96 Civic EX - Will a missing radiator cap throw a cel?
03-18-2014, 06:59 PM
#1
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96 Civic EX - Will a missing radiator cap throw a cel?
I left off by accident my sons radiator cap after reinstalling his engine after a rebuild and his check in light is on. He went to vatozone to have it plugged in to read the code but they could not find the connection it's a 1996 civic ex
03-18-2014, 07:01 PM
#2
Honda-Tech Member
Re: Will a missing radiator cap throw a cel
Nope but you'll have a messy engine bay, the only negative it might cause if you let enough coolant out the temp may rise into the middle/past the normal operating temp.
Last edited by Former User; 03-20-2014 at 08:01 AM. Reason: Insulting and wrong advice deleted
03-19-2014, 12:22 AM
#5
Honda-Tech Member
Re: Will a missing radiator cap throw a cel
^^Civic ex 96 plug is in the driver side next to the kick panel.
http://catjuggling.com/wp-content/up...and-OBD-II.jpg
http://catjuggling.com/wp-content/up...and-OBD-II.jpg
03-19-2014, 06:33 AM
#7
Re: Will a missing radiator cap throw a cel
One thing I didn't see mentioned, coolant is bad for paint. In addition to everything else that has been mentioned, the painted areas of the engine bay that have been douses with coolant will suffer.
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03-19-2014, 08:25 AM
#8
Honda-Tech Member
Re: Will a missing radiator cap throw a cel
not putting you down but I've seen you post things like that before.
Last edited by Former User; 03-20-2014 at 08:03 AM. Reason: Post edit
03-19-2014, 08:47 AM
#9
Re: Will a missing radiator cap throw a cel
03-19-2014, 09:01 AM
#10
Honda-Tech Member
Re: Will a missing radiator cap throw a cel
I've spilled coolant many a time in my bay and the NHO-S paint is looking as white as ever 
.
they better add acidic rain doe if you live in any big city you'll know what I mean, not every work is to be taken as 100% accurate in those hays/helms manuals.
.they better add acidic rain doe if you live in any big city you'll know what I mean, not every work is to be taken as 100% accurate in those hays/helms manuals.
03-19-2014, 09:22 AM
#11
Re: Will a missing radiator cap throw a cel
They could also be assuming a typical serviced car where the coolant is extremely over due for change and is acidic.
03-19-2014, 09:25 AM
#12
Honda-Tech Member
Re: Will a missing radiator cap throw a cel
I've never heard anyone say it or had cases where someone said "hey wipe it up" at work(VW) but I always do just like I do for water or dust. I just can't think of what's in it that would do that the oil stuff maybe ?
03-19-2014, 10:24 AM
#13
Re: Will a missing radiator cap throw a cel
Ethylene glycol is used to make antifreeze and de-icing solutions for cars, airplanes, airport runways, and boats. It is used in cooling and heating systems, hydraulic brake fluids, electrolytic condensers, plasticizers, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, lacquers, resins, wood stains, leather dyeing, photographic developing solutions, textile processing, polyester fibers, synthetic waxes, cosmetics, pharmaceutical products, and safety explosives. It is used to create artificial smoke and mist for theatrical productions and as an ingredient in several processes related to packing, transporting, or holding food. Other uses for ethylene glycol are as a solvent for paints and plastics, a softening agent for cellophane, a stabilizer for soybean extinguishing foam, and an ingredient in printers’ inks, stamp pad inks, and ballpoint pen inks.
03-19-2014, 10:45 AM
#14
Honda-Tech Member
Re: Will a missing radiator cap throw a cel
Ahhh ok in my defense I don't use regular coolant in my integra, I use distilled water and a bit of water wetter so I'm not sure if it contains ethylene glycol and I just got my fit so I haven't done anything to it to be able to test this. In the winter I just drain/flush it all.
my bad TomCat
my bad TomCat
03-19-2014, 12:34 PM
#15
Re: Will a missing radiator cap throw a cel
Don't sweat it, you may have known something I didn't. I was originally going purely off the helms manual.
Even still, I'm not a chemist, does ethylene glycol have solvent characteristics in the base form or is it combined with other chemicals to be made into a solvent?
Like I said, I'm only advocating what the manual says and the tidbits I've heard over the years concerning coolant.
Even still, I'm not a chemist, does ethylene glycol have solvent characteristics in the base form or is it combined with other chemicals to be made into a solvent?
Like I said, I'm only advocating what the manual says and the tidbits I've heard over the years concerning coolant.
03-19-2014, 12:44 PM
#16
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Re: Will a missing radiator cap throw a cel
Jesus dude cool your jets, I've spilled coolant before but usually wipe it up quickly and hasn't destroyed my bumper but damn I'm not gonna jump somebody over a comment like that. Yes I've read that in the helms manual as well and it is a good warning to have even if I noticed it didn't do harm to my car.
03-19-2014, 12:50 PM
#17
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Re: Will a missing radiator cap throw a cel
What are you saying, that its not common sense to wipe up after the mess and just return the car to the customer as is? Nobody should have to tell you to clean it up if your servicing someones car. Returning the car to the customer in the condition it arrived in, and this doesn't include the issue the car came in or if it was just a maintenance routine drop off either, is suppose to be just common sense.
03-19-2014, 01:19 PM
#18
Honda-Tech Member
Re: Will a missing radiator cap throw a cel
What are you saying, that its not common sense to wipe up after the mess and just return the car to the customer as is? Nobody should have to tell you to clean it up if your servicing someones car. Returning the car to the customer in the condition it arrived in, and this doesn't include the issue the car came in or if it was just a maintenance routine drop off either, is suppose to be just common sense.
03-19-2014, 07:07 PM
#20
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Re: Will a missing radiator cap throw a cel
03-19-2014, 07:12 PM
#21
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Re: Will a missing radiator cap throw a cel
Aluminum is corroded by water, not as bad as iron tho. For the longest time I thought it wasn't but then my dad pointed out that the trim on the roof above our patio had a hole corroded in it. Dunno what water wetter is but I guess it does the same anti-corrosion as anti-freeze
03-20-2014, 07:02 AM
#22
Re: Will a missing radiator cap throw a cel
Pulling an engine and tearing it down is relatively easy with experience from any car. Finding plugs in different cars without a manual on the other hand can be a real nightmare.
As an example, I am used to the 92-95 series, I would have been looking all over the passenger side, but it seems they moved it to the driver side (OBD2) for the 96-00 range.
Two different beasts al together. Interior electrical is no where near as apparent as the engine in the engine bay.
Also, OP said the parts store people couldn't find the plug.... Doesn't sound like he was even there, just his son.
03-20-2014, 07:52 AM
#23
Re: Will a missing radiator cap throw a cel
OP - Jump the service connector to pull the CEL codes. Click the codes link in my signature.
The OBD2 data link connector is located under the far left side dash near the hood release lever.
The OBD2 data link connector is located under the far left side dash near the hood release lever.
03-20-2014, 07:54 AM
#24
03-20-2014, 09:27 AM
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Re: Will a missing radiator cap throw a cel
Electrical and Mechanical are two different beasts.
Pulling an engine and tearing it down is relatively easy with experience from any car. Finding plugs in different cars without a manual on the other hand can be a real nightmare.
As an example, I am used to the 92-95 series, I would have been looking all over the passenger side, but it seems they moved it to the driver side (OBD2) for the 96-00 range.
Two different beasts al together. Interior electrical is no where near as apparent as the engine in the engine bay.
Also, OP said the parts store people couldn't find the plug.... Doesn't sound like he was even there, just his son.
Pulling an engine and tearing it down is relatively easy with experience from any car. Finding plugs in different cars without a manual on the other hand can be a real nightmare.
As an example, I am used to the 92-95 series, I would have been looking all over the passenger side, but it seems they moved it to the driver side (OBD2) for the 96-00 range.
Two different beasts al together. Interior electrical is no where near as apparent as the engine in the engine bay.
Also, OP said the parts store people couldn't find the plug.... Doesn't sound like he was even there, just his son.
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