RoyPerilousPnoy

Hey I need some help in fixing/modifying an EG. It's not even my car, so I don't know much about modifying it. It's my dad's car and it just keeps overheating. Instead of him having to take it to a shop, I want to try and fix it myself. What could/should I do or replace from an old 92 civic hatch to keep it from overheating? I'm thinking maybe the radiator, a CAI, or a manifold gasket, but I'm completely guessing. Any suggestions? Any brand name suggestions as well?

Thanks!

Sleepy_Red_hatch

check your thermostat, it probably should be replaced. when your car starts overheating feel the upper rad hose, if its not hot, the tstat didnt open.

also, bleed your coolant, airbubbles can cause this

whats the coolant reservoir tank look like? empty?

is your rad really corroded?

Crazydave

How to diagnose overheating:
(be sure to check the temp and look for leaks at each step)

1.) remove radiator cap
2.) Check fluid level, if its low, fill it up and look at the color and see if there is any junk (gunking brownshit or oil in the cooling system.
3.) Pressure test the system and look for leaks. (it should hold the pressure and not loose any)
4.) Pressure test the cap. ( check for holding pressure) sometimes your overheat can be due to a bad cap)

5.) Turn on car.
6.) at this point the coolant should not be flowing around in the radiator (if the coolant is COLD) Also both hoses should be cold
7.) As the temp rises the fluid level will move up and down as the thermostat begines to open, once it does, when you rev the engine, you should see the coolant moving around in the radiator. the fan may or may not turn on at this point. before the thermostat opens, one hose will get hot and the other will stay cold, as the thermostat opens, the cold hose will heat up.
8.) Install the radiator cap
9.) monitor fan operation (it should turn on and then turn off.)
10.) check hoses, both should be hot
10.) Look for leaks

if you don't see fluid flowing through the radiator, this could indicate a bad thermostat, or a clogged radiator.

if the system is not holding pressure, this could indicate a leak in the cooling system (including head gasket, cracked radiator, bad cap or bad seal)

If the fan is not turning on AND off this could be a bad temp sensor or fan switch or relay.




Modified by Crazydave at 11:23 AM 6/26/2006

prison_snitch

most likely just the thermostat

RoyPerilousPnoy

Okay I've gone through the list of steps that Crazydave posted and waited for a couple minutes, revved it up a couple times, and the fan does not turn on. There are no leaks or pressure issues, but the fan still doesn't turn on. I'm thinking that maybe it's an electrical problem? What should I check to see where the problem lies with the fan?

If worse comes to worst, what aftermarket radiators would you guys suggest?

Thanks for all the help.


Modified by RoyPerilousPnoy at 8:22 PM 6/27/2006

stock_honda_coupe

The fan won't come on until the engine gets a little warmer than operating temp. A few minutes probably isn't enough. Both hoses should be to hot to touch before the fan kicks on.

RoyPerilousPnoy

Oh, I just waited for the temp to reach about 1/3... But anyway, my dad just told me that he checked on the fan as he was driving home with it and it still wouldn't turn on.

Banned HT Member

To test the fan you can jump the connector on the fan motor w/ two wires directly to the battery, with the car on. If the motor works check the relay under the hood fuse box. You can switch the cooling fan relay with a/c condenser fan relay to test it. If that checks out there is a coolant temp. switch that could be bad.

If your overheating prob. is only happening at stoplights, traffic, drivethroughs you can always turn your heat on full blast to pull heat from the motor, it sucks in the summer but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do till you can fix it



Modified by Banned in D.C. at 12:41 AM 6/28/2006

SuperSteve737

My car overheats when I'm driving, then cools back down when I'm sitting in traffic or at a red light. New water pump, thermostat, timing belt. So instead of doing the head gasket, I'm putting in a B18C1 this weekend; hence my sig. Just do that, your dad will like it.

Crazydave

Sometime it takes 10-15, even up to 1/2 hour for it reach operating temperature,
if the car is cold and just idling.

Crazydave

When the car is starting to overheat is the fan turning on?

or does it just get hotter and hotter, and the fan never turn on.

You could drive it around to get it up to temp, and then watch it.

if it starts to heat up , the fan should turn on..

if it's not turning on, then you probably have a bad fan or a bad switch/relay.

Do you have airconditioning on the car?

stock_honda_coupe

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Crazydave &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Do you have airconditioning on the car?</TD></TR></TABLE>

If you do the fans should kick on almost imediatly after you turn the A/C on. The condenser could also restrict the radiators ability to cool.

Crazydave

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by stock_honda_coupe &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

If you do the fans should kick on almost imediatly after you turn the A/C on.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

This is where I was getting

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by stock_honda_coupe &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
The condenser could also restrict the radiators ability to cool.</TD></TR></TABLE>

however the condensor on an EG sits next to the radiator and does not block it.