Rep Power: 0

OK I am new here. So please forgive any stupidity in advance and for the length of this post. Try to be as brief as possible. I have on 05 Honda Civic EX Coupe. Love the car. Have had it for 7 years not a single problem until....First loss on heat when idle or a stop signs or slowing down. Would blow cold air.... then before I can get the heating problem resolved I get an oil leak. Also have the engine light on. I am at a little over 90,000. So decide to have timing belt replaced, along with water pump, tensioners etc. Also main bearing seal for oil leak and had oil fuel ration sensor replaced to take care of engine light. Done. Great. Fast forward few days. Heat problem not solved but better. Needs to be burped again. OK done. Not perfect but even better. Summers coming, good enough. Oil still leaking....now it looks like maybe its the oil pan. Few days later. Went somewhere, everything is fine, go to leave an LOUD screeching noice underhood!!!!!! It stops, I drive, Hey I'm not a guy so I'm not getting under that hood to find out what it is. On my way home, the engine light comes back on, temp needle is bottomed out etc and engine starts trying to die. Evertyhing is going crazy. Back to the garage. Told it's the ecu. Squeal was alternator belt. That was tightened. No more squeal. Tested alternator said it is fine. So here are my questions. Trying to find ecu on ebay . Does the ecu have to have the EXACT number (37830 PLR A74)? Most have different last three numbers even when they say they fit this car. Secondly, was told the alternator was not what caused the ecu to go but they both happened exactly the same time, or within a half hour. Do you think that it's possible that the alternator caused the problem. Hate to buy another ecu and have it reflashed and have it happen again if it wasn't the alternator but something else. Have seen several posts that seem to imply that it could have been. And last, is this car worth putting more money into or will I likely have more problems down the road. I know reliability of this car is good but is it all down hill from here?? Thanks for your patience. Any advice will truly be appreciated. Thank you. Debbie

 
Rep Power: 200

The heat problem is because it is overheating or the headgasket is blown. Air doesn't transfer heat to the heater core, it needed "burped" again says air is replacing the coolant. Don't know about the ECU, not impossible that its bad, but not highly likely. But generally belts don't cause the squeal unless they have something on them or are loose. The noise is usually because something they drive is out of line or locking up. If it's payed for yes its worth it IMO. Every car needs maintenance. Mine has 190000 and is still a great car for what it is, an econobox, I'd drive it to AL tomorrow. Other than the timing belt, HG, and rebuilding the transmission I have spent very little. (All that cost me < 1000 bucks since I can do my own work)

 
Rep Power: 253

You have other problems besides the "ECU" problem.

It sounds like the place you brought it to doesnt know how to properly diagnose cars.

Is it still overheating?
You should fix that before dropping money on an ECU. A possible HG job is not cheap. And if you decide not to do it then buying an ECU is a waste of money if you decide to dump the car.

 
Rep Power: 0

Engine never over heated. Engine temp stayed normal. Test for head gasket was fine also. Nothing to show that the head gasket is bad. Just kept losing heat when idling or stopping. After "burping" heat was a lot better. But then the alternator and ECU became an issue.

 
Rep Power: 200

That lack of heat without rpms being recurrent is a dead giveaway that for some reason it is overflowing the radiator. Lack of coolant gets replaced with air. The alternator is more likely a symptom of the troubles than the cause. Who and how did they "test" it?

 
Rep Power: 0

Didn't over heat and head gasket tested fine. The belt was loose on alternator. Was tightened squealing stopped but was told this wouldn't have caused ECU to go bad but some info on internet implies otherwise. Not sure what to think. But all other indications show that the ecu is bad and that it isn't that uncommon for them to go. Just don't want to spend the money on another one if it is going to happen again. If it was the alternator then the problem should be solved but I still need to know if the numbers have to be exact. Thanks for all the help and advice.

 
Rep Power: 0

Coolant level stays good. Not sure what you mean by "overflowing the radiator? Also he did a hydro carbon test of fluids off radiator to test for bad head gasket. Did it three times. Tested fine all three times. No signs of hydro carbons.

 
Rep Power: 200

Then the HG isn't popped, that is all that tells you. If the heater core was stopped up it would have minimal heat no matter what. The only other possibility is that it was never bled of air after the timing belt/wp job, how many miles ago was that?

(Disclaimer: I was a wrench turner for a lot of years, contrary to what you seem to think, like it or not I do know what I'm saying ...)

 
Rep Power: 518

This is why I do not use that test, it is unreliable. Too many False negatives for me to rely on it.

Different test needs to be done to prove whether or not the head gasket is breached (blown).


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On the bad PCM issue: Now that the alt belt and alt hardware (I hope) has been corrected, are the gauges still acting wrong?

Word for word copy of Hondas service info: http://www.underhoodservice.com/issu...ontentid=88560

Be aware that bad engine grounds might cause it too. Ground strap from the body to the trans and another from the body to the top of the thermostat housing/water manifold. Rust and corrosion can take their toll.


HTH

 
Rep Power: 186

He meant your reserve tank or overflow tank for the coolant. Has it ever been filled to the top?

debelm2, we all understand what you're trying to tell us and we're all trying to tell you from experience what we think your problem is. We don't need to keep hearing that it doesn't over heat and a hydro test passed. We understand that.

I have an 02 civic that never over heated and would have easily passed a hydro carbon test, but it was ultimately my head gasket that was causing the problem.

The sealing material on the head gasket around the cylinder(fire ring) deteriorates over time. This allows cylinder pressure to escape in to the coolant passages and pressurizes it generally causing fluid to be pushed out of the over flow/reserve tank or at least fill it to the top if all coolant levels are maintained properly. Generally speaking, oil and coolant never mix in these vehicles, which is why your hydro carbon test will always pass.

If you are continuing to "burp" the vehicle then, as johndeerbones pointed out, you're replacing coolant with air.

You need to have a competent individual do the below. I think it's a good indicator of whether or not your head gasket is blown.

https://www.civicforums.com/forums/1...ml#post4629441

Good luck with what ever you decide to do.

 
Rep Power: 0

Thank you for the info. The non heat and burping etc. was happening before the timing belt/wp job. And not sure what you mean with the disclaimer. I apologize if I indicated in any way that I didn't think you knew what you were talking about.

 
Rep Power: 0

Thanks for your help everyone but I am out of here. Not sure why but I think I am coming across differently then what I mean. I am not doubting or questioning ANYONES thoughts, ideas or help in anyway. I can't believe I got this for a response

"debelm2, we all understand what you're trying to tell us and we're all trying to tell you from experience what we think your problem is. We don't need to keep hearing that it doesn't over heat and a hydro test passed. We understand that."

I only said it twice by answering a response from 2 different posts. You might not need to "hear it" but I don't need to be talked to like that either! Some people need to be a little kinder if they really want to help, if not don't respond! Thanks again to all others who tried to help. I will read and learn but will not be posting again.

 
Rep Power: 367

oh, man, and nobody was actually being anywhere close to nasty...

well, most of the cases we see end up being the HG. 98? 99%? some few happy campers end up with simple ones.

see list in here.

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

note: no one was actually being harsh on you... you shoulda see the ones that are nasty... sorry you feel that way... honestly.

 
Rep Power: 253

debelm2 you can always go to another mechanic for a second opinion.

Perhaps it was misdiagnosed the first time.