Started the car yesterday, dile seemed to stay high longer than usual. I thought nothing of it, continued on my way, drove for about 10 min, and stoped at a light before getting on the highway. When stoped, the idle was bouncing 1500-700 and back. I blipped the throttle a little bit, idle continued to bounce. Got on the highway, drove anbout 10 miles. as i am getting off the highway, i knotice the temp guage going hot. i coast to a stop, let it cool down, and then procide to lip to my destination.

Upon ariving i pop the hood and find the overflow tank to be way above the max, and the engine is shaking with a missfire. from the exhaust there is a sent of coolant and signs of a definate missfire.

Im leaning twards a headgasket but without compression tools, i am not sure exactly how to go about diagnosing that. From looking at the overflow tank, there dosent seem to be any oil in the coolant. At the same time, from the dipstick and oil fill cap, there dosent seem to be any sign of coolant.

help! 69k miles, bone stock

 

get a new mota like the b16a2

 

wow, thanks for the input man!

 

check the collant and make sure that's right and all.
Then check the IACV,Idle Air Control Valve, as they will cause the motor to rev up and down at a stand still.
Hope this might help a bit...Good luck

 

I would hope it woudn't be a head gasket, but the symptoms deffinately point that way. You won't nessecerily have oil in your coolant - the pressure from compression could be blowing past the head gasket and pressurizing the coolant system. Making it hot and causing overflow. You can check for this type of problem by leaving the radiator cap off and looking for bubbles in the coolant.

As stated above, also check the IACV for the idle problem.

 

bump, help

 

Took a look at the car again today. started her up, opend the rad cap, no bubbles found. Idle was solid, no misfire. Drove the car around for about 20 min, no overheating, windshield was fogging so i put the defroster on and not a moment later the car went hot. overheating again.

wtf is going on!

 

bump, because this is almost exactly whats going on with my car right now.

 

Headgasket is going bad definatly. Your going to need to change it. Otherwise you can try bleeding the coolant lines. Thats the only way i got around before i did my swap in my first civic. Theres a bleeder valve right where the upper radiator hose goes into the engine. With the car at operationg temp loosen that bolt until coolant comes through and close it again. This well help temporarilly at least.

 

damn, looks like the perfict time to swap. too bad funding is so low.

 

hows ur coolant levels? any leaks? my engine had a bouncy idle wen it over heated due to a crack in my radiator, leaving me with not a drop of coolant. carefulli inspect ur entire cooling system. if it were a head gasket shouldnt a certain fluid be miscolored. cant remember right now but somethings would be a milky color i belive??