OT overheating Honda

[Jubilee85 (VA)]

I need a few good ideas - bought my middle son another old honda civic...(dont ask) anyway - this 93 is in great shape for a 17 year old car, it just had a new WATER PUMP, new RADIATOR, new timing belt, new brakes and new tires...runs great. Problem is on long trips...like 25+ miles it will get "hot" If looking at the gauge it gets very close to RED - if you run the heater it will drop a good bit....

Fluid is full - Overflow container is full - to the mark.

I am thinking about taking thermostat out for a day and see if it will get "that" hot....I have been told that generic thermostats have a high failure rate.

Anyone have another idea? I do not think it is the head gasket....runs "cool" for 15-20 minutes...then slooooly climbs and stays until heater is cut on. Both fans come on, they run for 5 minutes after car is off......

 

[Paul N Texas]

Definitely replace the T-stat. That should have been done with the other work. The T-stats today, are like other parts, kind of hit and miss if you don't buy a good top of the line part. I've put as many as 4 in before before telling the boss to spend the money, and get a good one. Check for a slipping belt also. There should be a little flex in it, but not loose. Double check the radiator, and make sure there is no rust or other junk that has broken loose, and stopped it up. Water pump could be bad, especially if it is a rebuilt. With a head gasket, you might see air bubbles in the radiator after if has come up to temp, or smell water/antifreeze in the exhaust. Might also find water in oil. Lots of possibilities, but I would start with T-stat

 

[Caryc]

I have an old 1989 For van that I use a lot. When it blew a head gasket all the mechanic needed to do was pull off the oil fill cap from the tube and look at the water vapor beads on the under side of it to know that there was water in the oil.

He was correct.

 

[Hobo,NC]

Sum'n to think about,,, coolant absorbs the heat air takes it away...

You can take the fans off and throw them away if its not idled long are used in city driving.... they have no useful function above 35 MPH... I would look hard at the air flow for the rad,,, is it blocked are restricted,,,, has the front bumper been change to a style that does not allow air flow thru the grill opening....

 

[Bob Purinton]

Make sure all of the air is out of the cooling system. Airpockets will cause circulation problems.

 

[Jubilee85 (VA)]

I read this somewhere else too Bob, I read online somewhere that there is a "plug" on the head to do this......how would one do it? Run the car and slowly remove the bolt and let coolent leak a little ? I dont have the car with me, my son is driving it to me this upcoming weekend - I will have a much better "look" at it. Thanks

 

[lha]

I had a similar prob about a month ago on my toyota truck,was going down I-40 about 90mph,went from lower side of halfway to near red.I pulled off road,and waited about 10 mins,opened cap slowly and about 2 20 oz. bottles of water later,it cooled down,then ran hot until I replaced thermostat with a Murray.I don't know if that's a good brand,but that's all I could get.So far,no probs,we'll see.---lha

 

[Jubilee85 (VA)]

This Friday I will get a change to "look" and or replace the thermostat....I hope it is it!!! Tired of buying cars for kids !!! And I got another to go .....thanks for the info

 

[Hobo,NC]

Support yer local Honda dealer,,, use a OEM stat and stat seal....

Burp'n it may be a challenge,,, I have a tool that pulls a vacuum and does the fill no burp'n needed...

No fancy tool,,, use a tooth pick to wedge the stat open a tad... run and fill...

 

[Ken(Ark)]

(quoted from post at 09:47:09 10/26/10) I read this somewhere else too Bob, I read online somewhere that there is a "plug" on the head to do this......how would one do it? Run the car and slowly remove the bolt and let coolent leak a little ? I dont have the car with me, my son is driving it to me this upcoming weekend - I will have a much better "look" at it. Thanks

New to me is a 95 model . I dont know about the honda's and hope I never do , he he , but a see a lot of newer cars have a small bleeder screw on the T stat housing .

If you dont bleed the air they overheat or so I hear . I would like to state for the record that I know very little on this topic so dont bet the farm on my account .

 

[Hobo,NC]

The issue is either the heat core are rad are higher/lower than the engine,,, they trap air... it should have a bleed bolt on the T-stat housing...

 

[Jubilee85 (VA)]

The only thing I can see to bleed was the temp gauge housing....almost afraid to torque on that !