93 civic overheating

#21

joannadixon (AT) gmail (DOT) com wrote:

Quote:

Wow, thanks for the quick response. I haven't driven my car today, so I
decided to test the fan. I let it run in my driveway for about 10 mins
and the temp began to rise. When the thermostat got to about 3/4 the
way to H, the fan kicked on for about 4 seconds and then off again. A
few moments later, it came on and then did not turn off again until I
turned the car off.

Even when the far was on, I saw no change in the temp on the
thermostat.

Does this seem to be leaning more toward a thermostat problem?

yup. or an obstructed radiator, bad water pump.

Quote:

Also, this may be a stupid question, but Jason recommended making sure
the radiator is full? How do I go about doing that? Is that different
than making sure the coolant reservoir is full?

definately. when the engine is cool, take the radiator cap off. push
down and to the left to unlock. the coolant should be easily visible, up
to the filler neck.

if it isnt? id add coolant premix (50% coolant, 50% distilled water) to
the top, as well as top off the reservoir.

then keep an eye out, because you probably have a leaky hose, especially
if the hoses are original.

Quote:

Thanks in advance,
Joanna

#22

joannadixon (AT) gmail (DOT) com wrote:

Quote:

Jason,
thanks for the info. I looked in the radiator and it has some green
colant liquid in there, but it's just a small ammout. Is it supposed to

yup- all the way full.

Quote:

be full to the top? I thought that if it needed more when it go hot, it
would just pull it from the resevoir.

just the opposite... when it gets hot, it expands and goes into the
overflow. when you shut the car off and it cools down, it will draw
coolant back in from the reservoir.

Quote:

If I need to fill it, can I use water even though there is coolant in
there...or should I use more coolant?

id probably just use coolant.

Quote:

(this is all in addition to the new thermostat, right?)

Sorry for so many questions,
Jo

#23

Jason wrote:

Quote:

Yes, fill the radiator to the top with water.

distilled water, preferably. regular water has too many minerals and
crap thats not good when boiled.

#24

SoCalMike wrote:

Quote:

joannadixon (AT) gmail (DOT) com wrote:

Jason,
thanks for the info. I looked in the radiator and it has some green
colant liquid in there, but it's just a small ammout. Is it supposed to

yup- all the way full.

be full to the top? I thought that if it needed more when it go hot, it
would just pull it from the resevoir.

just the opposite... when it gets hot, it expands and goes into the
overflow. when you shut the car off and it cools down, it will draw
coolant back in from the reservoir.

/only/ if the system is 100% airtight. that's why it's so important to
look in the rad, not just the bottle.

Quote:

If I need to fill it, can I use water even though there is coolant in
there...or should I use more coolant?

id probably just use coolant.

(this is all in addition to the new thermostat, right?)

Sorry for so many questions,
Jo

#25

In article <Tph1g.180$Ga.73 (AT) newsread4 (DOT) news.pas.earthlink.net>, "Elle"
<honda.lioness (AT) nospam (DOT) earthlink.net> wrote:

Quote:

joannadixon (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote
If I need to fill it, can I use water even though there is
coolant in
there...or should I use more coolant?

Have to disagree with Jason here. Use only distilled water
or OEM coolant. If you use the distilled water, you're going
to want to do a drain and fill of the system soon, since it
won't have the right concentration of anti-freeze in it.

Regular tap water has the wrong chemistry and may destroy
the water pump bearings, for one.

Elle,
Thanks for your post. I was not aware of that. I have always
used regular tap water. Do they use tap water or distilled
water at the Honda dealerships?
Jason

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We respect those subscribers that ask for advice or provide advice.
We do NOT respect the subscribers that enjoy criticizing people.

#26

"Jason" <jason (AT) nospam (DOT) com> wrote
Elle

Quote:

Regular tap water has the wrong chemistry and may destroy
the water pump bearings, for one.

Elle,
Thanks for your post. I was not aware of that. I have
always
used regular tap water. Do they use tap water or distilled
water at the Honda dealerships?

I think the dealerships use a pre-mix, OEM Honda coolant.
One can buy this at their parts departments. That's often
advocated here at the newsgroup, because Hondas have
something in the water pumps that is susceptible to, say,
Wal-Mart off the shelf, more conventional stuff like the
green Prestone and tap water. Silicates or something in the
more conventional anti-freezes go at the water pump parts.
The archives have much discussion on this. It's so serious,
and so known to be a problem, that one of the regulars here
calls the use of tap water in Honda auto cooling systems
"Hondacide."

Of course if it's an emergency, and all that is available is
tap, I'd go for it. Then I'd drain, flush, and refill after
fixing the problem.

I myself saw a premature water pump failure after using
Prestone green stuff in the late 1990s.

OTOH, instead of using the OEM pre-mix coolant from the
dealer I have been using the Havoline orange Dexcool,
advertised to be suitable for the Honda design since 2002,
after doing a thorough flush. A few others here use this as
well. For me, it's an experiment, based partly in knowing I
can change the water pump myself if there's a problem.

The matter seems to be one of those little idiosyncrasies of
Hondas.

#27

"Elle" <honda.lioness (AT) nospam (DOT) earthlink.net> wrote

Quote:

I have been using the Havoline orange Dexcool, advertised
to be suitable for the Honda design since 2002,

Oops. I mean I've been using the orange Dexcool since 2002.
I think the Havoline Dexcool labeling has always said
suitable for xyz engines such as Hondas.

#28

In article <uEu1g.3533$An2.1141 (AT) newsread2 (DOT) news.pas.earthlink.net>, "Elle"
<honda.lioness (AT) nospam (DOT) earthlink.net> wrote:

Quote:

"Jason" <jason (AT) nospam (DOT) com> wrote
Elle
Regular tap water has the wrong chemistry and may destroy
the water pump bearings, for one.

Elle,
Thanks for your post. I was not aware of that. I have
always
used regular tap water. Do they use tap water or distilled
water at the Honda dealerships?

I think the dealerships use a pre-mix, OEM Honda coolant.
One can buy this at their parts departments. That's often
advocated here at the newsgroup, because Hondas have
something in the water pumps that is susceptible to, say,
Wal-Mart off the shelf, more conventional stuff like the
green Prestone and tap water. Silicates or something in the
more conventional anti-freezes go at the water pump parts.
The archives have much discussion on this. It's so serious,
and so known to be a problem, that one of the regulars here
calls the use of tap water in Honda auto cooling systems
"Hondacide."

Of course if it's an emergency, and all that is available is
tap, I'd go for it. Then I'd drain, flush, and refill after
fixing the problem.

I myself saw a premature water pump failure after using
Prestone green stuff in the late 1990s.

OTOH, instead of using the OEM pre-mix coolant from the
dealer I have been using the Havoline orange Dexcool,
advertised to be suitable for the Honda design since 2002,
after doing a thorough flush. A few others here use this as
well. For me, it's an experiment, based partly in knowing I
can change the water pump myself if there's a problem.

The matter seems to be one of those little idiosyncrasies of
Hondas.

Elle,
Thanks.
Jason

--
NEWSGROUP SUBSCRIBERS MOTTO
We respect those subscribers that ask for advice or provide advice.
We do NOT respect the subscribers that enjoy criticizing people.

#29

Jason wrote:

Quote:

In article <Tph1g.180$Ga.73 (AT) newsread4 (DOT) news.pas.earthlink.net>, "Elle"
honda.lioness (AT) nospam (DOT) earthlink.net> wrote:

joannadixon (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote
If I need to fill it, can I use water even though there is
coolant in
there...or should I use more coolant?
Have to disagree with Jason here. Use only distilled water
or OEM coolant. If you use the distilled water, you're going
to want to do a drain and fill of the system soon, since it
won't have the right concentration of anti-freeze in it.

Regular tap water has the wrong chemistry and may destroy
the water pump bearings, for one.

Elle,
Thanks for your post. I was not aware of that. I have always
used regular tap water. Do they use tap water or distilled
water at the Honda dealerships?
Jason

they probably use 50/50 mix out of a 55 gallon drum.