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New here, and tried searching so please be patient.

I have an 02 EX that just rolled 100k last week. My wife bought the car new with 2 miles on it, and has regrettably not been to kind on things like oil changes. I bought her an SUV last spring, and have inherited this car as a daily driver.

Last spring, on our way to get her 4Runner, we started experiencing overheating issues. Threw in some coolant and keep a jug in the car now just in case. I have noticed a fair amount of "fluid" on the bell housing of the trans and can't quite track down the source. Oil is fine, we just lose coolant ever so often so we add more.

Now, my wife went Monday to take the car to work for a change and it wouldn't start. It just sat there and kept cranking. When I got home from work, I tried it with the same results. I could crank and watch the tach spin up to about 700 RPM; let go of the key, and she'd sputter cough, and die. Side note, the driver's side window was inoperable at this time (I always put down a window while working on a car). Passenger side worked fine. I pulled the fuse for the fuel pump just to check; it looked fine. Re-installed the fuse, and tried to start again, and it came to life. Now the window works. I drove it around the neighborhood with no ill effects.

I need to get this car back on the road. 42 miles one way for work is not good on my 1st Gen Impreza or 2nd Gen 4Runner (<--33 inch tires and 4:10 gears).

 
Rep Power: 161

Not sure about the no start issue, but the coolant issue sounds like a blown head gasket. Seems like the coolant is pissing out the reservoir tank. There are two holes in the threads of the overflow reservoir which allow coolant to escape in an overpressure situation, most likely caused by a bad head gasket.

 
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I have heard of H-gaskets letting go to the outside...like I had said, oil is fine, and I don't have any smoke. BUT there is fluid all over the front side of the bell housing; so I think the gasket has let go from one of the coolant tunnels to the outside, but not the inside.

My primary concern was the no start combined with the window not going down. I just wonder if that's Honda code for something to allow for quick diagnostic for their techs.

 
Rep Power: 308

c o i c i d e n c e

 
Rep Power: 161

I just did my headgasket last month. All I was doing was losing coolant, through the vent holes in the reservoir. No issues with oil or smoke. These gaskets let go gradually for the most part, not all at once.

 
Rep Power: 367

hook a scanner on the car and check for codes. even if light is not on, it could have codes stored.

have you removed the spark plugs and looked at them? or inside from the plug holes (this sounds dirty, but it's an honest question mechanically related :P)

otherwise, the overheating sticky thread have simple instructions on testing for head gasket failures, but one of them requires engine running, so that option is out.