Hey tonight i went out to test and tune...(ran a 15.2, 15.6, and 16.9) but anyway, when i was riding home, i realized my temp guage was rising really fast...so i pull over it cools down, i take off again it starts heating up again...so i stop yet again...there is plenty of fluid, the fan works, the cap is fine, and the radiator is ok ( i think) but the last time it did it i was almost home so i said **** it, im just gonna ride it out...it went ALL THE WAY into red, and it seemed to run fine...so what could this be? i was riding my car hard all night...so i think its probably my thermostat, but i would like some input...thanks..

Eric-

 

grab your upper rad hose after driving around... if it's cold (ie: not hot) it means the thermostat isn't releasing the coolant back to the rad to be cooled. replace thermostat. but i'd bleed the system first too - just to be sure it isn't an air bubble causing your probs.


oh and i wanted to add, that perhaps if it happened after a night of hard driving - perhaps it has to do with the waterpump itself...

 

ok thanks man...i appriciate it..

 

hmm...ok well listen... i was at the auto parts store buying my thermostat, and there's two for my car(as trip told me)...theres one behind my distributor and one next to my headers..well i bought both of them, and the one i got tonight i put in. but i took the one next to my headers off and a bunch of coolant came out...problem is, there is a plug underneath that, that was open...so im pretty sure coolant got in there...is this gonna be a problem?? what can i do...i havent started the car, cause my other thermo had to be ordered...what should i do?? and should i do anything? will it hurt my car? LMK PLEASE!!!

 

hmm first of all - two thermostats? someone correct me if i'm wrong - but i'm pretty sure there is only one... on my jdm h22, it's located somewhat under the egr valve to the left/rear of the valve cover (when looking at the vehicle from the front) I guess you could call that behind the distributor. You haven't specified which car/engine you are running yet - so i'm not sure about your setup.. but i'm pretty sure there is only one thermostat.

I assume you removed the upper rad hose mount (water outlet housing) that is on the front of the block (somewhat next to the headers).. it sometimes (not on jdm's) has an ect switch B, which runs your cooling fan even after the car has been shut off. I'm not sure where your fluid went to - but i assume you mean the plug that closes the hole to your flywheel - for timing the car. why you didn't first drain the rad fluid before attempting the thermostat install i don't really know, or ensure that fluid wouldn't be able to enter any "holes" - although regardless even if you had some always remains - it's a messy job. In any case I don't believe there is a thermostat there - atleast on the h23a1, h22's, and f22a's (once again someone correct me if i'm wrong)... in any case, what i would do would depend on how much fluid entered said plug hole, and whether we are talking about the same plug hole.. send a pic or something. if minimal amounts entered i wouldn't worry too much about it.

best of luck.

 

ya im running a h23 sorry...i have a 93 prelude si...and someone told me there are two thermostats...if not GREAT, cause i'll get my money back for one..and i have already ordered my waterpump, so i'll be putting that in today..but ya you seem to know your **** pretty well, and i dont think too much got in that little plug, and yes i drained the system, but there was a little excess in the upper radiator hose..thats how it got in to my plug...but thanks man...i appriciate all your help..

 

make sure u know how to put in a timing belt before u decide to do ur waterpump...

 

ya thanks...but i dont need it...it seems that the thermostat worked...so im ok...for now...thanks though

 

ok well now i am over heating 3/4 of the way, but not goin into the red, then when i shift into 5th or let off the gas for a couple seconds it goes back down to normal?? any ideas? could it just be air pockets?

 

ttt

 

could be - did you bleed your system? the bleed bolt is on the thermostat housing... loosen that off, fill up your rad until it there is a solid stream coming out of there with no air bubbles - then tighten it down, then run the car with the rad cap off for a while until bubbles are minimal - topping it off if it looks low, when the bubbles are few and far between - close the cap.

hope that fixes your prob, changing the waterpump would be a bitch.

 

ya i know...and i'd have to pay someone to do it...that sux even worse..