dmemenza

iTrader: (3)

Hi,

I have a coolant issue that I need some technical opinions or expertise from some of the gurus on this Honda/Acura forum. I have a 98 LSVtec Integra. Love it! About 2 weeks ago, I was heading to work in the AM and noticed that my temp gauge was at about a little over half. I immediately stopped the car and it cooled down some. I took a chance and drove it home (roughly 1/4 mile) and parked it. I let it cool off some and then went out to check it. I popped the hood and checked the radiator and coolant reserve. The coolant reserve was empty. I checked the radiator and it seemed a little low also. Put some coolant in both. I started looking around the engine bay for anything out of ordinary and found a little coolant puddle on the driver side of my engine, where the head and block meet, right under the timing belt and water pump. So, I've done some reading and some that have experienced some of the symptoms similar to mine have mentioned it being a bad head gasket and some have said it was a faulty water pump. There were other symptoms of a faulty head gasket mentioned, such as white smoke from the tailpipe with no notice of a coolant leak and a milky residue in the radiator. These I did not have. Only the coolant leak right by the timing belt and water pump.

Chancing driving it again, I went ahead and very slowly took it over to the auto shop that has done some recent work to my car. There was still coolant in the reserve and the temp was behaving a lot better the drive over there. The mechanic took a full day to check it out and he finally concluded that a new head gasket is needed. He suggested getting the head gasket kit, that also comes with intake+exhaust gaskets, valve cover gasket, etc., etc. Considering what I mentioned is going on with my car, coolant leak by timing belt and water pump and engine running hot, wanting to overheat, what would you all suggest is the likely cause of my issue, in your professional opinion? Faulty water pump or could it be indeed a head gasket? I'm afraid the auto shop is trying to take me for a ride and charge me for head gasket when it could be completely something else. Folks that have had head gasket issues have seen similar issues as I am seeing, however, they also see the milky residue along with the white smoke from the tailpipe. I'm only seeing coolant leak and high engine temps. I notice a slight engine bogging as well (a little more than usual) when I had to drive the car recently (taking it to the shop).

If its not too much trouble, if you all could share you professional experiences/thoughts with this...any insight would be extremely helpful! I'm going to try and stop by the shop tomorrow to try and take some pictures of the engine also.

Thanks in advance for all the help!

Thanks,

- DM

tony_2018

Inspect the water pump weep hole.

thewrai6th

Your shop should have done a leakdown test (not a compression test), to determine if the head gasket was blown. Otherwise they are just guessing like we are. If your cylinders are not leaking through the radiator cap (symptom of blown HG), it may be a bad water pump.

You won't always see steam/water vapor from the tailpipe, and it won't always mix with the oil. It sounds like a head gasket, but you should make sure before you replace either one. Neither one is a very quick or easy job. When you/they take the head off, make sure the block and head are flat and not warped. Your shop should be able to do this for you.

I would recommend replacing the head bolts. They tend to stretch and not seal the 2nd time.

tamboo

if it needs a head gasket you still should have the water pump/tensioner/timing belt all replaced while it's apart unless it was done within the last few years. i went with the cheap gates belt and koyo tensioner. go with gates blue belt if you have extra $50 or so. gates water pumps now made in china though it doesnt say so on the pump. had one recently crap out after just 5 years so never again. only made in japan pump i could find was npw so i went with that.

dmemenza

iTrader: (3)

thanks a lot for the feedback everyone...really appreciate it! The head mechanic at the shop mentioned the same about replacing the timing belt and head bolts as well, since they have to take everything apart to do the head gasket anyway and head bolts stretching, so should replace those. He also mentioned, since doing timing belt, might as well do water pump. And he wouldn't charge extra since they gotta take all apart anyway and put it all back on once their done with the head gasket. Head would be sent to a machine shop to check its straight, flat and true and not warped. That runs anywhere from $220-250.

I'll probably move forward with it then....I was just afraid that they were perhaps being dishonest (Only needing a water pump/timing belt vs the whole package) and trying to charge me for things I actually really didn't need.

Thanks again all!!

Thanks,

- DM

wunfstgsr

I bet you 100$ its not a bad headgasket but just the old water pump leaking, its not to hard to replace the water pump, use honda bond not that cheap auto store liquid high temp gasket use honda bond. Shops love to tell people there heads blown so they can get more money out you, Try replacing the water pump its only $100. coolant wouldnt seep out like that if it was a bad head gasket you would see a mix of oil and coolant like brown color.

dmemenza

iTrader: (3)

^ Thanks man.....this is kinda what I was afraid of. Its hard to find an honest mechanic or shop for that matter nowadays. I actually called a few shops in the area just to do water pump and timing belt and was quoted anywhere from $500-$600. I've already given the go-ahead to do the work, so no turning back. They actually started doing the work yesterday. So, it looks like they got at least an extra $300 out of me to do the all gaskets, head bolts, water pump & timing belt. If they are being dishonest about the whole thing, perhaps they'll be honest about my head needing to be milled and won't charge me for that, at least. Hoping here...

Anyhow, thanks a lot for all the feedback guys, sincerely. Maybe I should pick up a Helms book and start doing all this stuff myself. I'm pretty good with my hands and I have heard Helms are really good guides to do a lot of the work on vehicles.

Thanks,

- DM

tamboo

word to the wise: gates pumps now made in china supposedly.
just had one go after only about 60k/5 years. nothing on the pump as to where it was made tho.
went with npw pump and toyo tensioner for made in japan goodness.
got another gates belt as the old one was like new. total parts cost: less than $90. woot!

dmemenza

iTrader: (3)

Nice!...very cool man, will keep that in mind.

Thanks,

- DM