Hayden_Fourroux

Hey guys,
So i was sitting at a stoplight and i noticed my temp gauge was about 3/4 the way to H, and as soon as i accelerated the temp jumped back down. No coolant is leaking so I'm assuming it is the radiator fan, but not 100% sure so i wanted to get some additional feedback on the situation. Thanks

ezone

Tsk, tsk, tsk.

Step 1: Make SURE the radiator is completely full: How low is the coolant level inside the radiator?


Step 2: See if the radiator fan runs. Jumper the fan switch connector to see if it is unable to run when commanded by the switch.

Hayden_Fourroux

The radiator is full, i just put new hoses on and brand new coolant in almost a month ago. Since i posted this, the problem has subsided and i did check the fan and it does run

Knowwho

i have similar problem and did not want to start my own thread as radiator fan seems to be a common problem. As long as i have had this car i have suspected blown gasket (oil mixing with coolant, coolant disappearing) and had problems with rad fan coming on when expected. Although i believe it does come on sometimes after driving. Just not when it should in my opinion based on expected time to heat engine in idle with heat on. I have never seen temperature spike. Recently i changed radiator because it had small leak in transmission fluid from previous owner that got larger. In this time i have tried to test rad fan again.
I say all this to say will a blown head gasket make it impossible to get all air pockets out. No bleed screw for 2000 civic. I am supposed to rely on physics to push air out but i am thinking i may continue to have air pockets until i replace HG. Thoughts and comments are welcome as i wish i had xray vision. Also i put stethoscope to left side of engine and i didnt hear and strange sounds from water pump so i am thinking it is intact although i will replace with hg. I guess i would like to know if HG will help resolve rad fan or not? Thank you.

Knowwho

Also if anybody gets the time to respond i have of course jumped the rad fan and it works, as well i swapped relays with blower motor and it works in same fashion. So unless there is some optimal state the relay needs to be at to work correctly all is fine with the circuit. And while rad test and bleeding system my reservoir went down significantly more than i would like to admit. i am thinking the coolant leaking internally may be keeping the system from heating up as expected. i just am not sure where it is all going so quickly. It is not going into the oil because it is not milky. And it does not seem to be burning in my opinion because the exhaust does not smell sweet to me. The lower rad hose is getting hot and the radiator did begin to steam unpressurized without cap on before i discontinued. i need to run out and get a 9v battery for my infrared thermometer. Perhaps this will help me better understand how temperature is fluctuating through the hoses. Still any feedback would be helpful. i am a rookie when it comes to mechanics. But appreciate the nuances of a civic greatly.

ezone

a head gasket has many different duties therefore many different possible ways it can fail. Each different possible failure means many different symptoms and complaints that relate to each possible different failure. All from one gasket.

The head gasket is probably leaking at a "fire ring". During a compression and firing event, some small amount of pressure and combustion gases are leaking from affected cylinder(s) into the water jacket (coolant area) surrounding each cylinder.
This leakage is the expected root cause of your endless air pockets that never stop and displacement of excessive amounts of liquid from the radiator into the reservoir,

Symptoms or complaints vary depending on coolant level, rate of leakage, severity of the actual failure and subsequent damage to any components as a result, and of all things, the freekin weather makes a huge difference in what a driver can notice.

In the middle of winter a driver might only notice cold air from the vents instead of heat. .