Antifreeze leaking into oil after spending a total of $4000. What would you do
07-09-2014, 08:50 AM
#26
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Re: Antifreeze leaking into oil after spending a total of $4000. What would you do
Umm....whats wrong with just filling it up to the top of the radiator, leave the cap off and run the car to check for any combustion bubbles? I don't need this to fill up a radiator, just a funnel or a a simple trick of pouring the gallon of honda coolant a different way.
07-09-2014, 10:07 AM
#29
Re: Antifreeze leaking into oil after spending a total of $4000. What would you do
those funnel kits are awesome for bleeding. you can have plenty of antifreeze in the funnel, and if there is extra, it has a stopper so you dont spill toxic fluid everywhere. i thought they were stupid until i used one... theyre great
07-09-2014, 10:23 AM
#30
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Re: Antifreeze leaking into oil after spending a total of $4000. What would you do
I'm just **** about standing there and watching my fluid get sucked in. Kinda remind me this yr would make 3 yrs of me owning this civic, time to flush.
07-09-2014, 10:50 AM
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Re: Antifreeze leaking into oil after spending a total of $4000. What would you do
So back in December I bought a 1993 Honda Del Sol from a guy for $1000. I knew it was going to be a project car, but I really didn't know what I was getting into at the time. Since then I've spent just about $3000 more fixing things. Here's a list of most things that I've done, I'm know I missed a few small things here and there, but it should give you a good idea.
Google Drive
So as you can tell, there was a lot of constantly working on it from January to March, then it finally stayed running, legal, etc. for 2 months. Then just the other day, the radiator had a small crack at the top, no big deal. Swapped in a new radiator, filled her back up, got an oil change the next day and everything ran more or less fine since then. That is, until 01JUL. I went to the gym, which is about 10 - 15 minutes away. Everything was going fine. Was in the gym for a little over an hour. Plenty of time for the car to cool off.
Drove to the shop about 3 minutes away from the the gym, ran inside for a few minutes, then started to head back home. About 5 minutes down the road, the car is at 100% hot. I pull over, rig the radiator fan so it's on in auxiliary, then sit around and wait for the car to cool down with the hood open before refilling the radiator and driving home with the fan rigged and the heater on. I made it back without it getting TOO hot and let it sit for the night.
The next day I check the radiator again and the antifreeze isn't at the top. I decided to fill it back up and burp it again. Did that, no problems. Drove it around for 10 minutes and it's at 100% hot. When I pulled over, I noticed that the fan wasn't coming on, even though it seems like it definitely should have, so I was thinking maybe the temp sensor was shot. I replaced that and boiled the thermostat that I just replaced a few months ago (it opened) and the car still overheated in about 10 minutes with the fan rigged and heater on full blast. I took a look at the oil, and it looked fine, but it was WAY over the full dot, so I drained some and let it sit overnight. The next morning I checked it again and it was back to being WAY over the full dot and there was no more antifreeze in the radiator.
This leads me to believe that the antifreeze is getting into the oil. Now my question to anyone who bothered to read all this is what would you do? I don't really have the resources to swap an engine if it turns out that the block is cracked, so I'm trying to decide if I should just sell the car for whatever I can get for it, or try to do something about this myself.
I've had it suggested to me that I should try and replace the head gasket, but there was no smoke coming from the exhaust, so I don't know if that could still be the problem.
If you do think I should sell it, what do you think I could get for it? Aside from all this, the car doesn't really have many problems. I've got another tab on the google spreadsheet that has a list of issues I can think of, but they're really all pretty minor, aside from this current issue. I've been uploading pictures of my car on photobucket while fixing things, and just added a few more today to give you an idea of what kind of condition the car is in.
1993 Honda Del Sol on Photobucket
tl;dr: I've been fixing problem after problem on this car since December. I've spent about $4000 in total on it. Now antifreeze is getting into the oil, while no smoke is coming from the exhaust. I have access to a car hobby shop on an Air Force base, so I have most the tools I would need to fix most things, but I don't have any way to transport an engine anywhere, nor the funds to buy one ATM, so an engine swap isn't really something I could realistically do at the moment. What would you do? Click the links above for pictures of the car, a list of everything I've fixed, and the problems I can think of that the car still has.
Google Drive
So as you can tell, there was a lot of constantly working on it from January to March, then it finally stayed running, legal, etc. for 2 months. Then just the other day, the radiator had a small crack at the top, no big deal. Swapped in a new radiator, filled her back up, got an oil change the next day and everything ran more or less fine since then. That is, until 01JUL. I went to the gym, which is about 10 - 15 minutes away. Everything was going fine. Was in the gym for a little over an hour. Plenty of time for the car to cool off.
Drove to the shop about 3 minutes away from the the gym, ran inside for a few minutes, then started to head back home. About 5 minutes down the road, the car is at 100% hot. I pull over, rig the radiator fan so it's on in auxiliary, then sit around and wait for the car to cool down with the hood open before refilling the radiator and driving home with the fan rigged and the heater on. I made it back without it getting TOO hot and let it sit for the night.
The next day I check the radiator again and the antifreeze isn't at the top. I decided to fill it back up and burp it again. Did that, no problems. Drove it around for 10 minutes and it's at 100% hot. When I pulled over, I noticed that the fan wasn't coming on, even though it seems like it definitely should have, so I was thinking maybe the temp sensor was shot. I replaced that and boiled the thermostat that I just replaced a few months ago (it opened) and the car still overheated in about 10 minutes with the fan rigged and heater on full blast. I took a look at the oil, and it looked fine, but it was WAY over the full dot, so I drained some and let it sit overnight. The next morning I checked it again and it was back to being WAY over the full dot and there was no more antifreeze in the radiator.
This leads me to believe that the antifreeze is getting into the oil. Now my question to anyone who bothered to read all this is what would you do? I don't really have the resources to swap an engine if it turns out that the block is cracked, so I'm trying to decide if I should just sell the car for whatever I can get for it, or try to do something about this myself.
I've had it suggested to me that I should try and replace the head gasket, but there was no smoke coming from the exhaust, so I don't know if that could still be the problem.
If you do think I should sell it, what do you think I could get for it? Aside from all this, the car doesn't really have many problems. I've got another tab on the google spreadsheet that has a list of issues I can think of, but they're really all pretty minor, aside from this current issue. I've been uploading pictures of my car on photobucket while fixing things, and just added a few more today to give you an idea of what kind of condition the car is in.
1993 Honda Del Sol on Photobucket
tl;dr: I've been fixing problem after problem on this car since December. I've spent about $4000 in total on it. Now antifreeze is getting into the oil, while no smoke is coming from the exhaust. I have access to a car hobby shop on an Air Force base, so I have most the tools I would need to fix most things, but I don't have any way to transport an engine anywhere, nor the funds to buy one ATM, so an engine swap isn't really something I could realistically do at the moment. What would you do? Click the links above for pictures of the car, a list of everything I've fixed, and the problems I can think of that the car still has.
why do you keep overheating the **** out of it till its 100% hot?
the funnel thing isn't necessary.
you live in a place that never gets super cold to warrant a thermostat and you drive it everyday? ditch the thermostat. chop the middle out and put the rest of it back in. leave it forever.
but what I would do is swap engines already. find another engine, pressure test it. go.
the reason ive kept my civic for forever is the simplicity. although its a bit more complicated now...still relatively simple compared to the other cars I own
07-09-2014, 11:16 AM
#32
Re: Antifreeze leaking into oil after spending a total of $4000. What would you do
I had this problem with a 93 del sol si D16z6 engine. It was probably just a head gasket but it could also have been a hairline cracked block or head. I got a lower mileage running engine for cheap, moved over my new water pump, etc. I kept the old block wrapped in plastic for spare parts or if I ever want a project or to sell off some day. You could have it inspected later for cracks or practice on it or have it built for boost or scavenge sensors, etc. Labor costs for the swap are not too bad if you don't have the room. At least you have a factory tight engine. Get an engine out of a automatic donor car and it probably hadn't been revved to death.
07-09-2014, 02:19 PM
#33
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Re: Antifreeze leaking into oil after spending a total of $4000. What would you do
@MrMugottu, The fluid inside the funnel I have was moving more violently than it used to when I was bleeding it last time. So maybe it is just that...
@Fnix, I guess in the big scheme of things I haven't, but double what the car is worth is still a bit of money.
@shotoutacc0rd, I agree with you, I bought one of those when my bypass hose busted and I needed to refill it. That funnel is amazing for coolant work.
@eghatch9295, thanks for the website. If I do end up having to replace the head, I'll have to check that website out.
@tony_2018, As was said, there's nothing really WRONG with how you do it, but that funnel does make it a little easier to make sure there's NO air in the coolant. As for filling it up a lot, that's how I am with this current problem. I think I'm definitely suspecting the head gasket, and possibly, but hopefully not, the whole head.
@marshun, I thought I posted a few pictures about the oil in that photobucket link, but I guess I didn't. I'll upload them now. It didn't look milky to me. I haven't been overheating it until it was 100% hot, just the first time, but it has gotten really hot a few times. I was just wanting to make sure it was actually getting hot and not just the car being in Virginia during the summer. It does get cold here during the winter if last winter was any indication. How would you be able to get a good pressure test on a car in the junk yard that's probably missing parts. Or are you suggesting I just find a craigslist car that's been totaled from the back but still starts?
@delsolintegra, where did you find an engine? I might consider just doing an engine swap if I can figure out how to get the engine from wherever it would be to the hobby shop I can work in, but that's the hard part...
@Fnix, I guess in the big scheme of things I haven't, but double what the car is worth is still a bit of money.
@shotoutacc0rd, I agree with you, I bought one of those when my bypass hose busted and I needed to refill it. That funnel is amazing for coolant work.
@eghatch9295, thanks for the website. If I do end up having to replace the head, I'll have to check that website out.
@tony_2018, As was said, there's nothing really WRONG with how you do it, but that funnel does make it a little easier to make sure there's NO air in the coolant. As for filling it up a lot, that's how I am with this current problem. I think I'm definitely suspecting the head gasket, and possibly, but hopefully not, the whole head.
@marshun, I thought I posted a few pictures about the oil in that photobucket link, but I guess I didn't. I'll upload them now. It didn't look milky to me. I haven't been overheating it until it was 100% hot, just the first time, but it has gotten really hot a few times. I was just wanting to make sure it was actually getting hot and not just the car being in Virginia during the summer. It does get cold here during the winter if last winter was any indication. How would you be able to get a good pressure test on a car in the junk yard that's probably missing parts. Or are you suggesting I just find a craigslist car that's been totaled from the back but still starts?
@delsolintegra, where did you find an engine? I might consider just doing an engine swap if I can figure out how to get the engine from wherever it would be to the hobby shop I can work in, but that's the hard part...
07-09-2014, 02:40 PM
#34
Re: Antifreeze leaking into oil after spending a total of $4000. What would you do
You can call local scrap yards, tell them what you're looking for and have them call you when they get one in. Tell them you would like to hear it run, low mileage, out of an automatic car, etc. When they get civics in their scrap yards the first thing they do is pull the engine and store them inside. They know how popular these engines are. Or you can get a local mechanic shop to bird dog it for you. You might want one with a tranny and clutch if stick.
Kids are bending these cars all the time after putting a lot of money in them.
They tend to hit curbs and bend suspension parts but the engines are good.
You might want to look for an Integra and do a B18 swap or a B20 swap?
These cars are a lot more fun with a little more torque.
Good luck.
Kids are bending these cars all the time after putting a lot of money in them.
They tend to hit curbs and bend suspension parts but the engines are good.
You might want to look for an Integra and do a B18 swap or a B20 swap?
These cars are a lot more fun with a little more torque.
Good luck.
07-09-2014, 02:54 PM
#35
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Re: Antifreeze leaking into oil after spending a total of $4000. What would you do
I recently had an overheat on my '95 DX with a D15B7. I read this thread which helps with the diagnosis - https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-civic-del-sol-1992-2000-1/%2A%2A%2A-basics-cooling-system-101-%2A%2A%2A-1992588/
Anyway, I'm about to use this rented tool that checks for carbon monoxide (e.g. exhaust gases) in your coolant http://www.autozone.com/autozone/acc...er=391378_0_0_
You have to buy some fluid for about $8 to use with it. Check Youtube for videos showing how it works. If the fluid turns yellow, then you have an exhaust leak into your coolant, therefore most likely a blown head gasket.
Anyway, I'm about to use this rented tool that checks for carbon monoxide (e.g. exhaust gases) in your coolant http://www.autozone.com/autozone/acc...er=391378_0_0_
You have to buy some fluid for about $8 to use with it. Check Youtube for videos showing how it works. If the fluid turns yellow, then you have an exhaust leak into your coolant, therefore most likely a blown head gasket.
07-09-2014, 03:48 PM
#37
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Re: Antifreeze leaking into oil after spending a total of $4000. What would you do
water turns to steam. If water is coming into the combustion chamber steam will come out of the exhaust, the ol white smoke.
Compression check would be my first task.
Losing coolant is usually from a hose in my experience. Doesn't take much of a leak to loose a lot of the course of a few weeks.
Compression check would be my first task.
Losing coolant is usually from a hose in my experience. Doesn't take much of a leak to loose a lot of the course of a few weeks.
07-09-2014, 04:15 PM
#38
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Re: Antifreeze leaking into oil after spending a total of $4000. What would you do
water turns to steam. If water is coming into the combustion chamber steam will come out of the exhaust, the ol white smoke.
Compression check would be my first task.
Losing coolant is usually from a hose in my experience. Doesn't take much of a leak to loose a lot of the course of a few weeks.
Compression check would be my first task.
Losing coolant is usually from a hose in my experience. Doesn't take much of a leak to loose a lot of the course of a few weeks.
07-09-2014, 04:17 PM
#39
Re: Antifreeze leaking into oil after spending a total of $4000. What would you do
im glad you did the radiator test. it is confirmed you have a blown head gasket. But do not fear. the hardest part of the whole process is slipping the timing belt on and off. unless you wanna take off the crank pulley.
fairley easy to do. i promise!
fairley easy to do. i promise!
07-09-2014, 04:18 PM
#40
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Re: Antifreeze leaking into oil after spending a total of $4000. What would you do
Definitely compression test first. I think you can get them at autozone or wherever
07-09-2014, 04:59 PM
#41
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Re: Antifreeze leaking into oil after spending a total of $4000. What would you do
when you check your oil is it milky?
why do you keep overheating the **** out of it till its 100% hot?
the funnel thing isn't necessary.
you live in a place that never gets super cold to warrant a thermostat and you drive it everyday? ditch the thermostat. chop the middle out and put the rest of it back in. leave it forever.
but what I would do is swap engines already. find another engine, pressure test it. go.
the reason ive kept my civic for forever is the simplicity. although its a bit more complicated now...still relatively simple compared to the other cars I own
why do you keep overheating the **** out of it till its 100% hot?
the funnel thing isn't necessary.
you live in a place that never gets super cold to warrant a thermostat and you drive it everyday? ditch the thermostat. chop the middle out and put the rest of it back in. leave it forever.
but what I would do is swap engines already. find another engine, pressure test it. go.
the reason ive kept my civic for forever is the simplicity. although its a bit more complicated now...still relatively simple compared to the other cars I own
07-10-2014, 08:49 AM
#42
Re: Antifreeze leaking into oil after spending a total of $4000. What would you do
Pull all the spark plugs and check their color. If one looks especially clean than it may have been steam cleaned by the hot coolant. Than you can guess where the head gasket may have leaked (if it's a head gasket problem). If it is a hairline cracked head or block than all the plugs may look normal ( tan). If the upper radiator hose is rock hard when the engine is warmed up and idling than you know exhaust gases are mixing with the coolant. If there's bubbles in the coolant overflow bottle at warmed up idle again exhaust gases mixing with coolant. How many miles are on the original engine?
07-10-2014, 02:16 PM
#44
Re: Antifreeze leaking into oil after spending a total of $4000. What would you do
I think it's harder getting the timing back on point*even when you loosin the tensioner when u re release it sometimes it's a tooth off.
Everything else is pretty duck soup.
Take off intake.
Take off valve cover.
Remove cover for timing belt.
Slip off timing belt
Unbolt exhaust manifold.
Make sure you use a template when you remove the head studs. Put them back exactly where you got them from.
Change gasket. Bam!
You got this!!
Everything else is pretty duck soup.
Take off intake.
Take off valve cover.
Remove cover for timing belt.
Slip off timing belt
Unbolt exhaust manifold.
Make sure you use a template when you remove the head studs. Put them back exactly where you got them from.
Change gasket. Bam!
You got this!!
08-01-2014, 04:38 PM
#45
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Re: Antifreeze leaking into oil after spending a total of $4000. What would you do
Sorry for commenting on such an old post, but I went on a 2 week vacation right after posting, and just came back. I was able to take the past 3 days off of work and nearly the entire 3 days in a hobby shop I have access to for $10 a day. Day 1 I pulled everything, got the head to a machine shop, and cleaned a bit. Day 2 I cleaned more picked up the head, took off the timing belt, and replaced all the other gaskets that came with the head kit. Day 3 I put everything back together and lashed the valves. I fired her up and she's running great, only problem I ran into was that I put the washers on the fuel rail on in the wrong order like an idiot so it was leaking a little gas. Figured that out and drove it home. Would have gone for a longer ride, but there is a hell of a leak in the driver side window and it was raining like crazy. I'm optimistic that I won't have any more issues though since the head was flat and the pistons/valves were fine despite a timing belt failure I had a few months back. I think the gasket failed due to the previous owner running straight water instead of antifreeze and letting it sit for a few months with that in there. It made the entire coolant system pretty rusted, and it looked like the head gasket was rusted.
08-10-2014, 12:12 PM
#47
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Re: Antifreeze leaking into oil after spending a total of $4000. What would you do
Nah, the water pump should be good. I replaced it when I did the timing belt just a few hundred miles ago.
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