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USDM 93 Del Sol Si (240K+)
JDM D16A block (160K+)
D16Z6 p08 head and intake mani (240K+)
D16Z6 5Sp Man trans (240K+)
P28 ECU
>=35 MPG Highway
30 MPG Combined
The car keeps pushing coolant into the overflow but refuses to suck it back in. With the exception of when i do the test listed below under strange behavior. Has not overheated but I make sure to keep the coolant topped off. There are multiple strange particulates in the system (I have NEVER added any sealers or anything like that, owned the car since 2014). Which i though maybe keeping the cap from functioning properly, but i am not so sure anymore and was hoping someone more knowledgeable than myself could shine some light.
*All new OEM / AC Delco pro coolant/heater core hoses
Clean / Polished all coolant hose ports
Cleaned and lubricated heater core valve
Cleaned coolant temp sensor
Cleaned corrosion from Thermostat housing
New Gates thermostat + gasket (>1YR ago)
*Cut down and added heavier clamps to overflow tubes
Drilled out the 90* Bend that couples the tubes that lead to overflow
Raised overflow tank 1/2 inch
*Flushed cooling system
Filled just just tap water atm for troubleshooting purposes
Blead the coolant w/ front raised (1ft) for a minimum of 4 hours
Almost no bubbles at the end aside from some very fine ones i attributed to boiling water
*Disabled fuel+ignition, Pulled each plug and checked for bubbles in coolant
Found 0 bubbles in coolant while cranking
Spark plugs looked OK to my untrained eye, no buildup or uneven wear
*Pushes coolant into the overflow, but wont pull it back in. BUT if i get it hot w/o the cap on, THEN put the cap on when it contracts it WILL pull in coolant
*Has NOT overheated. Even after 9 hours of driving in one day, including 2400+ft of elevation change, highway, stop+go and a traffic jam.
Thermostat goes to just under halfway after its warmed up and stays there solid
Lower radiator hose gets hot + fan cycles so thermostat seems to be working proper
*Tanish crystals in thermostat housing, and tube that diverges to heater core
See pictures below
*Brown "floaters" at top of radiator that get stuck to the valve the allows coolant to the overflow, have the consistency if rubber particles.
Seems to be decreasing now that all hoses are replaced and im flushing the system
*Redish fine particulate at bottom of overflow tank (sinks)
*Water in the coolant system seems to develop a slight fog but aside from the "Floaters" seems clean no oil.
Oil looks unpolluted
*Vehicle idles perfect, around 1100 on cold startup (FITV) then drops down to around 500 when warm and holds there steady (just above the idle marker on the tach)
*Compression test
Waiting for tool to come in the mail, labor day is going to cause a delay.
Spark plug test should have showed if it was head-gasket
Inside of thermostat housing BEFORE i cleaned it all out, this buildup seems definitively different than any other mentioned. Almost seemed like crystals. Sorry for the poor quality should have taken more pictures but too late now.
Its possible the previous owner may have added some garbage. I cant see it taking 4+ years to start breaking down/show itself, that being said i have 0 experience with said product. I have also flushed the cooling system twice in the past, once when i bought it and again when i did the radiator.
P.S. I will add some pictures of the shmoo on the cap next, if theirs any other photos that will help yall just let me know and ile take them.
Drove another 300 miles today to buy a CRV (5 hours ish) @ 35.7MPG with the new Senkei cap on. The overflow didn't overfill as usual but i did find water on top of the fan shroud so i wont know for-sure until its cool enough to open. (tomorrow?)
::::Still want to try a block test::::
I found that Autozone rents the block test kits but they do-not come with test fluid. Went too 2 separate parts stores and neither had the fluid needed for the block test, or even knew what it was called to order it for that matter. So what am i looking for exactly particular brand? ex. and whats the best way to get it? Or should i just attempt a leak-down test? I have a small air compressor idk what else i would need but im sure theirs good tutorials somewhere.
I actually went in and talked to both the employees present in the AutoZ pretty sure one of which was the manager, but only one employee at Advanced none of which were any help. I did check the shelves myself but also had 0 luck. I have to go to O-Rieleys this evening for a tow adapter so i shall try there next and see if they are more knowledgeable. If that fails I will call AZ and hope for someone else to be there who can actually help me.
Good to know eghatch9295. Went to O-Rieleys they also claimed to not carry it rental or otherwise. I shall give the AZ a call in the morning and hope i get a different employee. Or maybe try finding the next closest location and calling them. Feeling pretty defeated at this point to be honest.
I saw that as i was searching around, just trying to avoid ordering fluids through the mail at all costs. Especially something like this thats a reagent, Ive heard it doesn't store well and will probably go bad before i ever need it again. Pretty much forced to buy a 11.50$ 16oz bottle regardless as its the smallest / best price i can find w/o having amazon prime, but would prefer it not go to waste. Going to give calling the AZ one more shot tomorrow (never did it today) and see if that gets me anywhere, otherwise going to go with the link below.
PS. Might as-well test the CRV once its home aswell, makes it a bit more worth it.
:: Update ::
I am losing coolant at a faster rate than before but it seems to alternate between drinking it and blowing it into the overflow since i got the new cap. The water in the cooling system also gets cloudier than before. I have spotted a small trail of shmoo from the upper cap seat to below the radiator vent to the overflow. It maybe just cooked on from me bleeding it but it makes me suspect the radiator neck itself may not be true and causing a leak while heat-soaked. I previously stated ive seen coolant near that area before. None of that explains why it would push coolant to the overflow though.
My compression tester and fluid came in the mail, and i rented a block test from the AutoZone.
:: Block Test ::
Box says the test duration is 2 minutes, i vice gripped off my overflow hose to keep from pulling in air / water that way.
* First try i did the test for 2 minutes as directed, saw no change
* Filled it with fresh and put it in front of exhaust to test the reagent, almost instantly went to green then yellow
* Let it cool then did my compression check
* Warmed it back up to operating temperature and tested again, also no change after 2 minutes. After 10 minutes though it had started to turn green
* So i did it yet again, and this time after about 5 minutes i saw a slight green tinge. The neck of the tester doesn't seal perfectly and sometimes pulls in atmosphere, i can tell when it does it as otherwise the pump expands very slowly. The fluid seems to turn color shortly after pulling in said atmosphere but it could just be coincidence. My car is right there idling after all so the air around it would indeed have such fumes..
:: Compression Test ::
I removed my ECU fuse to disable fuel and spark. Then removed all 4 plugs to make it easier on the starter. Held the gas to the floor and cranked until the needle stopped climbing.
Comp #'s from left to right, Dry then Wet. I think my wet numbers are off because i didn't accurately measure how much oil i put into each cylinder. Tried to use the cap but alas. Did #4 wet twice and added a second cap of oil for the 2nd test thats where the 225 comes from.
Ordered another aluminum duel core radiator today, this one with what seems to be a machined billet fill neck that seems like a much better stronger design. Also has wider seating surface for the cap, going to put a bottle of Redline water wetter in w/e it arrives and i swap it in. Ive been losing so much coolant and flushing so often ive just been running tap water for the time being but that needs to end. Ile have to flush and refill the system with actual antifreeze before winter regardless but the extra additives of the water wetter cant hurt with all the BS in the system. I don't really like the concept of solvent based flushes.
If this fix fails, im thinking its time for Y8 head-gasket, OEM timing belt, Aisin water-pump, tensioner, ex. Im trying to put off the tear-down of the D16A/Z6 until i get the B20Z2 CRV running as i need something to drive :3 I would love to have the time to do a valve-job, valve seals, cam seals, sand out casting marks, ex. on he D while its out.
Nope, not until i let it go for so long that it starts to boil and i see steam. After that point i can see micro bubbles, looks like im making noodles. I have also never seen the overflow tank bubble it just seems to blow out pure coolant w/ no air. Though as the saying goes lack of evidence is not evidence of absence.
Side Note:
When i did the block test, as long as the seal was seated on the rad neck correctly the bulb expanded very slowly.
your coolant shouldn't be boiling. the micro bubbles are the same thing i had when i dealt with a head gasket problem that mirrors this one. when they blow this way, you won't notice a loss in compression, either.
08-30-2018, 08:49 AM
93 Del Sol Si Coolant issues
Re: 93 Del Sol Si Coolant issues
