tkessey@hotmail

I am not complaining.....but I am a 60 year old female at the mercy of those people I am asking for help. May I please get a diagram of how coolant flows through my vehicle and where I should check for clogs. Please

tony_2018

Don't think there's a diagram...right??

mk378

The major flow path is from the bottom of the radiator, through the lower hose, through the thermostat, across the metal pipe on the back of the engine, through the water pump, through the engine (block and head), out to the top hose, then into the top of the radiator.

The only parts that can really get "clogged" are the radiator and the thermostat. Technically the thermostat isn't clogged, but it can be stuck closed which causes overheating.

Has a "stop leak" compound ever been used in the car?

jonsey1886

Also don't forget about the water valve that lets coolant into the heater core and the outflow from the heater core back into the block (usually just past the thermostat).

demon6666699999

Why do you think it's clogged? If it's because you have no heat, you prob have a leak somewhere and have air in the system. If it's a slow leak that's been going on for a long time, you could just top off the coolant and bleed the system as a temporary bandage. Or Like jonsey said the water valve is the issue. I've see soo many where the valve isn't moving where if your real lucky you can just tighten the screw on the valve arm.

JRCivic1

The flow path is actually the exact OPPOSITE of this. The water pump pushes water toward the thermostat. While it is closed, the bypass hose allows some water flow to circulate back up to the top of the cylinder head. When the thermostat opens, hot water is allowed to flow freely to the bottom of the radiator and cool off... rising to the top of the radiator and then moving back toward the cylinder head to start the process all over again.

mk378

Hot water rises. Cold water falls. Engineers of the Civic and every other car knew this. Flow through a radiator is always top to bottom so as to not fight this law of physics.

JRCivic1

I am not sure what the first law of thermodynamics has to do with a radiator... other than you would be correct when the vehicle is turned off and there is no water movement through the closed cooling system. Fluid movement negates this law essentially...

So, to prove your theory... how about performing a test by removing the lower radiator hose from the thermostat housing and hold that end up high in the air... remove the thermostat and install another hose on the thermostat housing and raise it up into the air... both being higher than the valve cover. Next, fill both hoses with water making sure that no air is trapped in the system. Finally, crank the car. If the fluid pathway is as you stated, the water in the hose on the thermostat housing will be sucked down and the water in the hose attached to the lower fitting on the radiator will be pushed out. On the other hand, if the fluid pathway is how I have explained... the water will come out of the hose on the thermostat housing instead of the one attached to the radiator.

Another helpful detail: Have you examined the blades on the water pump itself to get an idea of the water flow direction ???

OP, you can perform this test on your own as well and then you will be SURE of the fluid path yourself.