Notices
Honda Civic / Del Sol (1992 - 2000) EG/EH/EJ/EK/EM1 Discussion

Radiator Going Bad???

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 06-21-2005, 06:45 PM
  #1  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
dacosta's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Fort Worth, TX, USA
Posts: 259
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Radiator Going Bad???

Lately, I've been having problems with my thermostat rising above normal temps and everytime, I would check my radiator I'll find that it's low on coolant.

I fill her up and let her run and everything would be fine again and after a day or so, same thing happens. I've checked for signs of leaks but found none.

Finally today while on my way home from the drugstore, I noticed my thermostat started to rise, so when I got home I let the car cool down then checked my radiator only to find her to be low on coolant again. So after filling her up, I started my car, let her sit in the garage with the a/c on...rev'd her a couple of times, let her idle a bit then rev her a couple of times again.

After a few minutes, I noticed that I started to build a small puddle underneath the car. I checked for leaks and found that there was coolant dripping from below the neck of the radiator(area circled in red of sample radiator in picture below).

I've had the radiator for maybe a year and a half and never had problems until after I swapped my engine, drained, flushed, filled and bled the system.

Could this be the radiator going bad, or is it just a matter of over-filling the radiator with too much coolant or could it be something worse?

Appreciate any advise.

TIA

Old 06-21-2005, 07:07 PM
  #2  
Honda-Tech Member
 
TurboTagTeam's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 1,002
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Re: Radiator Going Bad??? (dacosta)

Normally overheating is caused by a bad headgasket. But in your case you may be leaking coolant from were you said you saw it. I'v also seen cases were overheating can be caused by a faulty radiator cap. Just some ideas
Old 06-21-2005, 07:23 PM
  #3  
Go Tigers!
 
Bense's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Greenville, South Carolina
Posts: 9,782
Received 45 Likes on 33 Posts
Default Re: Radiator Going Bad??? (TurboTagTeam)

radiatorbarn.com
Old 06-21-2005, 07:28 PM
  #4  
Honda-Tech Member
 
built562's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Nowhere Cali, Ca, USA
Posts: 1,693
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Re: Radiator Going Bad??? (bense)

hopefully its just the radiator, because you're losing the water better that its leaking from the radiator than a bad headgasket.

so do the routine by replacing the radiator, thermostat and radiator cap, bleed the system and see what happens
Old 06-21-2005, 07:31 PM
  #5  
Honda-Tech Member
 
Bond's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: B.C. Canada
Posts: 2,429
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Default Re: Radiator Going Bad??? (TurboTagTeam)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by TurboTagTeam &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Normally overheating is caused by a bad headgasket. But in your case you may be leaking coolant from were you said you saw it. I'v also seen cases were overheating can be caused by a faulty radiator cap. Just some ideas </TD></TR></TABLE>

I have seen this all to often. People replace their spark plugs, wires, oil, but these rad caps never get rewplaced and they don't last forever. The rubber breaks down and prevents the rad from push or suck coolant from the overflow tank. Is it leaking from the rad cap or just near the neck of the rad? The rad could be fualty from the factory and the top of the rad might be seperating from the cooling fins and body. Don't forget the rad is under a good amount of pressure when your at normal operating temp. You should get it pressure tested to see if it is really leaking or if it's coming from the cap, hoses, etc.
Old 06-21-2005, 07:34 PM
  #6  
As long as I dont have to take out any more Metal Gears
 
rukawa1one's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Socal, CA, USA
Posts: 2,267
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Re: Radiator Going Bad??? (dacosta)

just changed the entire radiator, u are due.
Old 06-21-2005, 08:25 PM
  #7  
Honda-Tech Platinum Member
 
Setsuna F Seiei's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Chicongoland area, IL
Posts: 5,767
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 2 Posts
Default Re: Radiator Going Bad??? (rukawa1one)

most likely just a leak like you;ve mentioned, not necessarily an HG problem... is your coolant overflow tank filling up that nusual? is there white smoke coming out of the exhaust?
Old 06-21-2005, 08:32 PM
  #8  
Unceasing Measure
 
Archidictus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 13,087
Likes: 0
Received 5 Likes on 5 Posts
Default Re: Radiator Going Bad??? (BrokeAssPinoy)

Same **** happened to me recently on my brother's girl friend's D15B auto Civic. The radiator took a ****...almost all of the inside melted over time and it just crapped out. Autos are more prone to heat soak in the radiators because of the tranny fluid loading their bottom hollows.
Old 06-22-2005, 09:58 PM
  #9  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
dacosta's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Fort Worth, TX, USA
Posts: 259
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Re: Radiator Going Bad??? Thanks for all the replies

Thanks for all the replies...In any case, I don't have any symptoms of a bad HG. So I'll start looking into a new radiator and hope that solves the problem.

Thanks Again!
Old 06-22-2005, 10:57 PM
  #10  
 
05em2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Orange County/Riverside County, Ca, US of A
Posts: 397
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Re: Radiator Going Bad??? Thanks for all the replies (dacosta)

bump for same problem, and my fan doesnt spin and i see tiny specks of green liquid under my car every so often and my car overheats when in stop and go traffick, but on freeway over 50mph it's a-ok
Old 06-22-2005, 11:43 PM
  #11  
Honda-Tech Member
 
Bond's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: B.C. Canada
Posts: 2,429
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Default Re: Radiator Going Bad??? Thanks for all the replies (Jay-Dee-Em)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Jay-Dee-Em &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">bump for same problem, and my fan doesnt spin and i see tiny specks of green liquid under my car every so often and my car overheats when in stop and go traffick, but on freeway over 50mph it's a-ok</TD></TR></TABLE>

Your fan isn't working and that's causing your overheating. In stop and go traffic there is now air flow, but on the highway there is lots of air flow, so it keeps nice and cool. Air in you coolent will prevent the fan from coming on aswell as a whole bunch of other things.
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
inaety
Honda Civic / Del Sol (1992 - 2000)
2
08-04-2011 04:15 PM
milkwasabadidea
Honda Civic / Del Sol (1992 - 2000)
1
01-08-2011 10:22 AM
iHEARTMYCiViC
Tech / Misc
28
01-19-2010 04:53 PM
Lithel
Acura Integra
7
10-31-2009 08:59 AM
Nextelbuddy
Honda Civic / Del Sol (1992 - 2000)
4
12-11-2003 11:51 AM



Quick Reply: Radiator Going Bad???



All times are GMT -8. The time now is 02:44 AM.