david1953

All,
I need some expert advice on a problem I'm experiencing with a friends 1993 Honda Del Sol. History: Originally the car overheated because a crimp joint on the top of the radiator blew out. I do find this odd. over a period on three hours we limped back home filling the radiator. We had to stop several times to let the engine cool and add water. so many miles, before we started it up. This was to prevent the head from warping or cracking the block. After I replaced the radiator, things worked for a while. I had also installed a new thermostat at the some time. Then it overheated again. I found a hole in the bottom top hose in the block near the end of the hose. Quick fix, I merely cut off behind the hole and put it back on. After some other work, I drove the car back to the owner, 10 minute drive . The owner drove me back home, another 10 minute drive. She left , but a few minutes later, returned with the car overheating. Boiling water was being shot into the overflow reservoir. I have done the following: 1. checked for a white-ish foam in the radiator and oil stick, which indicates to me, no oil contamination. 2. I checked the spark plugs to look of one that may be super clean which would indicate water seeping into the cylinder and steam cleaning the spark plug. I have filled the radiator several times making sure I have no trapped bubbles in the engine or radiator. The car seems to overheat after 20 to 30 minutes of driving. I understand there is a pressure kit to check the radiator or engine to see if the pressure holds. I would separate the engine from the radiator to do this. But I did not want to spend $80.00 for the kit. But I guess I'm to the point I need the kit. Ether there is still a leak in the radiator, or the engine. Only a pressure test will show this. After reading some replies on the question from other members, I may be lookinjg at a head gasket problem or warped head or both. Any other ideas?
Thanks.
david1953

mk378

Probably a slow leak in the head gasket. That will not cause contaminated oil, white smoke, etc. The only symptom is coolant being pushed out of the system into the reservoir tank, eventually causing overheating.

A simple test you can do is to get the radiator as full as you can then let the engine cool off completely. There are two versions of the test. Either you take the radiator cap off and watch for bubbles in the radiator, or leave it on and feel for pressure in the top radiator hose. When you start the engine cold and rev it, there should not be any bubbling in the radiator or rapid pressure buildup in the hose (Pressure will build after several minutes of running as the engine warms up). If those things do happen, there is a leak in the engine from the combustion chambers to the cooling system.

david1953

Thanks mk378. I'll dive this a try.
david853