Rep Power: 0

Hi Guys,*

I have Honda civic 2003 we have it since 2008 and no issues, as I’m from Montreal it start 2 years ago when I run the car it take time to get warm temperature inside the car, once I start driving the car 5mns later I start getting the heat and my car get warm from inside.

Last summer I was stuck in traffic and for the first time I saw the temperature goes up to half or maybe a bit above the half then it went down.

I have my wife brother in law who is a mechanical, I asked him and he told me it could be the heat radiator under the passenger, so he put a product to block any clogged drain and he start blowing an air to get a good circulation and a tube it till cold which is should be hot.

Any I used the car daily and after 6-7months I was stuck in traffic and car again overheat, I stopped on the side and I heard the were working also I notice once I open the hood there’s water (coolant) were on the fan it’s like coolant got blow out. When I went back home I fill up the radiator with antifreeze coolant.

I notice recently I have a check engine which it showed up and since April up till today the car had 2-3 overheat the last one happened 2 months ago while driving on the highway to work from nowhere the temperature start going up and it reached a level really high. I stopped right away and waited 5mns before driving to my brother place and park it there.

I asked my wife brother in law and he told its head gasket. So I fill up the radiator with coolant and I decide to use just inside my city ( to go to grocery stores and visiting my mother in law no more going far from home)

I used it like that for 2 months and it was doing great no overheat, I did almost 500miles.

Up till yesterday I took the kids to soccer game and when coming back I was on the highway 2mns from my house and temperature went up to medium level then went down then went up so I had to stop on the side. I found the fan didn’t turn and still high. *(FYI during the past 2 months fan was always working and always hearing it even I opened once the hood and I saw the fan running).

My question now. I have 2 issues and I don’t know if they are related.

1-***** Overheat.

2-***** Heat take time to get car warm during winter.

From where should I start, Changing Thermostat, radiator or head gasket or other options should I check before changing parts? I don’t want to change part and it’s not the cause. Should I check for the code of the check engine? There’s a way to check without the need of the tester?

Is this true that if there’s no coolant in the radiator fan won’t work and fan won’t turn on (that’s what my wife brother in law told me) correct me if he’s wrong.

As I’m from Montreal, winter temperature is between -20 and -30, if head gasket why during winter I didn’t had the car to overheat?

Thanks.

 
Rep Power: 209

he is correct

 
Rep Power: 0

symptom of happening once in a while could be head gasket?

why the fan didn't turn on yesterday while overheating? is it true when radiator is empty of coolant fan won't turn on?

 
Rep Power: 123

Yep, once in a while means that it starts to overheat once enough coolant is lost. Head gasket failure lets pressure into the coolant and forces it out the reservoir but it doesn't all go out in an instant, that's why it overheats after a while.

And yes if the coolant is low enough it can't contact the thermal switch which in turn wont turn on the radiator fan.

 
Rep Power: 0

like this morning i've add few coolant like around 1 cup even less.

what do you suggest to start the troubleshoot, changing the thermostat?

i don't see any coolant on my drive way, i might be curious could be muffler. to check the muffler section i should see on my drive way coolant or while the engine is running?

the check engine indication will help me if i test for the code?

 
Rep Power: 123

Check out this thread if you haven't yet it, has a lot of information on overheating and how to make sure it is the head gasket. https://www.civicforums.com/forums/3...reference.html

Also have the code checked out, im sure your brother in law has a code reader so he can have it looked at.

 
Rep Power: 203

Read the link posted above. Do the required testing and figure out if it is indeed the headgasket. Don't go into denial and try replacing all kinds of other stuff first. That will be a complete waste of your time and money.

 
Rep Power: 210

First of all if you have to keep driving it then keep your heater temp on max at all times to help avoid overheating. The fan doesnt have to be on max..just the "Hot" heat setting. Problem is if the head gasket is blown the heater may not be working properly anyway.

Do a Block Test (google it) on it to test for head gasket breach. If you have a mechanic in the family then maybe he won't charge much to do a head gasket replacement (if needed). However, parts and machine shop can add up.

A failed thermostat will either be:
1) stuck open... takes longer for engine to heat up to operating temp
2) stuck close... will overheat quickly and repetatively

Any coolant dripping underneath the waterpump? Hear any squeaking from waterpump area? It's possible that it's a weak, intermittently failing waterpump that is causing the coolant temp to rise. Read: https://www.yourmechanic.com/article...ing-water-pump

 
Rep Power: 517

.....