rustydud

This is all related to my 2000 Acura Integra GS (electric blue), with 99,500 miles on it. I bought this car used 2 years ago. Yes you read correctly, it has under 100,000 miles on it :-) Anyhow here's my scenario:
April 2013 – radiator was leaking. I changed it (myself).
Two weeks ago – I saw my overfill reservoir for my antifreeze was not up to the “filled” line. I added a 50-50 mix of antifreeze / distilled water into the overfill reservoir. I do not know if this is related to what’s ultimately happened.
6 days ago – I parked my car at my house and noticed a huge pool of antifreeze leaking out of my car. I cleaned it up but took no further action. I thought maybe I overfilled the radiator and the overfill was dumping it out.
3 days ago – It’s 97 degrees outside. I’m driving back from work and *oh sh*t* I notice the temperature gauge on my car steadily rising. As soon as it hits red I had the car pulled over and stopped. I limp my car over to the auto mechanic.
2 days ago – He tells me the problem is the radiator is cracked. I explain to him that I changed the radiator myself last year so the culprit can’t be the radiator. The radiator has a hairline crack across the top.
Yesterday – He replaces the radiator and then says there’s a bigger issue: the head gasket is blown. I say what the hell how is this. Bubbles come up from the radiator when the cap is off is what the explanation is from him and his mechanic. Today I went ahead and told them they can go ahead and change the head gasket - 600 or $700 he says it will cost. He said I could drive it but he’s sure it is the head gasket and the problem will occur again.
Any opinions on this??

ramboPandA

if its a blown head gasket. It will be blowing out smoke. Did you see a lot of smoke coming out? And you can smell it to.

rustydud

My dumba** didn't tell him to turn the car on. The mechanic claimed no coolant/antifreeze has yet to get into the cylinders - but it would soon - so there is no evidence of water in the oil and no smoke coming out of the tailpipe - yet.

TheRealTegger

I agree with your mechanic. The typical Honda failure involves exactly the symptoms you describe and what your mechanic said.

First it blows bubbles in the coolant. You won't see any smoke out the tailpipe at first, because the leak is only in one direction (out).

Tight-R

^^^^this

vartok

Any time you get the car above 3/4 on the temp, you run the risk of blowing a head gasket... Readline is almost a sertanty on it blowing, these aluminum heads warp easy... Make sure he has the head resurfaced insted of just replacing the gasket. Also, do not reuse the head bolts... My advice is go ahead and swap over to arp studs, as they can be reused.