What is the temperature gauge in the dash used for. Is it for the water temp. or what? I just bought h23a engine a couple of months back and today the temp. gauge went all the way up to nearly the red point. Could it be something like a gasket leak or the rings.

 

the gauge is for the water temp...
you definately dont want to keep overheating your engine. the first thing you need to do is make sure you have coolant in your radiator. then, make sure you don't have coolant in your oil. check and see if your engine fan is coming on like it's supposed to. then check things like radiator, thermostat, water pump

 

I know that the fan works and there doesn't seem to be any radiator fluid in the engine, atleast from checking it with the dipstick.

 

The water doesnt have a dipstick mate? Check the water bottle reservoir. Do you know when the last water pump was changed. This is usually done when the timing belt was done?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by BigWillieStyles &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The water doesnt have a dipstick mate</TD></TR></TABLE>

I think he meant he was cheaking his oil dipstick to make sure there was no coolant in the oil.

To the OP as far as your overheat problem, have you checked your thermostat?

 

Haven't checked thermostat yet, and water pump was replaced with the engine a couple of months ago with the thermostat.

 

Did you replaced the "thermostat" on your radiator? your radiator cap IS a thermostat.

 

You may want to also check your coolant temp sensor. Is you temp gauge pegged all the time or does it start at the bottom and go up like its supposed to? Mine was pegged all the time until i replaced my temp sensor and its ok now.

 

check for leaks under the car?

 

Alright the radiator was completly dry. Why would it drain so quickly. There are no leaks, I just checked this morning.

 

Any ideas, do the si engines have a heating problem or what?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by lude1888 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Alright the radiator was completly dry. Why would it drain so quickly. There are no leaks, I just checked this morning.</TD></TR></TABLE>

If your radiator was dry then you have to have a leak somewhere or another. Didn't you smell any antifreeze while driving when your car overheated?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Sabbotage &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">If your radiator was dry then you have to have a leak somewhere or another. Didn't you smell any antifreeze while driving when your car overheated?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I haven't smelt anything at all lately, and it doesn't seem to leak any at all as it is a pretty new radiator, but could it be leaking only when I am driving do to pressurized conditions, and how would I find out if so. I do know though that my car seems to have a heat problem as I can usually burn through oil pretty quickly, but it could of been because of my low radiator volume I guess.

 

Well the antifreeze HAS to be going somewhere. Try this: Stick a big piece of cardboard under your car and start it. Let it warm up to operating temperature and watch for leaks. If it starts to overheat and theres no antifreeze on the ground then you have something else wrong, like internal leaking, blown headgasket or something like that. Are you positive that you have no antifreeze in your oil?

You can also, fill your radiator and let the cap off and start the car. If you have bubbles coming up out of the antifreeze in the radiator that usually indicates a blown headgasket.

 

could be water getting into the combustion chamber, due to a bad headgasket. woulnt leak or mix with the oil. itll just burn. thou ud have a pretty noticable amount of white smoke.