OVER HEATING, did search.. no help

[lil' puff]

ok, I have done searches... and though they have helped a little... still didnt help completely...

My car is reading btnw "normal" and "hot" on the temp gauge... seems to do it every other time I drive it. I replaced the radiator about 3 weeks ago.. had a crack in it (was only 3 months old, was defective) and replaces the thermostat at the same time. Have replaces the upper and lower radiator hoses about 3 months ago. I have been checked to see if I had a blown head gasket, and it was fine...

Ok, besides the temp gauge going from normal to just bellow hot, in a matter of seconds I might add... seems like my radiator over-flow will me up to the max, then the next day it is like almost to the top. I emptied the over-flow to see if it added anti-freeze by itself (from the radiator) well it did... within like a day of driving there was now about 2 inches in it... so I chekced the radiator for fluid, there was plenty. so I then added some to the over-flow tank to the "max" point.. I know there is not any extra air in the radiator... bled it out... but the damn thing is still over heating...

ANY SUGGESTIONS?

anyone heard of the temp sensor going out??

if the water pump goes out, besides "over-heating" are there any other signs?? my car is not leaking anywhere to my knowledge/sight

 

[true]

anyone heard of the temp sensor going out??

if the water pump goes out, besides "over-heating" are there any other signs?? my car is not leaking anywhere to my knowledge/sight

i had my sensor go out yes.. it does

i had a similar overheating prob before too.. but replacing the radiator and thermostat fixed it for me... try the sensor.. its cheap and easy to replace..

does the temp go down when you turn on either the A/C or heater?

im not sure about the water pump causing overheating tho...

 

[Beelzebubba]

Temp sensors go out but they usually completely fail.

Water pumps usually work as long as they are not leaking ...the exception is like BMW's that were built with plastic impellers that come apart.

You may still have a coolant passage blocked in your engine. Especially if you tried to use a product like Alumaseal to fix whatever made your radiator fail. I have had to gouge and dig that crap out of engines before.

 

[lil' puff]

Temp sensors go out but they usually completely fail.

Water pumps usually work as long as they are not leaking ...the exception is like BMW's that were built with plastic impellers that come apart.

You may still have a coolant passage blocked in your engine. Especially if you tried to use a product like Alumaseal to fix whatever made your radiator fail. I have had to gouge and dig that crap out of engines before.

bought it from some old lady... 1st radiator went out just due to age... the one that I replaced it with was cracked from the factory....

 

[Bangin' HB]

when does it overheat? idle, hard driving, all the time? have you checked if the fan works?

 

[lil' puff]

when does it overheat? idle, hard driving, all the time? have you checked if the fan works?

yeah, I have checked the fan.... works fine.... and as far as when it over-heats... it starts about 10-15 minutes after starting... could be driving down the road or on the free way... if I put my heat on it seems to drop back to normal for a little bit...

 

[WiggerMan]

mine did that and it was a air bubble... just try and re-bleed your radiator and see if that helps

 

[Bangin' HB]

when you put the heat on, it opens up the thermostat, and you said it helps a little when you do that. so my next guess would be check that. 3 things could be wrong with the thermo, 1)defective, it happens; 2) installed wrong, you gotta make sure that little knub thingy is on top; 3) possibly the gasket is on wrong and restricting flow or not letting it open freely. but i would follow wiggerman and rebleed. if you empty the resevior completly without leaving some in there, then the system could suck air into the rad and gove you a bubble. but it doesnt explain why it was acting up in the first place, unless you never had extra in the overflow and it sucked air in the beginning

 

[Going-West]

yea turning heat on full blast and opening windows can help....id check ur hoses and crap and if u cant find anything wrong take it in to the dealership or a mechanic o something.

 

[krazykoncept]

your overflow tank fill is caused by a bad radiator cap. Try changing it. If that doesn't help it sounds like a bad water pump. Signs of a bad water, temp goes up fast and fans come on very early and temp doesn't go down when idling. Also shooting water on the radiator doesn't help bring temp down. possible bad water pump. Oh a bad radiator cap can't make any pressure in the system in helping the cooling systems boiling point. Thats why rad caps have a pressure spec on them. 1 lb of pressure raises the boiling point by 3 degrees. Or maybe the seal is bad. I would try this first because it's cheaper then the coolant temp sensor.

 

[slambed_civic]

unfortunately i had the same problem. i changed the following: Water pump, timing belt (while i was in there), thermostat, radiator, all fluids, hoses, and check the heater core... it was my damn head gasket. i had a feeling from the start that it was but i didnt want to change it, but i ended up changing it anyway.

 

[lil' puff]

unfortunately i had the same problem. i changed the following: Water pump, timing belt (while i was in there), thermostat, radiator, all fluids, hoses, and check the heater core... it was my damn head gasket. i had a feeling from the start that it was but i didnt want to change it, but i ended up changing it anyway.

been tested for the head gasket... not that

as far as the radiator cap goes.... replaced it yesterday afternoon... so we will see how that does

 

[slambed_civic]

been tested for the head gasket... not that

as far as the radiator cap goes.... replaced it yesterday afternoon... so we will see how that does

how can you test a head gasket? yes i know you can pressure test a cooling system, but thats not very effective on a head gasket, there is a lot of pressure in there and things can go overseen with just mild pressure. the best way to make sure teh head gasket isnt blown is to replace it. as for the cap, it has to be functioning since youre getting a/f spewing out of the overflow, yes?

 

[civic94]

theres a fan swtch right byt the thermostat, they go out from time to time, i had that problem with
me honda, and it seem to fix it. try it.

 

[mugen_tuned]

one thing most people dont check in the cooling system, believe or not, is air bubbles that are trapped, try bleeding the air out and see what happens.

 

[o5mar1]

Alright check this out to check out if u got a blown head gasket do a leak down test its easy just go to pep boys or whatever store u likeand the gauges for a leak down test, presure gauge and a spark plug adapter . Ur also going to need an air tank. First u disable your ignition usualy by unpluging the connectors off the distributor. After that put no. 1 cylinder TDC compresion stroke. Once u achive that put 100 psi into that cyliner and if u hear or feel air coming out of the next cylinder from the one you are testing than u have blown head gasket. Now for you're overheating problem it sounds like a bad thermostat and or rad cap.