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

Experienced civic owner needs help with random overheats

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Old Aug 21, 2017 | 02:07 PM
  #26  
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Default Re: Experienced civic owner needs help with random overheats



Pix uploaded.

so today i was trying to catch another issue on camera and i saw the temp gauge slowly start to creep, and with the hood open i could hear the fan had cycled on to try to bring the temp down.
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Old Aug 21, 2017 | 02:38 PM
  #27  
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Default Re: Experienced civic owner needs help with random overheats

Originally Posted by crazyhorse2011
The predicament here is that the radiator cap isnt something i can buy alone, the vendor doesn't have one. I bought the radiator off ebay years and years ago when i was living paycheck to paycheck, and i messaged the vendor recently to see if he would sell me just a cap but he said in broken english it's not possible. OEM honda cap doesn't fit on the throat either. The only way I could replace the cap is to put an OEM radiator back in. I'll jump the fan though and see if the problem recurs before going to that step. OEM radiator can be had for like 30 bucks on rockauto so I'm not too concerned, but I don't want to replace it if its not the problem.
I would hazard a guess it is the other size cap that older Honda civics used. I don't remember what year civics exactly but I do know that there is two sizes of caps Honda have had on their civics and the aluminum radiator's use the other size than the 92-00 civics. They also tend to come with a 1.3 bar cap instead of stock pressure 1.1 bar (16PSI).

Took me awhile to find the cap but once you know the proper year, you can ask any parts store for the Stant cap for that year and get the right cap for your alternate sized mouth radiator.

Yep seeing your picture it's an older civic cap, not the 92-95.
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Old Aug 21, 2017 | 02:58 PM
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Default Re: Experienced civic owner needs help with random overheats

There are only two types of Honda radiator caps. If your 92+ cap with square ears doesn't fit, try the older style with the round ears (88-91 Civic works). The part number doesn't matter cause they are all the same (have the same spring pressure).



The thing I don't like about this style of cap is that it requires vacuum in the cooling system (from shrinking fluid) to overcome a secondary spring before drawing coolant back into the radiator. The newer square-ear cap has no secondary spring so the system never pulls vacuum. It's a better design (at least for a street car).
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Old Aug 21, 2017 | 04:08 PM
  #29  
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Default Re: Experienced civic owner needs help with random overheats

Originally Posted by 94eg!
There are only two types of Honda radiator caps. If your 92+ cap with square ears doesn't fit, try the older style with the round ears (88-91 Civic works). The part number doesn't matter cause they are all the same (have the same spring pressure).



The thing I don't like about this style of cap is that it requires vacuum in the cooling system (from shrinking fluid) to overcome a secondary spring before drawing coolant back into the radiator. The newer square-ear cap has no secondary spring so the system never pulls vacuum. It's a better design (at least for a street car).
So i need to jump on rockauto and order a radiator cap from any 88-91 civic?
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Old Aug 21, 2017 | 04:13 PM
  #30  
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Default Re: Experienced civic owner needs help with random overheats

Originally Posted by mk378
Did you change the radiator cap and check the connection to the plastic tank? Have you been checking that the radiator stays full?

Jump the fan switch on the thermostat housing to make the fan run all the time the key is on. Test drive like that. If it still overheats it is not the fan. The fan is switched by the temperature of coolant leaving the radiator. If there is no flow through the radiator, the engine can overheat but the fan stays off.
Also it appears the radiator isn't full, I refill it and after awhile i can see the reservoir is dry again and when i open the radiator i can see the fins again. I refill it and it seems to repeat. Yet, There's no evidence of coolant burning off in the engine or pipes leaking in the engine bay, everything is squeaky clean
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Old Aug 21, 2017 | 04:22 PM
  #31  
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Default Re: Experienced civic owner needs help with random overheats

I also found a older civic caps of this style but none were 1.1bar / 16lbs

A non full radiator and unchanging overflow level are typical bad radiator cap behavior. The cap needs to be sealed to pull from the overflow, the top seal at least.

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Old Aug 21, 2017 | 04:34 PM
  #32  
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Default Re: Experienced civic owner needs help with random overheats

ok thank you friend, i purchased a rad cap on rockauto from a 1988 civic 1.6
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Old Aug 21, 2017 | 04:38 PM
  #33  
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Default Re: Experienced civic owner needs help with random overheats

Originally Posted by crazyhorse2011
ok thank you friend, i purchased a rad cap on rockauto from a 1988 civic 1.6
No problem, if that cap works for you i may do the same. These car quest caps really aren't the best. Even though they are made by Stant i would much prefer OEM.
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Old Aug 21, 2017 | 06:59 PM
  #34  
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Default Re: Experienced civic owner needs help with random overheats

You can still get the Honda one for between $13 and $20.... 19045-PR3-004..... This OEM part is made by Toyo so you may be able to get a basic Toyo radiator cap for cheaper online. t's also 1.1 bar.

https://www.oemacuraparts.com/auto-p...tor-denso-scat
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Old Aug 21, 2017 | 07:07 PM
  #35  
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Default Re: Experienced civic owner needs help with random overheats

Woah, I didn't know this but you can get one from a CBR in decorative black (probably have to get it from a motorcycle dealer)....

19045-MZ1-621


GENUINE HONDA RADIATOR CAP
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