CommanderZero

okay so couple of days ago my engine started overheating. i thought it was because ive been running water and it would just evaporate quickly, so i filled some water in at the station and was on my way. the next day i was driving for a while until i noticed that it was waay up in the red zone, so i drove about 1 more mile and pulled over, and the car just shut off on its own after i came to a stop. i let it cool down and added in more water (which was almost void from the system) and limped it up the hill about another mile to my girlfriends house. on the way back home from her house it overheated again, which i filled in some water and went on my way again. this morning, i saw that my radiator cap was toast, it was just the cap with the spring sticking out. so i lugged my way to a store and picked up a radiator cap, filled some water and drove to a nearby gas station to fill some gas. walking back from paying for the gas, i noticed a large puddle under the car, right under the timing cover area. it was just dripping, but when i tried to start the car it just started spraying right out. being at stupid as i am, i tried to drive it another 10 miles (it was 10 miles to my girlfriends house or my house) and got it so hot it started making noises that almost sounded like engine knock. it had a really hard time starting too. it made it to my girlfriend house surprisingly without blowing anything up, and after letting it cool down for hours i just tried to start it to see if anything was damaged and surprisingly, it fired up fine. i left the car there and had my girlfriend drop me off home. my plan is to buy a new waterpump and antifreeze finally and throw it in and see if it runs fine. does anyone think i damaged anything else? thermostat, etc?

94EG8

Your engine is toast, seriously. You overheat an aluminum engine like that and they're never the same. water pump sounds like its definately bad (most likely from running water, coolant has additives to keep them lubricated) Put your money on another engine.

apexi_rsx

you can only let the motor over heat so much.. id say the motor is toast u should have had water in the car and pulled over. ran the fan by jumping the plug by the T stat with a piece of wire or paper clip untill it cooled off again. then drove it sumwhere to fix it not keep driving it like that. i just had my hose blow out on me not too long ago and had the same kinda issue but i didnt ride but half a mile to where i could fix it.

civicsmoke

yup your waterpump is done. all that over heating probably messed up the headgasket to. when u add water does it overheat really fast? is so your headgasket needs to be replaced, in which case youll need to have your head milled flat aswell.

mechanix619

You can't run just water, the car needs a 50/50 mix. As soon as the temperature gauge moves the slightest towards hot the car needs to be shut down. There isn't a grace period for this, the car can't limp 10 miles or even a quarter mile; the car needs to be shut off. Don't waste your money on fixing the coolant issue, your engine is most definitely toast. It may start up and act normal but I guarantee there are larger issues just waiting to happen.

CommanderZero

aw damn..i just replaced the HG about 500 miles ago and also had the head milled..would suck to have to do it all over again..i guess ill start looking for another d16 and maybe start a turbo build or just sell the whole car, and start on something new thanks though guys

mechanix619

Why did you replace the HG? What caused it to go bad?

Also, a Honda head should almost never be milled; there isn't much play when it comes to removing material and once its gone there's no going back.

How long were you running just water in the radiator? If you really want to turbo
I highly suggest practicing better engine TLC; otherwise you are going to blow another engine.

CommanderZero

im not exactly sure why, but when i bought the car it always had a small "vacuum leak" as the seller said it, which actually turned out to be a blown head gasket. its been running fine for the last 6000 miles ive driven it, until the last coolant fillup ive just been putting water in (the system was already diluted below 50/50 at the time of the HG change.

the head was only milled to get the old gasket junk off. it wasnt pitted or anything. im not sure if im using the right term, maybe all the shop did was take a chisel to it.

i know it was really stupid to keep running like that, but i had no money to call a tow truck and didnt know of anywhere i could stop that was anywhere nearby. so the first thought in my head was might as well bring it to the safest place i could (if i went to the gas station it would have just stayed there stranded

BryanM.

iTrader: (1)

Well, you tried to save money buy not towing it, and now that mistake is really gonna cost you. Don't take that the wrong way - I'm not trying to be a jerk - but I bet you'll never make this mistake again.

Also I agree with the other posters; don't try to fix this motor again, get another one.



Edit: I never new coolant lubricated the water pump, makes sense.




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soon2bdropped

i was stupid like this too. it may start up fine but i guaranteed you fired the headgasket and head.

mechanix619

Hmm, sounds like the car was bad news from the beginning.