Rep Power: 0

Hi gents,
I have an 03 civic ex coupe. Bought it with 104K and got timing belt and pump replaced then. Never gave me problems till this last summer. Never noticed a pattern and it just seemed randomly it would overheat, but not very often at all. Finally got fed up after it overheated in 5-10 mins of starting when it was -20 out....just sitting there warming up.

Whenever it is overheating the heater just blows cold air. It will overheat even if I'm doing 50mph....which doesn't make sense to me and it's winter to boot.

Seems like every time it's overheating and I turn the heat completely off for a little and back on the problem will go away. But sometimes it will start and go back to normal cooling on it's own fairly quickly.

I'm not good with cars as far as fixing myself anyways. I've had my mechanic check for radiator leaks, tighten belts, change O2 sensors, fan is working properly, and a couple weeks ago he changed my thermostat.

Am I missing something? Any help would be greatly appreciated as I hate throwing money into this....and the problem not going away. Thanks guys

 
Rep Power: 519

Have you checked inside the radiator yet?
You should be missing coolant.


I got a nickel that says it needs a head gasket job.

 
Rep Power: 187

I'll see your nickel and raise you a dime.

 
Rep Power: 210

like others said, probably a head gasket,

but we might as well check simple things first and not jump to an expensive conclusion,

do you ever check the coolant level in your radiator or overflow bottle?

start there, when the engine is cold, is the rad full? if not fill it up,

and fill the overflow bottle about an inch above the minimum line,

now drive the car and see what happens, next time it starts "getting hot" open the hood and look at the level in the overflow bottle, how high is it? DO NOT open the rad while its hot,

wait for it to cool down and check both levels again, where are they?

and on a side note.....ALWAYS use honda OEM blue coolant, nothing else!

 
Rep Power: 0

Thanks guys! I'll be able to be thorough with checking the coolant when it's hot or cold this weekend and letcha know. It's only overflowed the top of the reservoir a couple times and I too it off once it's cool.

If it was the gaskets wouldn't it overheat almost constantly? I just drove from NH to CT and back without any problems and that's alotta highway.

I also forgot to mention that when it was sitting there warming up and overheated, the coolant was overflowing from the reservoir and the top hose was solid while the lower one was kinda soft. I don't know which Is which as far as direction goes or if that helps at all.

I'll give an update this weekend. Thanks again guys I really appreciate it.

 
Rep Power: 519

My nickel bet:

Only after the liquid level in the radiator is too low to keep the engine cool.


These don't do what most people consider a usual thing when they blow. These simply push coolant out of the radiator....in the beginning. Ignore this too long and it gets worse.
And it puked how much liquid out the reservoir on that trip?



Read this thread: https://www.civicforums.com/forums/3...reference.html

 
Rep Power: 368

ohhhhh, boy... that last post from you, johnnyboy, just settled it... HG!

 
Rep Power: 0

Didn't puke any coolant out. Didn't overheat at all for that trip. The level was a little low but there's still def some left. So get my head gaskets checked asap before it does in fact get worse

 
Rep Power: 368

go to the first post in the link ezone posted - I placed how to test in there.

 
Rep Power: 0

Okay guys...I'm basically getting ready to buy a new car. My mechanic said he thinks it's the head gaskets. But is there more than one thermostat?

Picked my car up today, and drove it about 10 minutes to get to my destination. Didn't over heat (seems like if I keep the RPM's under 3,000 it doesn't overheat) but I saw steam coming from the radiator cap and looked like it poured a little onto the fans...also once again, one hose was hot and pressurized and the other was cold. Fans don't seem to be coming on either. Last couple times it was overheating while driving I pulled over and the fans weren't coming on.

So if there is more than one thermostat could he have changed the wrong one or could it be bad?

 
Rep Power: 210

there is only one thermostat,

sounds like you have three choices, repair the engine you have and replace the head gasket, replace the engine with a used engine, or buy a new car

 
Rep Power: 0

So there's just no question that it is in fact the head gasket? What am I looking at for a gasket repair? I've put about $1,000 into this car over the last year and I'm getting fed up with it!

Why isn't my coolant being pumped through the system?

 
Rep Power: 210

from the information you have provided i would think its a head gasket issue, but impossible to be 100% sure over the internet, if your mechanic is saying the same thing then ????????

 
Rep Power: 0

It just doesn't make sense that the coolant is obviously not being pumped through the system. Or is that another sign that it's the headers?

 
Rep Power: 519

Coolant IS being pumped and circulated.


The radiator can dissipate heat much faster than the engine can produce heat, that's why the lower hose seems cold to you.

 
Rep Power: 0

Thanks. I'm talkin to a friend/salesman tomorrow

 
Rep Power: 210

it is being pumped,

you are getting air/exhaust gases in the coolant from the blown head gasket, that's why its overheating