vgarcia25

2004 Honda Civic Ex Coupe
115,000 Miles

Here is the deal:
I was driving and when I got to my destination I noticed my car was steaming/smoking from the engine. I popped the hood and let it cool down. Later when I tried to go home, I didn't make it. Once I got off the freeway my car died. So I went the next morning to jump start it and poured water where the anti-freeze goes. I noticed that the hose was disconnected and there was a milky substance sprayed all over the engine, I made it home but again there was light smoke coming from the engine and again the hose was disconnected. I let the car sit for a week (since I was busy all week I used a gas hogger -__-) and replaced the radiator cap, since it looked kinda messed up, drained all the water/antifreeze left in the car ( if there was any) and poured in antifreeze. Then I let the car run for a while (30 min) to make sure the fans turned on which they did. I drove it around town also to see if it would over hear but it didn't. So I though everything was fine. Then. drove approximately 50 miles on the highway and it didn't over heat, but when I got off the exit the heating gage started going up signaling it was over heating. My friend was in the car and told me to turn on the heater, that cooled it down a little and got us to our destination. I popped the hood and saw that the hose was off again and steam was coming from where the hose connects. I let it cool and reconnected the hose. This time I tied it with a rubber band, all I had on me at the time. I let it sit for like 2 hrs then drove home (approximately 10 miles) and it overheated again, I know I shouldn't have drove it over heating but I had to get home. It was smoking pretty bad once I got home and actually stopped, again the the hose was off. I've noticed that it gets extremely hot where the headers are. I just drove it right now about 30 seconds (front of 4-plex to the back)

Can you guys help please? I'm guessing I should get a tie for the hose so it stops popping off, but I know thats not my problem. I've been doing my research on line and came to the conclusion its probably me thermostat, which seems to be the most common problem, or I have a blown head gasket. I don't think I have a leak since all the fluid is still in there, but hey what do I know, I'm driving around with an overheating car. Maybe I need to replace my hoses as well?? I don't know, any help/advice is highly appreciated. I tried to put as much detail as possible to help with diagnosing the problem.

Bxjay16

same thing is happening to me but i haven't found the issue, my guess is the head gasket

vgarcia25

Ok so reading around I did some tests.
I removed the radiator cap, turned the car on and put the A/C on full blast.
The fans didn't turn on and there was smoke coming from where the cap goes.
Also I think I might have poured too much anti freeze where the coolant goes. I poured it way passed the MIN/MAX levels. Can you guys tell me how to to drain it from the plastic container.

vgarcia25

PICTURES UPDATE
This is what it looked like after it over heated and it started spraying that stuff.


Here, that whole, where the radiator cap should be is where the smoke is coming from when I turned the car on to try and burp it.

lazlong

You have the classic symptoms of a bad headgasket. For confirmation, have the mechanic check for exhaust gas in the coolant. Your looking at about $500 for the fix. And while they're in there have them do the timing belt/waterpump as most of the labor is the same.

DO NOT drive it until you get it fixed or you will ruin your engine- if you haven't already. The more times you overheat it the more you're warping the heads and possibly the block. You warp it too far and they can't machine it smooth, which means you'll need a new one.

MarkM01

Fans not coming on is definitely a problem. Resolve that first.

With the car at temp, and with the a/c on , no fan is running?

vgarcia25

The fan has not been coming on. I've tried it several times. Although they did come on yesterday after like 45 mins of running and it being heated. I ran it with the radiator cap off to try and burp it but no antifreeze came out.

vgarcia25

Also, I replaced the thermostat. And its still over heating.

I read if its a bad headgasket I would have white smoke coming from my exhaust pipe. I'm not getting any.

It Wasn't Me

You can have a blown head gasket without blowing white smoke out of your exhaust, or mixing the coolant and oil together.

vgarcia25

That ****en blows!!!!
Well I took it to the mechanic right now. I'm hoping and praying its just my fans and something inexpensive.*crosses fingers* But we'll see what happens.

I appreciate all the help and support

0c00l

Mine did this, it was the head gasket. Replaced it, and never had a problem after. I bought my car in 03 and it happened three months after and I babied it so must have been a factory install issue or part failure.

sttatik

well i hate to say it.. its going to be your head gasket... same symptoms i have.. u can see my thread.. with pics just like urs... it was confirmed earlier today. ya it sucks.. but at least you'll have an answer

0c00l

x2, my pics were the same. D17a2 ftw!

sttatik

ha

95LSv

Not necessarily, I had a bad headgasket on my 94 civic and the only symptom was that after a few days my radiator would be empty. Wasn't leaking anywhere. Also no white smoke, no fouled plugs, nothing. I changed the headgasket and the problem was fixed.