, thanks for the info! I like the idea of replacing the crankshaft sensor since the engine will be apart. Are there any other parts that are recommended to be replaced during this or anything I should haggle to have thrown in as a package? Only major repair prior to this car purchase was the timing belt change.

In response to ezone, I'm a novice, so I'll do my best in answering your question. The air will blow cold, then turn warm. While it's blowing warm, the AC light on my console is green.

One thing I do recall: the temperature gauge did seem to fluctuate fast (up & down) during this occurrence. Is it possible that the temperature gauge is faulty, causing the PCM to falsely shut down the AC?

 
Rep Power: 518

Well, that didn't gain me a single clue. Sorry.

Possible, but not bloody likely. The gauge is probably telling the truth. The engine is overheating.

It's not false. It is for a reason.
We don't even know if that is the true reason the AC is shut down yet, but it definitely fits with the rest of the scenario you gave.


If the AC problem goes away after the head gasket is fixed, you will know what the cause was.


I don't bother if the head is within specs for flatness, and I do check it myself. If it hasn't been hot, the head should still be flat. Customers lie every time too.
(0.002" max warp IIRC)

We have a local machine shop that always says the heads need machined, no matter what.... Guess how much business they get from me.

 
Rep Power: 0

Temp moving is not good for sure
Probably low on colant
Check and see if low you may want to get some antifreeze if your
not going to get fixed right away

 
Rep Power: 313

True, but most DIY'rs don't measure to that degree of precision. That being said, it's worthwhile to get it checked out thoroughly. That way you know 100% sure that your assembling a head that isn't going to fail. Not just trueness, valves etc.

 
Rep Power: 518

Agreed.
Better safe than sorry,
Bolting a warped head to a new head gasket is throwing money away.

But if the head is measured as straight, I don't see a need for machining it.

JMHO.

 
Rep Power: 313

^ I agree for sure... however I don't have the know how or the tools to measure that as I best most don't. You can always take it to a machine shop and get them to measure it. But even for that I bet you they will charge a bit. I'll call and ask tomorrow maybe.

 
Rep Power: 0

Got a second opinion from a Honda specialist. He did verify that the head gasket is indeed bad. He's going to charge $650 to fix the head gasket, including milling. He also offered to replace the water pump, timing belt, spark pugs, all other gaskets, and temperature sensor for no additional labor, only parts. Other Honda dealers I called averaged $1,600 just for the head gasket repair.

Anything else I should replace since the engine is coming out?

 
Rep Power: 193

If the timing belt hasn't been done I'd replace the timing belt tensioner and spring too, you don't want either of those to fail.

Use Honda parts.

$650 is a heck of a price...