On boxing day I headed over to a mall to spend a gift certificate I had received for Christmas, and finding a parking spot was a nightmare (as expected). After about 15 minutes or so I noticed steam venting from the front passenger corner of the engine bay and quickly checked my temp sensor - HOT!!! FOUR LETTER WORDS!!! I shut the engine off right away and popped the hood to let it cool faster.

The steam was from coolant forcing its way past the cap on the reservoir (it was still at the "full" mark, but I guess it was just the pressure pushing its way out). The coolant in the reservoir looked like it was boiling, but I'm pretty sure it was just air creating bubbles because when I removed the lid and pulled the straw out of the fluid the bubbling stopped. I let the engine sit for about 5 minutes and started it up, read normal temperature again. Everything seems fine now but I have a few questions.

-Anyone know why this happened or how to figure out why it happened?
-Why was the coolant bubbling? Just heat escaping, or leaking headgasket?
-Possibly not enough coolant? Not bled properly?

Here's the background:
'92 Civic LX w/ '97 B18B1 - 136,000kms (85,000 miles)
The engine has only been in for about 3 weeks, but I haven't experienced any problems other than this one time. I'm using the integra's rad hoses with a section of the civic's hoses inbetween the rad outlet and the hose. Civic radiator. Unknown condition on the headgasket, water pump, and thermostat. Rad cap is original but has never caused any problems. Temp guage has never moved past normal operating temps since the swap until it overheated in the parking lot. The fan doesn't turn on, but it also didn't before the swap. ( on me.)

Basically I'm looking for possible causes. I would like to check the following parts to ensure they're good (also because I don't know the previous history of the motor and its service intervals):
-thermostat
-rad cap
-water pump
-head gasket
-how do ensure the coolant is bled properly?
Can anyone tell me how to make sure these are all working properly?

 

Check to see if your fan is coming on, I'm going to suspect no. Its exactly the same symptoms I had when my temp switch failed and the fan wouldn't ever come on. Would over heat if i just sat there, or sat in traffic.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by splitime &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Check to see if your fan is coming on, I'm going to suspect no. Its exactly the same symptoms I had when my temp switch failed and the fan wouldn't ever come on. Would over heat if i just sat there, or sat in traffic.</TD></TR></TABLE>
No, my fan doesn't turn on. I've been aware of this for a few months but never think of it when I have time to do anything about it. (Plus I'm a lazy bastage.)

Do you know where the temp switch is on an LS block? Any other ideas as to what would keep the fan from turning on? Relay?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by transpar_nt &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">No, my fan doesn't turn on. I've been aware of this for a few months but never think of it when I have time to do anything about it. (Plus I'm a lazy bastage.)

Do you know where the temp switch is on an LS block? Any other ideas as to what would keep the fan from turning on? Relay?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Usually its a switch screwed into the thermostat housing. If you want a simple fix do this... figure out which of the two wires from the fan is the ground... tap it and ground it... then tap the power line and run it into the cabin through a 12v radioshack switch and to one of the accessory power spots in your fusebox. Then when doing slow driving, you can switch fan on. I left mine wired for fulltime on... lazy

 

i had my fan on a switch but i always forgot to turn it on.. i would just diagnose the problem maybe the fan itself is bad since it didnt work before the swap no?? or the fuse or relay.. its an easy fix.. just fix it so u dont have to worry about it

 

I have a b18 swap and my fan has never turned on... been running since the old owner had it and now i have it and its been almost a year with me and yet no problem like this... only half my radiator gets hot. So I dont think nothing off it... but i might install a switch like splittime said. good luck i personally think its something else besides the fan being your problem.

 

I think its your thermerstat spell ccheck... maybe its not opening. you might need a new one.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Kangolbrand &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I think its your thermerstat spell ccheck... maybe its not opening. you might need a new one. </TD></TR></TABLE>
I doubt its the thermostat because the temp guage has never moved passed operating temperature (besides the thing in the parking lot).

 

have you checked your water pump?

 

First, jumper 12 volts to the fan and see if it comes on. If not replace the fan. If the fan comes on, plug it back in . Unplug the fan switch and jumper the connector. If the fan comes on, replace the fan switch. If the fan doesn't come on suspect the relay or any wiring between the relay and the switch and between the relay and the fan. Sometimes it is just a bad ground at the fan. The fact that it only does it while sitting still says it's the fan not coming on that caused your problem. I assume you checked to see if it was a fuse?

 

This is why I just have my fan turned on manually, I have a switch next to my over boost switch.

 

Typical of civic owners- I turbocharged my engine and changed the suspension and exhaust, but I don't have a clue how to fix my car.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Hatchamaback &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">This is why I just have my fan turned on manually, I have a switch next to my over boost switch. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Not smart, but hey, certainly the easiest/laziest route one could take to actually correct the problem.

To the orignal poster: You already know your problem. The fan. You stated it yourself, yet you are still asking "Whats the deal". Go fix the fan (the right way) and carry on. I would consider also ditching the stock civic single core radiator also. Remember, tegs used a MUCH larger radiator. Civics have only a half radiator and a single core at that. Del Sol dual core would be much more intelligent, but not required. Fix the fan, fix the issue.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by amckee &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Typical of civic owners- I turbocharged my engine and changed the suspension and exhaust, but I don't have a clue how to fix my car.</TD></TR></TABLE>
/yourself. The point of this is to learn instead of assuming things I don't have any specific experience with. Why would you post a reply just to be an ***?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Hybrid93Eg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> To the orignal poster: You already know your problem. The fan. You stated it yourself, yet you are still asking "Whats the deal". Go fix the fan (the right way) and carry on. I would consider also ditching the stock civic single core radiator also. Remember, tegs used a MUCH larger radiator. Civics have only a half radiator and a single core at that. Del Sol dual core would be much more intelligent, but not required. Fix the fan, fix the issue.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I know the fan is part of the problem (and maybe all of it), but the point of the thread was partly so I can diagnose all of the parts in the cooling system because I don't know the specific history of my engine.

As for the single core civic rad, I researched the issue quite a bit before doing the swap and people have been using it with b18c's with no problems. I'll be upgrading to something considerably better in preparation for a turbo system.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by amckee &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">First, jumper 12 volts to the fan and see if it comes on. If not replace the fan. If the fan comes on, plug it back in . Unplug the fan switch and jumper the connector. If the fan comes on, replace the fan switch. If the fan doesn't come on suspect the relay or any wiring between the relay and the switch and between the relay and the fan. Sometimes it is just a bad ground at the fan. The fact that it only does it while sitting still says it's the fan not coming on that caused your problem. I assume you checked to see if it was a fuse?</TD></TR></TABLE>

This sounds like the fix to me unless he wants to jury rig something.

Single core obviously works but obviously not if you sit still in a lot & with a non-working fan. I'd tackle the fan issue by whatever means you want - make the system work as designed or jury rig something to band-aid the situation. Either way you need to get the fan working if you need to leave the car idling for extended periods.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MonkeyBoy668 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

This sounds like the fix to me unless he wants to jury rig something.

Single core obviously works but obviously not if you sit still in a lot & with a non-working fan. I'd tackle the fan issue by whatever means you want - make the system work as designed or jury rig something to band-aid the situation. Either way you need to get the fan working if you need to leave the car idling for extended periods.</TD></TR></TABLE>

As I would have guessed, you didn't read what I typed. You immediately assumed I was saying the single core is no good... which I am not. I AM however saying that just because people use it with "no issues" does not make it correct or sufficient. Plain and simple, it has significantly less surface area then a teg radiator. It will cool significantly less water at any given time then a teg radiator as a result... Logic tells me that while it may suffice, its still not doing the job of the radiator that was intended for that engine by Honda. You can't aruge. I'm not telling you the radiator is the problem. I'm not telling you you must change it. I am telling you that it would be a wise idea, regardless of if you plan to boost or not.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Hybrid93Eg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">As I would have guessed, you didn't read what I typed. You immediately assumed I was saying the single core is no good... which I am not. I AM however saying that just because people use it with "no issues" does not make it correct or sufficient. Plain and simple, it has significantly less surface area then a teg radiator. It will cool significantly less water at any given time then a teg radiator as a result... Logic tells me that while it may suffice, its still not doing the job of the radiator that was intended for that engine by Honda. You can't aruge. I'm not telling you the radiator is the problem. I'm not telling you you must change it. I am telling you that it would be a wise idea, regardless of if you plan to boost or not.</TD></TR></TABLE>
I read your post and fully understood it. Maybe mine wasn't clear...


Thanks for the replies guys.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by transpar_nt &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">/yourself. The point of this is to learn instead of assuming things I don't have any specific experience with. Why would you post a reply just to be an ***?</TD></TR></TABLE>My reply was to Hatchamaback whos advice was to jury-rig it and live with it. Typical of people who buy bolt-ons but don't know the first thing about how anything works. Then they want to give their two cents which does not solve your problem and creates another. I should have pulled his quote down into my post. Sorry if you felt it was pointed at you. I don't ridicule anyone posting questions with a desire to learn how to fix their problems, but It's hard to tolerate people that don't know how to fix something chiming in with advice when they can't fix their own.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by amckee &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">My reply was to Hatchamaback whos advice was to jury-rig it and live with it. Typical of people who buy bolt-ons but don't know the first thing about how anything works. Then they want to give their two cents which does not solve your problem and creates another. I should have pulled his quote down into my post. Sorry if you felt it was pointed at you. I don't ridicule anyone posting questions with a desire to learn how to fix their problems, but It's hard to tolerate people that don't know how to fix something chiming in with advice when they can't fix their own. </TD></TR></TABLE>
Alright, sorry about that.

Let's just all let this thread die. Everyone is just getting annoyed by everyone else and no new info is being brought up anyway. Thanks to all who participated.