Chillinit

Sup all,
I'm having a serious problem with my ride. It's on the verge of driving an already crazy person even crazier!!
Heres the low down.
Its a stock b16a(gen1) bottom end matted to a stock b18c1 head(I blew the bottom end of my gsr and this was the cheapest solution). I'm running a 18g greddy turbo, hondata s200b, gsr tranny, delsol dual core rad, stock thermostat, stock head gasket, stock oil cooler..etc etc.

Now here is the situation. When I'm driving around normally, everything is fine. Engine temp gauge doesn't move and egt are good(700-800°F). However, when I get on the throttle for a few runs, my engine temp begins to climb. I also notice that my reservior is overflowing. So I replaced my rad cap thinking that the system wasn't holding pressure, and the problem persists. I also noticed that my rad fan wasn't coming on all the time, especially when my engine temps were almost in the red(fan was still off). So last night I wired the fan directly and went for a run. Everything seemed fine until I got on the highway and gave it. SAME ****!! Does anyone have any idea what this problem could be?? I'm on the brink of driving my ride off a ******* cliff!! Any info would help and sorry for the long post...




Modified by Chillinit at 3:09 PM 6/15/2004

ek9vboi2

its ur thermostat, replace it and u should be good. or better yet, be a gangsta and take it out. CUT the spring, so it runs cool all the time...or till u can get a new 1

happened to a friend of mines...i replaced mines b4 i swap my motor in. its like 15 bucks or cheaper

Chillinit

I pulled my thermostat off my b18c1 block and put it in the b16a block. I presume they are the same..and its brand new!!??? Maybe it didn't seal/sit correctly.....I will open it up tonight and give that a shot! anyone else?

yellowturbo

hummm it sounds to me like a blown head gasket if your coolant reservoir is overflowing... this happen to me and some friends and it was alway the same...blown head gasket...

dont try to change your rad, thermostat and anything else who is related to your cooling system... im 99% sure...

Rollo Lawson

.

Chillinit

I was thinking head gasket aswell however all the other signs that should be present when your head gasket is blown are not there!! A good way to check is, you take off the rad cap and start the car. If the coolant start gushing out, you know your its blown. I have done this, no coolant comes out!!?? I also looked for coolant in my oil...nothing!! I removed my plugs to check for any signs of coolant being burnt...again nothing!! I'm ******* stumped!!...i even did a compression test....225 accross the board... ( for compression test)..... for the rest!

yellowturbo

there is a leak in your gasket only under boost ... or when there is a pressuration on your cooling system ... otherwise your car will be fine !

Believe me I saw your problem ( and all those symtoms ) more than once

yellowturbo

If you prefer...your gasket is not blown... but there is a place where the pressure can escape from the combustion chamber to the cooling system... this wont put any oil in your system or will not makes bubbles in your rad...but only put pressure in the cooling system under high load.

Chillinit

if this is the case, whats involved to fix this problem?? taking off the head, inspecing it, and retorqing everything?? I'm positive I torqued those bitches down to spec and in the proper sequence!! has anyone ever incountered a faulty head gasket?

Boosted Chemist

iTrader: (1)

maybe your head is lifting off the block under serious load, did u reuse your stock head bolts?

Chillinit

yes...i reused the head bolts....I'm running 8 psi

yellowturbo

you will have to take your head off, take it to a good machine shop to be sure that she is straight... and inspect your deck/sleeves to be sure that they are straight too with a filler gauge and a straight edge...

Buy a kit or ARP head stud... torque those to the spec and your set.

Chillinit

is there any possibility that this could be cause by the thermostat?

yellowturbo

Sorry to always reply loll but honnestly im sure that your thermostat is for nothing in this story...if you want tto be sure before removing the head just test it before...

Chillinit

would reusing my head bolts cause a problem at 8 psi with this turbo???? this is the first time the head bolts were reused....bump

G"UNIT

i sounds like a headgasket.. put arp head studs in and new head gasket and it should be good to go.. reusing head bolts want hurt any thing as long as the threads look good and there the right studs for your app.

Chillinit

I'm about to order the head studs. Does anyone know if they are the same between the b16a(gen 1) and b18c1 ??? The ARP part number my mechanic gave me is #4303...can someone verify this for me???

markaria

I made the mistake of reusing stock head studs...same description as your problem. my problem was at only 7psi. This time around I am using the arp's. Its very frustrating, I know. Good luck.

illicon2003

it's called headlift.....check your gasket/studs. As said above

boostismycrack

Listen to these guys, you have lifted your head, get new gasket, have shop check deck surfaces and get arps, never re-use factory head bolts in a boosted honda.

Johnyquest

Your symptoms are to the T exactly as mine are. Drives fine most of the time, but when I start boosting the motor, only sometimes, the cooling system will "fail." Coolant overflows into the tank, the tank usually overflows, the radiator fan doesn't come on either, and the system is uber-pressurized (hard as hell / hot as hell hoses). When the fan does come on when its in it's little 'moods,' the radiator blows cold air, i.e. doesn't remove any heat... I can't figure out what gives. Turning the heat on high always brings it back down, and if i leave the heat full blast it never overheats, but without the heat, it almost always does it.

It boggles me. Some days its fine, some days it acts up. When it's not moody, the fan works as normal, hot air from the radiator, stable temps. The thermostat is new, the coolant was just recently changed and system was flushed. The radiator is not clogged, the water pump was changed 15k miles or so ago so I know it's good. It's the third thermostat since the problem started so i'm sure none of these are the cause. The head on this motor has never been off. I'm clueless.

My only guess has been headgasket / head lifting... but... then where is the coolant in my oil? I just can't comprehend it.

Matt

boostincoupe

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Johnyquest &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Your symptoms are to the T exactly as mine are. Drives fine most of the time, but when I start boosting the motor, only sometimes, the cooling system will "fail." Coolant overflows into the tank, the tank usually overflows, the radiator fan doesn't come on either, and the system is uber-pressurized (hard as hell / hot as hell hoses). When the fan does come on when its in it's little 'moods,' the radiator blows cold air, i.e. doesn't remove any heat... I can't figure out what gives. Turning the heat on high always brings it back down, and if i leave the heat full blast it never overheats, but without the heat, it almost always does it.

It boggles me. Some days its fine, some days it acts up. When it's not moody, the fan works as normal, hot air from the radiator, stable temps. The thermostat is new, the coolant was just recently changed and system was flushed. The radiator is not clogged, the water pump was changed 15k miles or so ago so I know it's good. It's the third thermostat since the problem started so i'm sure none of these are the cause. The head on this motor has never been off. I'm clueless.

My only guess has been headgasket / head lifting... but... then where is the coolant in my oil? I just can't comprehend it.

Matt</TD></TR></TABLE>

Our problems are the same, to the T.

Chillinit

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Johnyquest &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Your symptoms are to the T exactly as mine are. Drives fine most of the time, but when I start boosting the motor, only sometimes, the cooling system will "fail." Coolant overflows into the tank, the tank usually overflows, the radiator fan doesn't come on either, and the system is uber-pressurized (hard as hell / hot as hell hoses). When the fan does come on when its in it's little 'moods,' the radiator blows cold air, i.e. doesn't remove any heat... I can't figure out what gives. Turning the heat on high always brings it back down, and if i leave the heat full blast it never overheats, but without the heat, it almost always does it.

It boggles me. Some days its fine, some days it acts up. When it's not moody, the fan works as normal, hot air from the radiator, stable temps. The thermostat is new, the coolant was just recently changed and system was flushed. The radiator is not clogged, the water pump was changed 15k miles or so ago so I know it's good. It's the third thermostat since the problem started so i'm sure none of these are the cause. The head on this motor has never been off. I'm clueless.

My only guess has been headgasket / head lifting... but... then where is the coolant in my oil? I just can't comprehend it.

Matt</TD></TR></TABLE>

Your description sounds like you are pulling the words out of my mouth bro. My **** acts up most of the time but not always. When I wired the fan directly and went for a run, I thought I solved it cause the temp was fine and things were running great. However, once i got on the highway and did a hard run(2nd, 3rd, 4th), that bitch temp gauge started climbing. I pulled over and checked the resevior, same ****..coolant coming out. And my engine bay temps were very low. Fan was just blowing cold air. So its gotta be the head gasket not sealing under load. I also turn on the heat and the temps drop.

As for no coolant in the oil, I don't think there will be any present given our problem. The cylinder pressure is escaping into the coolant passages under load however still sealing at idle. This is my inclination. I plan on ripping off the head(ONCE AGAIN ) and swapping those piece of **** honda head bolts...

illicon2003

I'd suggest using some arp head studs/bolts. The coolant in your oil is a consequence of head lift. The coolant is leaking through the area there. I'm pretty sure about this

Chillinit

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by illicon2003 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> The coolant in your oil is a consequence of head lift. The coolant is leaking through the area there. I'm pretty sure about this </TD></TR></TABLE>

there are no signs of coolant in my oil....