Mechanical Problems & Technical Chat - Random Overheating in Traffic

Hey Everyone,

I'm driving a 2002 EX Coupe (automatic) with 99,000 miles. Lately, sporadically, the car has been overheating when I am in traffic. This first happened father's day weekend on my way upstate and then on the way downstate (when I needed to get towed). The car, when it does it, overheats pretty fast once the car is stopped and cools itself off once I start moving. My mechanic had it for a few days and could not get it to overheat.

Just today as I was driving and stopped at a light I noticed the temp gauge creep above midline and began rising. I quickly ran the red light (oops) and went down a side street to cool it down.

I know I have a slow coolant leak, but no one can find the source. I can smell anti-freeze when you pop the hood but even a pressure test did not reveal a leak anywhere. The fan appears to turn on and off whenever it wants, but it always runs when the AC is on. When it overheated today I quickly popped the hood and saw that the fans were off even though the gauge was above 1/2.

What would cause the fans not to act correctly only part of the time? Could this also be an issue with my radiator? My mechanic is stumped and this is my only car right now, so I'm pretty much screwed...

ORIGINAL: Act of God

Hey Everyone,

I'm driving a 2002 EX Coupe (automatic) with 99,000 miles. Lately, sporadically, the car has been overheating when I am in traffic. This first happened father's day weekend on my way upstate and then on the way downstate (when I needed to get towed). The car, when it does it, overheats pretty fast once the car is stopped and cools itself off once I start moving. My mechanic had it for a few days and could not get it to overheat.

Just today as I was driving and stopped at a light I noticed the temp gauge creep above midline and began rising. I quickly ran the red light (oops) and went down a side street to cool it down.

I know I have a slow coolant leak, but no one can find the source. I can smell anti-freeze when you pop the hood but even a pressure test did not reveal a leak anywhere. The fan appears to turn on and off whenever it wants, but it always runs when the AC is on. When it overheated today I quickly popped the hood and saw that the fans were off even though the gauge was above 1/2.

What would cause the fans not to act correctly only part of the time? Could this also be an issue with my radiator? My mechanic is stumped and this is my only car right now, so I'm pretty much screwed...



Well i had the same problem going on about 2 weeks ago. It would do fine when i was on the freeway but overheated in town. So i figured it was the fan so i took care of that. I wired it so the fan is always on just because its hot in fresno and its not gunna cool down anytime soon. i will probably fix it correctly once winter rolls arround. For you it could be the fan relay or maybe check your fuses. The other thing honda collent systems don't like is air in the system. I would bleed out the system (there is a DIY article in the DIY article section of this site) and see how that does. As for the leak, check all your hoses and hoseclamps, make sure none of the inlets that they go onto are bent.

best of luck...overheating is such a Pain in the ass sometimes.

Your leak might be where the hoses connect to the radiator. If there is a leak there you might not be able to see a broken piece or anything. I had that problem and had to replace my radiator.

Something could be wrong with the thermostat or temperature sensor.

Disconnect the connector to the coolant temperature switch on the thermostat housing. Put a jumper across the free 2P connector (not the switch). Turn the ignition key to On. The radiator fan should run continuously. If so, the switch is bad and should be replaced. If not, check the the fan motor by wiring it directly to the battery. It should run continuously. If not, the fan motor is bad and should be replaced. If the fan and switch are fine, then test the relay.

As mentioned by others, also bleed the cooling system of possible trapped air and replace the thermostat.

Since the fan works with the A/C on, it can't be the motor. The fuse and relay are also shared with the A/C. So it almost has to be the thermo switch on the thermostat housing.

This offers a way to work around the problem. When it starts to overheat, turn the A/C ON. Ordinarily you'd want to turn the A/C OFF when a car is threatening to overheat, to lessen the amount of heat under the hood. But here it should work to cool it off because it forces the fan to come on.

i used to have the same problem a while back. it would overheat if i sat still but would cool off when i started driving.

turned out that the coolant temperature sensor was not working correctly. got a new one from auto zone for like 15 or 20 bucks and it has not overheated since then.

also if it overheats when sitting in traffic roll down the windows andblast the heater inside the carcuz doing that pulls a lot of the heat off the engine. and will limit any damage the overheating will cause.

I had the same exact problem, small collant leak and random over heateing. It turned out to be a sticking thermostat, change out ur thermostat then bleed the system out entirely. also u might want to think about replacing the water pump around 120k or so along wit timing belt. Better to get it out of the way now then later when stuck in traffic. Good luck

I had the timing belt and water pump replaced at 88,000 miles. Hopefully it isn't that...

I just drove home from my gf's house and left the AC on. Within 2 miles of town driving (after the car sitting 4 hours) the temp rose up towards the H (from normal to the highest point in about a minute ) and I turned off the AC, turned it back on, and pulled over into a closed gas station. The SECOND I pulled into the gas station the temp started going back down and went veryyy low just as fast as it rose to the H (almost 1/4 up from the C).

I drove the entire way home with the AC on with no problems. When I got home I popped the hood and let the car sit. Absolutely nothing. I turned off the AC and let the car sit. The temp held around 50% and that was it.

I am officially losing my mind. I'm so worried about making it to work tomorrow...I'm going to my mechanic first thing in the morning before work to see if he can figure it out and maybe my gf can take me to work.

The first time the car overheated I tried the "blast the heat" technique. For some reason the car was blowing out COOL air. I couldn't get it to blow out hot air for the life of me.

Bizarre.

You should replace the thermostat and see what happens. It's really inexpensive and it wouldn't hurt to go ahead and replace it.

That sounds like a stuck thermostat. When it unstuck and came open, then it stuck open and overcooled. Definitely replace it just to rule that out. It's not an expensive part.

The heater will not work if the engine is not completely full of coolant. Which will of course also cause overheating. Heater not working is a bad sign, means you need to park immediately to save your engine.

happened to me too. try running the engine at idle (in your garage or somewhere convenient that in case it overheats, you are not in a difficult place to get help), try looking for unusual water marks (squirts) under the hood and on the floor. there should be none on the hood and the floor should have the one right under the a/c breather hose only or under your freon return line (sometimes if its really hot outside). when these happen, it would be easier to pinpoint the cause of the leak. also check your radiator fan if it is running and the thermostat plug might be loose therefore giving you intermittent overheats.

Did a fluid flush, new thermostat and coolant temp sensor...so far so good, but still anxious at red lights!

UPDATE:

Car overheated today. It had been fine since the new radiator and as soon as I got to work (30 min drive) the temperature shot up after I parked the car and left it running for 1-2 minutes. I popped the hood and the fans were on as they should have been. I revved the engine and the temperature fell rapidly. I shut the car down and I noticed that the overflow reservoir had shot out some coolant and there was a visible puddle on the ground under the nose of my car and running from the car on the ground.

I took it to my mechanic, he has no clue. He can only think that it might be a head gasket...which is about $800. I'm not comfortable spending that much money on a hunch. The water pump was replaced at 88,000 miles (car has 100,000 as of yesterday), so I don't think that is the culprit. The car isn't blowing white smoke, misfiring or running rough so I don't think it is the head gasket (unless it is the beginning of the head gasket problem).

Any ideas? I'm about to just sell the freakin thing...


Just to recap, this is what I have changed:

Fluid
Coolant temperature sensor
thermostat
radiator and cap
water pump (12,000 miles ago)

a head gasket job is less than $100 if you do it yourself.

Yeah, it sure sounds like a blown head gasket. Consider compression testing the cylinders and doing a leak down test.

Is there a DIY on it? My neighbor is a mechanic, maybe I can give him $200-300 to do it for me. I'm not THAT mechanically inclined...

ORIGINAL: Act of God

Is there a DIY on it? My neighbor is a mechanic, maybe I can give him $200-300 to do it for me. I'm not THAT mechanically inclined...


If you have the pressure gauge, it does not seem too difficult. Here is the forum DIY compression test:

http://www.hondacivicforum.com/m_386770/tm.htm

Sorry, due to the evil HCF forum virus, I cannot post the text for the leak down test.

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii320/RonJ_HCF/picture_1252.jpg

linky no worky :(

linky no worky :(

http://www.geocities.com/dsmgrrrl/FAQs/leakdown.htm

Mechanic called today and asked for another day with the car. He said they replicated the overheating but have NO clue what is causing it.

Whooopie!

He has no clue. Fluids tested clean and now they can't replicate the problem. They told me to drive it around and bring it in when it's overheating.

Did the mechanic do a compression test or a leak down test?

It is puzzling to me that the mechanic wants you to drive the car until the engine overheats when he has already replicated the overheating problem. You might consider taking your Civic to another mechanic.

He did an extended compression test under load and checked the fluids/tested them for coolant/exhaust. Everything came out fine. I'm stumped.

Are you still having the overheating problem? If so, maybe it would be helpful to briefly summarize what has been tested or replaced up to this point.

No problem, I replaced the following:

Thermostat
Coolant temperature sensor
Radiator
Water pump (12,000 miles ago)

Car still randomly overheats. It even overheated with the mechanic there at 2 separate places and neither could figure out why.

The car is losing coolant, but we cannot identify where. There are no leaks to be seen and testing of the fluids indicates that the head gasket is ok (along with the aforementioned compression test).

Is it possible that there is a problem with the new water pump?

Is there anyway to tell other than taking the whole thing apart and trying a new one?

Car hasn't overheated since the last time (3 weeks ago). Yesterday I opened up the radiator to check the fluid level. I hadn't driven the car for 2 full days. As I opened the cap it basically exploded coolant and air out in a moderately sized splat. The fluid was as topped off as it could and the reservoir was all the way to the top as well.

What the F*ck?

You should not have pressure in the radiator with the engine absolutely cold. That really suggests a leak in the engine. There is a test kit made to analyze the gas in the radiator and see if it is combustion product from a leaky head gasket, or just air.

I believe you may have air in the system. At least it is an easy thing to rule out. Get the front of the car on an incline, with the radiator cap at the highest point. Take off the radiator cap and fill with 50/50 water antifreeze. Start the car, turn the heater to full hot and wait for the thermostat to open. You can tell the thermostat has opened when the upper radiator hose and the lower hose are both at the same temperature. If the radiator gurgles/spits it has air in the system. Rev the engine and the air will blow out. You may have to do this a few times to evacuate all of the air bubbles. You should only see fluid circulating evenly and noislessly as you peer down the filler neck. If there are no gurgles/spits ever, and you can watch the flow increase smoothly with RPM's, as you would imagine your water pump spinning faster with engine speed, then everything is good. I think your thermostat failed originally, as evidenced by no heat when you turned on the heater, and then air was trapped during that replacement. When the bubble gets trapped in the thermostat housing there is insufficient thermal information to the thermostat itself to open. Just a guess, but worth 30-45 minutes of effort and a few ounces of antifreeze.

Ed,

I just tried this. The car took FOREVER to get to speed with the heat blasting. It was holding at about 1/4 (little higher) until I turned the heat off for a bit to get the temp up to operating.

Once at operating temperature it didn't look like the fluid was moving at all. The fans never kicked on either...which was odd. I started revving the engine with the throttle and every once in a while the fluid would swirl, raise, start to overflow and I would let off the throttle. Once I did that, it receded and then let out a bubble. If I didn't touch the throttle nothing would happen.

The entire time, once the car was up to operating temperature a faint white mist was coming from the radiator opening. This was almost unnoticable.

When the radiator released the gas bubble, did the coolant level drop substantially? If so, did you top off the radiator and reservoir with coolant after the procedure? Did the procedure eliminate the overheating problem?

The coolant level remained the same. I haven't driven it since the procedure, as I am literally scared to death of driving more than 5 miles from my house in the car.

I'm throwing my hands in the air, it's going to Honda tomorrow for a diagnosis.

Sounds like an issue with your thermostat, make sure you keep fluids in there until you get it fixed or you'll burn up your engine quick.

Sounds like an issue with your thermostat, make sure you keep fluids in there until you get it fixed or you'll burn up your engine quick.

Post #27 in this thread listed parts already replaced. Among these was the thermostat.

i have a bmw as a DD and it overheaded when ideling....
it turned out to be the a/c condensor fan... not the cooling fan inside the engine... i don't know if civics have them since i am new but that fiixed my bmw... but change the coolant if not.. its good to change that crap anyways... replace the thermostat while ur there... it will be better for the car

HO-LY ****!

I am sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo screwed. Honda diagnosed the problem immediately. The car needs a new cylinder head (top of the engine). The block is fine. They also said that the radiator my mechanic put in wasn't honda approved (sounds like bs) and the thermostat went again (fried itself out).

They quoted me at $4,200 and then told me I shouldn't do it....lol

What do I do?

What finding by Honda led to the conclusion of a bad head/head gasket?

They didn't say, I'll ask when I go pick up the car.

I talked to an independent shop run by a friend of mine, she said around $1,900...but said I could prob get a new engine for like $1,000 and another $1,000 to install. Still a little high for me, I might just wait until there's a cool day and trade it in.

buy a new head... or hell jsut getta new engine

forget honda dealerships they will cost you more than double the price ... just find a local shop or hell get some detailed instructions anddo it yourself

I'm really hesitant to dump another $1,000+ into the car. This is actually the second Honda Civic that screwed me over exactly at 100k miles (previous one was a 1994 ex coupe and the transmission went at 100,001 miles).

I might donate it, trade it in, or craigslist it cheap.

Sorry I haven't kept up, I kinda forgot about this thread as I wasn't notified when there was a reply. (my bad)

Ron's question is key: What exactly led to the diagnosis of a "bad head". When you pay the dealer's rate for diagnostics you are entitled to see, hear, smell, touch their findings. It is not that they are withholding this information, but are sometimes not used to customers wanting to know fully what is going on so that they can do a logic check before committing funds/work to the repair. I have nothing against dealers; they are usually the most informed diagnosticians on the product for which they are most familiar. That is why they are paid well, just like a specialist in the medical profession. I have a very good friend that is a Master Mechanic in a Toyota dealership and he must constantly go to school to remain up to speed on the latest technology, etc. Knowledge does not come cheap, as anyone with an upper level education can attest. I digress; ask the dealership exactly how they reached this conclusion, as Ron suggested, then report back here.

One other question: After the burp of the air bubble, did you drive it for a while and replicate the problem? I cannot tell by the posts that you did, and I wondered if the problem had the same frequency or had diminished slightly. In addition, head gaskets can sometimes “open up” at temperature given that the thermal coefficients are at work, so the somewhat random nature of this fail may point to that as the cause. I guess I am a little su****ious of a head failure without removing it from the car and checking the deck for flatness, etc. They may have witnessed a hairline crack somewhere though that was seeping coolant which would call for a replacement. This is unknown at this time. I believe you should get more informed and ask more questions and trust your power of observation a little more before you commit a bunch of money with an engine swap. This may be repairable with less funds than you believe with the correct assessment.

I will call them as soon as I get to my office. I did not drive the car after doing the open air bleeding. I figured nothing really happened so I just parked it.

If the car only is randomly doing this, would I be able to drive the car throughout the winter? I'm thinking that if it is cold (NY) the car shouldn't overheat until next spring/summer...at least I could get some use out of it. what do you think?

No, overheating is independent of outside ambient air temperature except to a small degree. The coolant temperature is indicative of what is happening within the engine and the outside temp has very little to do with that. Sorry. Getting it fixed properly and nailing down the cause is the only way to peace of mind and reliance on your vehicle again.

the cold tempature outside won't keep your engine cool.... only a proper coolant system can

I called the place, he had no answer. He is going to talk to the guy who diagnosed it and get back to me...whoopie!

Ok,

The technician said that he ran a test on the car that checks all the seals and it was apparent that the car was running without ANY anti-freeze for a period of time (news to me). The insides warped and 90% of these cases need a new head. He also said that the dipstick was welded to the car (again, news to me).

His advice, get rid of it.

have you replaced the water pump? it might be that.
have you checked all hoses for any leaks?
Are there any leaks inside your car under the dash? both passenger and drivers side?
if you see no signs of leaks inside the car or in the engine comparment then it might be that your engine is cracked, due to overheating. It can be one of the cylinders that is chipped or it can be the cylinder gasket thats worn out. and it can be leaking into your engine, if so you will need a new engine!.
The same problem happened to me. i kept on fixing everything until i got tired, and took it at honda for a diagnostic test and they told me this

so basically, my life sucks.

You can try a new head gasket. That may fix it or it may just be a waste of money, if it turns out the engine is cracked or warped. Continuing to drive while overheated will almost always crack or warp the engine.

so basically, my life sucks.

That's really unfortunate. Attempts at engine repair run the risk of throwing good money at a lost cause. You may want to look into getting the best trade in value in conjunction with the purchase of a new or used car.

I think my only options right now are to do a trade-in or to get a new engine. Dealer said 4,300, which means I can probably get it done for $2,000 at an independent shop. Even if I sell it after that, I might make money money overall.

I think my only options right now are to do a trade-in or to get a new engine. Dealer said 4,300, which means I can probably get it done for $2,000 at an independent shop. Even if I sell it after that, I might make money money overall.

Yeah, I understand. The potential risk is that the $2000 investment will not end up fixing the problem, and I am also not sure a mechanic could or would guarantee the work.

honestly i dont think its the best idea to get a new car. well it really depends on ur budget really.
i am in the same situation right now, wether to keep my civic and just buy a new engine or buy a new car. now if i buy a new car, im gonna be in debt and have to make payments more than 200 a month for about 4-6 yrs if u think about it. but if i fix my car and just buy a new engine i will be saving alot more money and i owe no money for my car. so i would be debt free once i pay the engine.
i found stock 1.6 b16b sohc dual stage v-tec for 700.00 and i know some one that is gonna install it for me in one day for 200.00. so to me dats worth it and better deak than buying a new car.
if you want i can give u the number of where i got the engine..its some place in california, and they gave me free shipping.

but yet again yes it is a great risk in spending that money and still have problems with the car, dats why a new car would be great! no problems guaranteed, and u have warranty for a while, so you know nothing is going to happen to the car.

I can definitely afford to fix it, I just hate spending money on **** like this. I got the car today, the dipstick was fine...I have no idea what they were talking about. The readout said:

Further diagnostic need as in line for tear down to review condition of cyl. head. If needed repair est for cyl head and above listed is $3,982. Additionaly to install correct radiator est. $516.

Completed cyl head test. charge system diag run. proved veh. seems to req therm asmbly hd. gskt., spool falve, fr gskt.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I found a local honda place (Lake Town Motors) that said he could probably mill the head and change the gasket for 700-800. I'm gonna take it there and see what he says.

...The readout said:

Further diagnostic need as in line for tear down to review condition of cyl. head. If needed repair est for cyl head and above listed is $3,982. Additionaly to install correct radiator est. $516.

Completed cyl head test. charge system diag run. proved veh. seems to req therm asmbly hd. gskt., spool falve, fr gskt.

I would ask Honda to provide a clear account of what they did and what they found to conclude that the head/head gasket is bad. This information above is very difficult for the lay person to understand.

well i dont know how they did a diagnostic test and then tell you they need more tests done to see if cylinder is ***** up.
most likely it is.. and i would rather just get a brand new engine if im gonna pay 700- 800 dollars to fix the gasket or w.e .i think dats too much first of all and i deffinately dont think thats gonna repair ur overheating problems. if ur cylinder is messed up and fluid went into it already ur engine is DONE!
whats the yr, make and model of ur car? and what engine does it had originally

It is a 2002 Civic EX. I believe that has a VTEC 1.7L

o man ..damn a 2002 , with those kind of problems..
well i dont know what to tell you. have you taken it to do the other tests they said they were gonna do on the car??
cusz i mean, an engine for that car is gonna be at LEASt 2000

I took it to an independent Honda Shop here on Long Island. They can't replicate the problem and have no idea. He said the car runs perfectly. They presented me with two options:

1. Do a head gasket job, mill the head, etc $700-800 with no guarantee that is what is wrong.

2. Remove the thermostat and have me drive it around to see if that is what is wrong.

I have replaced this thermostat once this past winter and once again in June. He thought that when I rev the engine (to make the temp go down) it might force the gate open and let the car cool itself.

Should I just say screw it and do the head job or go with the cheap possible solution first?

Given that the problem will not replicate now it seems unlikely that you have a mechanical failure such as warped head, water pump, or even headgasket, as I have not seen them 'heal' themselves after a time of non-operation but there is always a first. Question: When you were replacing the thermostats, were you using genuine Honda replacements or AutoBone aftermarket junk or something like that? In addition, at the risk of repeating myself and belaboring this point, are you sure you evacuated all of the air after these changes? What I am wondering now is if the last bit of air has been belched after all of these hands and diagnosticians have had a chance to look at the car. It seems unlikely that Honda would have misdiagnosed an air bubble, but again, there are always firsts. This problem potentially could point to a ‘lazy’ thermostat that may be opening/closing intermittently and differently depending on who-knows-what. I had this problem in my Toyota pickup truck once; it was a bear to diagnose. I know that you have been thinking about new engines and cars, and I know your frustration level has to be maxed out by now, but perseverance will pay off and at least you will not bail out on this car unnecessarily without understanding firstly what the root cause of the problem is. This latest mechanic sounds as though he wants to do sound troubleshooting first before throwing parts at the problem. That approach is always best. I would suggest driving the car with the thermostat in for a while, just to be certain that you can replicate the problem at all. It may have been air all along….if not, you can take the thermostat out and try that approach. Very little time/money will be wasted with this approach. Please post the findings, even if you end up with a new car so that we will know what happened.

Good luck, and keep hunting,

Ed Fisher
Dallas, Tx

I picked up the car yesterday sans thermostat. The shop is about 20 minutes from home, the temperature stayed just below 1/4 most of the ride. When I got home it rose to the usual operating temperature (between 1/4 and 1/2). Kinda sucks having no/crappy heat, but maybe this will clue us in on something.

I remembered something else. This winter I was having issues with the heat. When the engine wasn't revving the heat would go cold. I took it to my shop and they said that the thermostat housing was cracked. They changed it, along with the thermostat (Honda). When June came and the car overheated, they replaced the thermostat with a non-Honda one.

Is that significant? Seems odd that I would have no heat when in traffic, and the car would overheat when in traffic and both would be remedied by revving the engine...

Just drove to work (25 min). The temperature, again, stayed low while I was traveling and went up to normal operating when the car was at lights or parked. I popped the hood when I got to my office and the temp held at normal temperature but the fans were not on. I also could smell coolant and the reservoir was full to the top. I didn't see any coolant leaking, however.

This sounds about right for driving with no thermostat. The fan should cycle on and off at lights, but it doesn't need to run for very long to keep the temperature down.

You need a thermostat so the engine warms up to be able to deliver hot coolant to the heater. Flushing your heater core might also improve the heater performance.

No overheating but there is still coolant around the engine bay after a 20 min drive (reservoir level rises near top). What could cause it to rise like that? I'm wondering if it constantly loses fluid this way until it gets low enough to make the car overheat. Then, I bring it to the shop and they top it off....repeat.

One possible explanation for an abnormal rise in coolant level in the reservoir is a faulty radiator cap.

By the way, note that the discussion in this thread now seems to have come full circle.

The radiator cap was replaced with the radiator...its band new and the condition hasn't changed since changing the radiator and cap.

The radiator cap was replaced with the radiator...its band new and the condition hasn't changed since changing the radiator and cap.

If you are confident that the radiator cap is not faulty, then overflowing of the reservoir could be caused by engine over-heating or coolant system over-pressurization caused by entry of exhaust gas into the cooling system due to a bad head or head gasket. Given that you haven't noticed any over-heating lately, the latter possibility seems more likely, leading again to the bad head/gasket theory. The circle continues.

If you are confident that the radiator cap is not faulty, then overflowing of the reservoir could be caused by engine over-heating or coolant system over-pressurization caused by entry of exhaust gas into the cooling system due to a bad head or head gasket. Given that you haven't noticed any over-heating lately, the latter possibility seems more likely, leading again to the bad head/gasket theory. The circle continues.

ahh, now it is becoming clearer. I'm going to drive the car another week before I go back and get the thermostat put in. I guess it is the head/gasket. oddly, the guy at the Honda place said it isn't really a weak spot on these civics. sucks for me.

I suppose the over-pressurization could also be shown by the way the system remains pressurized even after sitting a few days?

Sorry for the circle, I'm just trying to make sure I don't drop 800 on something that isn't necessary or won't even fix the problem. That would REALLY suck.

I apologize. My questions and comments are meant to help rather than make the situation worse. It's clearly a tricky problem.

My point is that, because nearly every possible scenario for an over-heating problem has been covered in this thread, one (or more) of the already mentioned components is most likely at fault. The question is which one? At this point, making the assumption that a recently replaced part must be fine limits your ability to solve the problem. You now must assume that any logical cooling system component (new or otherwise) mentioned in this thread could be the cause of your problem.

I also think that, in general, conclusive tests have not been done on your Civic. For example, what rigorous tests led Honda to conclude that the head/gasket was bad. None that I can tell. I would ask for a refund. With all of the money thrown at mechanics thus far, you really should have a good idea about the cause of the over-heating problem. It's unfortunate that you don't.

its probaby the head gasket that is worn out...or its probbaly one of your pistons has a crack on it and anti-freeze is going into your engine and most likely if that happens you might need your engine replaced...what i would do is get a compression test done to see where the problem is coming from. you can also just spend $100.00 to find out what is the exact problem by taking it to a honda service center and getting a FULL diagnostic test done. what i would recoomend for you to do, is to get a new radiator, new hoses, new thermostat, thermostat switch, new water pump (could be that it messed up due to constant overheating) and alot of anti-freeze. when your car overheats like that is probably telling you to add some more anti-freeze (next time your temp. shoots to (H) open the hood and pour some anti-freeze and watch the temp go down.. if that doesnt work then ITS DEFFINATELY one of your sensors. probably ur o2 sensor...or sumtin like that.

Compression test was A-ok

Car overheated again today after a 30 min traffic-ridden drive. Mechanic says the overflow is either the rad cap (unlikely as it is new and same crap happened with old radiator/cap) or the head gasket.

Looks like I'm spending 700-800.

a. Do not let the gauge go up to (H) in any case. Once it starts to move above normal, pull over and stop the engine and let it cool off.

b. NEVER EVER open the radiator to pour in coolant when the engine is hot. Though a new engine is kind of expensive, it is nothing compared to ER bills.

With my car, I can just rev the engine and the temp goes down....it's all kinds of messed up!

Ok, car is with the shop. I hadn't driven it since tuesday when it overheated. Before I took it to the shop today I popped the hood and opened the rad cap. As usual, there was pressure in the system that came out with a "whoosh" and fluid. The coolant was at MAX level and the reservoir was FULL...even though the car hadn't been driven in 2 full days.

Weird things bro's, weird things

So is the plan for this shop to replace the head gasket? Good luck. I hope the mechanic fixes the problem for you.

sorry to hear this, mine blew earlier this year and took my radiator with it 8/ be careful with your mechanic, replacing the head gasket is something that shouldn't be taken for granted. Cracks and warping are common with hondas and aluminum blocks. if you have access to an engine hoist find a cheap running stock engine and just drop it in your car. good luck

So is the plan for this shop to replace the head gasket? Good luck. I hope the mechanic fixes the problem for you.

Yea, it really is the only thing left that could be producing the problem (according to them). They are Honda/Acura specialists, so I gotta trust them. I got their name off this site.

hopefully this will help.

i have the same problem but it occurred after i replaced the timing belt and water pump.

everything was fine before this. now, i'm adding to the radiator every couple of days to bring the levels up. otherwise, all the coolant will boil out.

when i was changing the water pump, i had a major concern. how to add coolant behind the thermostat. because coolant drained out when the water pump was removed, it would only be able to be filled when the thermostat opens (when the engine coolant is hot) which could be too late. an air pocketon warm-up could allow the head to get too hot before the thermostat opens.

when i replace the head gasket, i'm going to try vacuum filling the system to prevent this from happening.

good luck act

Any updates? If they have the ability to check the water pump while they have the engine apart, it might be worth inspecting it. Aftermarket/non-OEM water pumps have a somewhat high failure rate.

i have the same problem but it occurred after i replaced the timing belt and water pump. everything was fine before this. now, i'm adding to the radiator every couple of days to bring the levels up. otherwise, all the coolant will boil out. when i was changing the water pump, i had a major concern. how to add coolant behind the thermostat. because coolant drained out when the water pump was removed, it would only be able to be filled when the thermostat opens (when the engine coolant is hot) which could be too late. an air pocketon warm-up could allow the head to get too hot before the thermostat opens. when i replace the head gasket, i'm going to try vacuum filling the system to prevent this from happening.

You should turn the heater lever to full heat and drain the coolant from the radiator prior to removal of the water pump.

After installation of the water pump (and timing belt) is completed, there is a proper procedure for bleeding the cooling system of air. This procedure differs among Civic generations.

Are you sure your head gasket is bad? Is it possible instead that your water pump is leaking?

bro u would have been done with all this along time ago..all you gotta do is take it to the honda service center. it takes maybe a couple of hours or up to one day for them to check whats wrong with your car. and it only costs 100 bucks. that way u know exactly whats wrong with your car. and stop wasting money on other ****..

I finally heard back from my mechanic...head gasket at the 3rd cylinder failed. They sent the head to be milled and put it all back together. I should have her back by monday for a cool $700...plus the $7,465 I paid in diagnostics ;)

I finally heard back from my mechanic...head gasket at the 3rd cylinder failed. They sent the head to be milled and put it all back together.

That's comforting news. I wonder why previous compression and leak down tests did not detect this problem?

...plus the $7,465 I paid in diagnostics ;)

I hope this is not a real cost! Just curious, what was the approximate cost for diagnostics work that preceded the current job?

Thats a problem that I had. I knew my headgasket was leaking and finally it was overheating everyday because the coolant was getting replaced with exhaust gases. Since I had 300,000 miles on it, I had the engine rebuilt for $1200 instead just doing the head job. Of course I had to pay 300 buck more to r/r the motor. I would have done it myself, but my driveway is on a slant plus I would had to get an engine hoist.

That's comforting news. I wonder why previous compression and leak down tests did not detect this problem?



I hope this is not a real cost! Just curious, what was the approximate cost for diagnostics work that preceded the current job?

Good question Ron. I would say the costs leading up to this was:

New Radiator/Cap ($250)
2 New Thermostats ($30)
New Coolant Temp Sensor ($ I forget)
Coolant ($15)
Honda Diagnostic ($110)
Lake Town Motors Diagnostic/Remove thermostat ($75)

Thankfully, the first two independent shops didn't kill me for diagnosis since they couldn't find out what the problem was. Also thankfully, the car didn't need a new cylinder head. $tealership FTLL.

I can't wait to get the car back, commuting in the S2000 gets old fast. Plus, I hate racking up miles on her. Plus, Sirius is in the civic.

New Radiator/Cap ($250)
2 New Thermostats ($30)
New Coolant Temp Sensor ($ I forget)
Coolant ($15)
Honda Diagnostic ($110)
Lake Town Motors Diagnostic/Remove thermostat ($75)


its a shame mechanics are such butt holes i would have done all of that for $300 bucks and a case of beer, my advice is look at problems yourself and think about practical maintenance you can do yourself with your vehicle, not only does it save you the money but you may learn something new. just some food for thought

Its good to hear that they think they finally got it fixed.

its a shame mechanics are such butt holes i would have done all of that for $300 bucks and a case of beer, my advice is look at problems yourself and think about practical maintenance you can do yourself with your vehicle, not only does it save you the money but you may learn something new. just some food for thought

I am definitely well-schooled on cooling systems now, so that's a plus. The guy said it was obvious what the HG went at the 3rd cylinder when he opened it up, so there shouldn't be any more problems. Now I don't have to sell it, yay!