overheating help
- Thread starter madmike91
- Start date
RonJ
Banned
I know you don't want to hear this, but you could destroy the engine if you keep driving while it is overheating.well yesterday it ran fine now its overheating again
RonJ
Banned
A clue to a possible leak. Start looking for it.oh just to put this in 1 night i ran over a possum and the when it started to overheat it did hit the radiator
1993DX
New Member
But is it wet from leakage, reservoir boil-over, or a rad leak? The pressure test will most likely tell you. The standard procedure calls for it to be pressurized for up to an hour. If you do have a leak there you'd see it during / afterwards as opposed to only knowing it gets wet after it's been overheating (eliminates the wet from boil-over scenario since you're doing it w/ the system cool).
Pull the spark plugs when you do it too. It will release the pressure in the cylinders and you'll see coolant pooling on top of your piston(s) if you have a hg break that spans from a cylinder to a water passage. Hopefully that isn't the case..
But do a compression test before the cooling system pressure test. If you have low compression, then see coolant in the cylinder after the cooling pressure test, you most likely have a blown hg.
I'm really thinking you won't see that though since you said it doesn't blow white smoke.
But if you MUST drive, do everything you can to help your motor.
- Carry coolant / H2O with you.
- Check the levels EVERY time you drive it (even if just going to the store 30 seconds down the road).
- Don't accelerate hard and coast as much as possible.
- Try to stay in open lanes or create more room from cars in front of you to get more air flow to the front of your car.
And lastly,
- Don't dive-bomb road side animals!!! lol
Pull the spark plugs when you do it too. It will release the pressure in the cylinders and you'll see coolant pooling on top of your piston(s) if you have a hg break that spans from a cylinder to a water passage. Hopefully that isn't the case..
But do a compression test before the cooling system pressure test. If you have low compression, then see coolant in the cylinder after the cooling pressure test, you most likely have a blown hg.
I'm really thinking you won't see that though since you said it doesn't blow white smoke.
But if you MUST drive, do everything you can to help your motor.
- Carry coolant / H2O with you.
- Check the levels EVERY time you drive it (even if just going to the store 30 seconds down the road).
- Don't accelerate hard and coast as much as possible.
- Try to stay in open lanes or create more room from cars in front of you to get more air flow to the front of your car.
And lastly,
- Don't dive-bomb road side animals!!! lol
"But if you MUST drive, do everything you can to help your motor.
- Carry coolant / H2O with you. "
should be careful though as to adding the coolant/water though, as adding cool/room temperature fluid to the system while the motor is hot could possibly crack the head i do believe. good luck man, had a blown headgasket in my civic about a month ago, was blowing out smoke like a chimney i had the same symptoms as yourself then one day smoke just started pouring out. got gradual then just boom it was done for lol. fixed it in about a week worked on it a little every day after work. good luck man, and be sure to pick up a haynes or chilton manual for your car, they are very useful!
1993DX
New Member
Thanks, I do my best to help out.^^^Needs to post more often in the tech sections.
So, madmike91 have you done any of the compression / cooling pressure tests?
1993DX
New Member
Well that sucks.. lol. But at least you have a starting point now.
I just did two head gaskets on two different '93 DX's in the last month. So if you have any questions, feel free to ask.
It's surprisingly easy. Really what soaks up the most time is cleaning the gasket surfaces. The entire process can be done by one person in a single day however.
One big time saver is the fact that completely removing the timing belt isn't absolutely necessary, it can just be slipped off (unless it needs to be replaced).
Otherwise, buy EVERYTHING you think you'll need before hand so you won't have to make those pace killing 10 minute trips to the parts store.
I just did two head gaskets on two different '93 DX's in the last month. So if you have any questions, feel free to ask.
It's surprisingly easy. Really what soaks up the most time is cleaning the gasket surfaces. The entire process can be done by one person in a single day however.
One big time saver is the fact that completely removing the timing belt isn't absolutely necessary, it can just be slipped off (unless it needs to be replaced).
Otherwise, buy EVERYTHING you think you'll need before hand so you won't have to make those pace killing 10 minute trips to the parts store.
1993DX
New Member
It depends on what you want to replace.. The head can be removed with the intake manifold and the exhaust manifold still attached, it's just pretty effin heavy, but no problem for two people to lift out.
Pulling the exhaust mani will make it easier to get to the block coolant drain bolt and power steering pump bracket bolts though. Sometimes the exhaust mani gasket can be reused, but assuming yours is factory it wouldn't hurt to replace it.
The only other things you really need is the hg and maybe a valve cover gasket. If you pull off the intake manifold you will need a new gasket for that. All of which are relatively inexpensive. Doing a hg isn't necessarily an expensive thing to do, it's more of a time consuming thing.
But like I said, it won't hurt to get everything up front just to make sure you're covered. It's better to have it and not need it, then to need it and not have it. Unused parts can always be returned later.
Regardless, have a manual in hand when you go to do it.
And like RonJ said, read over the procedure then ask specific questions..
Pulling the exhaust mani will make it easier to get to the block coolant drain bolt and power steering pump bracket bolts though. Sometimes the exhaust mani gasket can be reused, but assuming yours is factory it wouldn't hurt to replace it.
The only other things you really need is the hg and maybe a valve cover gasket. If you pull off the intake manifold you will need a new gasket for that. All of which are relatively inexpensive. Doing a hg isn't necessarily an expensive thing to do, it's more of a time consuming thing.
But like I said, it won't hurt to get everything up front just to make sure you're covered. It's better to have it and not need it, then to need it and not have it. Unused parts can always be returned later.
Regardless, have a manual in hand when you go to do it.
And like RonJ said, read over the procedure then ask specific questions..
madmike91
New Member
i read over the procedures and it looks fairly simple but i have a dx no power steering. so ima just take the intake and exhaust of and my valve cover gasket is still good.
But do i have to label the bolts on the head or can i put them back in in any order. also can someone explain the how to put the timing belt back on the head without removing it or having to re do the timing
But do i have to label the bolts on the head or can i put them back in in any order. also can someone explain the how to put the timing belt back on the head without removing it or having to re do the timing