OK! so for the past 2 months my car has been acting weird.

It is a 2002 Honda Civic, mileage a little over 161k. I am aware that thigns will start to fall apart due to the high mileage..

I have taken my car to 3 different mechanics and no one can figure out the following:

The thermostat needle at times will start to go up to the big red H.
Yes, i have replaced the thermostat..yes i have plenty of water and Anti-Freeze. No, there is no leakage.

I put the heat on (because everyone says if your car starts to over heat put the heater on it will cool off the engine) but the heater throws out COLD air.
there is no smoke or smell when this happens with the thermostat needle.
what is wrong with my car???

and! this morning i heard almost a screeching noise when i turned my car on..i think it was my catalytic converter??? last night when my car was starting to " over heat" i heard a rattling noise..could this all be connected or it this just another problem?

i would greatly appreciate any ideas, solutions, advice!

help.

 

Does you fan kicks on when car is hot?, if not, change the fan switch.

Also check your control valve for the heater, it located behind your firewall in the engine compartment.

 

No...it does not turn on..when i try to turn on the fan it blows COLD air.
I wonder why the 3 mechanics didnt think to check the control valve...?
I hope this works!
thank you

 

You have a bubble of air in the engine, which is preventing hot coolant from circulating through the heater core. This usually also leads to a bubble of air in the radiator. You have to check the coolant level IN THE RADIATOR, not just in the white plastic tank. It is safe to remove the radiator cap only when the engine is COLD. The radiator should be full to the very top.

If not, fill it up and start the engine with the cap off. Put the heater on full hot. Watch and add more to the radiator as necessary to keep it full. This procedure must be done with the car parked on level ground or facing slightly uphill, so the top of the radiator is the highest point. After the radiator stays full, put the cap on and test drive.

Do not keep driving while overheated. Severe engine damage is likely.

If the bubble keeps reforming, (the radiator becomes low, yet the plastic tank stays full), the reason could be a bad radiator cap or an air leak in the hose between the radiator and the tank. The most common reason though is a blown head gasket, an internal leak in the engine.

 

wow!! thank you!! definitely going to relay this info to a mechanic tomorrow.
thanks again!

 

Most mechanics would know that already. The instructions I wrote are pretty generic to any car, they're not Civic specific.

 

really??? tomorrow will be the 4th mechanic my car has been to in the last 2 months..

 

its kalld "expansion valve" chek that. may not be lettin any hot coolant to ur heater core. clogged valve cud be a cause of overheating... now wen u mensioned noise in ur cat.. there migth be a misfire... that cud lead to overheating and cat failure.. chek for codes

 

Before you go anywhere, check the level in the radiator yourself.

 

ya as said above expansion valve