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a replacement radiator wouldn’t hurt, but i’d make sure you got the correct rated radiator cap and a GOOD thermostat. If you’re replacing the radiator it might not be a bad idea to spend a few extra bucks on a quality t-stat.
Before replacing more parts I would carefully study the problem. Am I correct to assume that your car intermittently overheats, especially on a warm day or a long drive, spewing a mix of steam and liquid back into the coolant reservoir? What does your exhaust look like (ie any sweet smell or extra steam out the tailpipe?). When warm, does the coolant reservoir bubble gas while the engine is running? How is the engine running? When warm, can you feel the thrill of warm liquid flowing in the radiator return hose?
I’m wondering if you water pump impeller has broken. Try this. When the engine is cold, take the radiator cap off. If you can’t see the fluid, add water directly to the radiator through the cap opening so you can see fluid. Then start the engine with the cap off, and wait until the thermostat opens and you can feel warm water in the radiator return hose. Can you see liquid flowing inside the radiator? If you’re not getting much flow after that thermostat opens, it’s more evidence to suggest a bad water pump impeller. Have a look at the water pump. Any noises or wabble that shouldn’t be there? Any coolant dripping from under the water pump? How about internal heat — does your cab heater work ok?
After you’ve confirmed that the radiator (not just the reservoir) is full of fluid, did the problem go away? Has the water pump or timing belt in your car ever been changed? Hopefully this is just a water pump impellar problem, not something more serious like a head gasket leak.
I highly recommend you watch this video, don’t forget the most important step is to bleed the cooling system I’ll post a link for that as well.
Fans are working properly and the t-stat and the cap were from Honda. I only use genuine parts when working on this car.
However I should try my other cap again. The problem was they stopped selling the Nippon Denso version and they only sell the “toyo” brand…they say its the same but I am starting to wonder.
I will have to watch those videos.
It is strange, on some days I get a normal amount of coolant going into the overflow and other days when it gets really full the gauge never moves. I see no steam coming from the engine, infact it is almost like normal…
The coolant after I took the overflow out and filled the radiator back up went back to the same amount of fluid that I had in there on the previous nights. I did bleed the cooling system after I changed the petcock on the radiator. That was the only thing thhat was leaking coolant. The timing belt has been changed and probably not with a good part…the clutch chatters so I am sure that they messed this job up aswell…anyways thats another story.
Also it doesn’t appear to be any bubbling and no white smoke either…also my heat works really well. About the heater when I turn the heater off does all the coolant in the core get trapped there? or does it then get put back into the system?
Quoted From bk7794:
I will have to watch those videos.
It is strange, on some days I get a normal amount of coolant going into the overflow and other days when it gets really full the gauge never moves. I see no steam coming from the engine, infact it is almost like normal…
The coolant after I took the overflow out and filled the radiator back up went back to the same amount of fluid that I had in there on the previous nights. I did bleed the cooling system after I changed the petcock on the radiator. That was the only thing thhat was leaking coolant. The timing belt has been changed and probably not with a good part…the clutch chatters so I am sure that they messed this job up aswell…anyways thats another story.
Also it doesn’t appear to be any bubbling and no white smoke either…also my heat works really well. About the heater when I turn the heater off does all the coolant in the core get trapped there? or does it then get put back into the system?
Are you sure the rad cap is good and sealing?
How are the hoses going to the overflow tank?
When you turn the heat off that just blocks air flow through the heater core, coolant always passes through it unless it has a bypass valve.cap is genuine and brand new. It only does this sometimes so I am assuming that the cap is okay. Come to think of it, the heater was off all those times. So I wonder if its overfilled. Do you think?
Quoted From bk7794:
cap is genuine and brand new. It only does this sometimes so I am assuming that the cap is okay. Come to think of it, the heater was off all those times. So I wonder if its overfilled. Do you think?
Yes, that is very possible.
The timing belt has been changed and probably not with a good part…the clutch chatters so I am sure that they messed this job up as well…anyways that’s another story.
Can you explain this a little more clearly?
watch eric.s video’s….i would pressure test the coolant system,,,,does the engine any miss at idle? im thinking a slight blown head gasket myself…myself i would pressure check the system, compression check, and if something looks abnormal=leak down test…
@spelunkerd The clutch is not good quality so I am assuming the belt and water pump he put in isn’t that great either.
@hondaslave I watched his videos, but I will have to watch one of them again. Remember what I said though, I am not overheating on the
You still need to do the tests both pressure and the one for the combustion leak in order to be sure other than that your just guessing, auto repair is a science not a guessing game. Perhaps before you do those tests and I suggest you bleed the cooling systme according to the procedure in the video as you could still have some trapped air, air in the cooling system is the #1 cause of cooling system problems. Good luck.
I know that you gotta find the problem, and sometimes thats half the battle. Thanks to all that helped.
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