KayGrier

I have a 99 civic with a 98 civic motor in it. Other day car started to over heat then temp hand went back down. Once I got almost home temp hand raised to hot again, When I pulled over it started to smoke like stem an sound like boiling water in the rev tank. Also noticed a leak under the car on the passenger side near the radiator. Let the car sit and Added more coolant then it did it again. Need help trynna figure out what's wrong. HELP ME!

h2392si

Could be a bad thermostat, radiator fan switch, air in the cooling system, bad radiator cap, bad radiator, blown head gasket etc. Try the first simple possible solutions. If you must drive it be sure to turn the heater on to take some of the heat away from the engine. Good luck.

KayGrier

Hooked up the fan to the battery it worked, then I turned my ac on the right fan worked other didn't, Just curious to We're would the leak be coming from thoe also?

h2392si

Could be your reservoir tank boiling over and spitting out the coolant. It could be a leak in the radiator, etc. You'd have to find itby going 1 by 1.

Former User

You need to post pictures showing where the leak is.

KayGrier

Okayy I will post pictures in the mouring. This the only one I have right now

Former User

Some pics from the top of the engine bay would help, for example the highest points where you find coolant.

KayGrier

I've changed my thermostat car is still running hot an leaking coolant on the passenger side near radiator. Should I replace the radiator?

Former User

Why haven't you posted pictures of the leak site? You can't get any reliable advice without posting those pictures.

KayGrier

It's hard to get pics off, it gets wet near my headlights cause the tank boils. And also it look like it coming from the bottom of the radiator

KayGrier

NotARaCist

iTrader: (1)

Those small puddles at the bottom of the radiator make me think the plastic end tanks have started to separate from the radiator itself. Fairly common problem with these cars.

f15Civic

^ What he said, if you have a clear evidence that its leacking from the radiator then you need to replace it. If you can wait a few days order one from Rockauto otherwise get one from Pepboys, Autozone or your local autoparts.

Former User

All pointless guesswork until OP posts pictures of location of leak site(s).

NotARaCist

iTrader: (1)

What I'm saying, RonJ, is that looking at those spots on the radiator, I think that is the leak site. At least, one of them.

Former User

You posted a very reasonable suggestion. I'm just concerned about the OP's lack of effort in this thread. Why should our members be placed in the position of throwing out wild guesses when OP just needs to locate leak site and post picture of it?

NotARaCist

iTrader: (1)

Here's how it'll work, because here's how it always works. We get half of a picture from the OP. We give the OP a full solution, based on that half picture. OP spends the time and money on that solution, then comes back wondering why the full problem isn't fixed. We drag the second half of the picture out of them, and then they have to go back again and put more time and money into it to fix the problem.

It's how it is. It's how it'll always be. I've given up trying to get the full story from people at this point. If they want to give it to us, they will. If they don't want to give it to us, we shouldn't have to drag it out of them, and their "punishment" is a two hour job becoming a week long event. I'm sitting here in an air conditioned room, with a fully functioning car. At the end of the day, they're the one with the problem, and the onus is on them to give us the information we ask for.

Former User

I plan to continue to press for required details here and other threads. If they don't come, threads will be locked.

Cobb2819

If it's leaking somewhere, it sould be easy to diagnose. Make sure the cooling system is full, and free of air (burped), and then squeeze a rad hose. If it gets wetter somewhere, I'd think we found your problem. I'd say to make sure that the engine is warm to build pressure (eval water). This literally happened to me last night, and I had splash marks all over the front of the engine and airbox. Tank and Core separated at the top near that black foam pad. Squeezed upper hose, pad saturated in water.

NotARaCist

iTrader: (1)

You do your awesome blue thing, I'll do my awesome bittervet black thing, and maybe one day this place will be less of a clusterfuck

Former User

Ambitious!

NotARaCist

iTrader: (1)

I just said less of a clusterfuck, not clusterfuck free

Former User

Less is good.

KayGrier

I'm working on getting better pics, help me out a lil bit im kinda new to this.

Former User

Do you need help using your camera? Use a flash, and work on good focus.

Do this:

1. Engine off.
2. Use a towel to clean up all visible coolant in the area you think is the source of the leak.
3. Use a funnel to carefully fill the radiator and reservoir with coolant. Clean any spillage as this may confound your observations.
4. Watch carefully for 10 minutes with engine off for a leak. If you detect leak, trace source and take pictures.
5. If no leaks appear with engine off, start engine and let it idle. Again, watch for leak. Trace source if found and take pictures.