My 94 Civic DX didn't want to start yesterday (3-4-06) when I was leaving school - I turned the key like 3-5 times, and it made like a thump noise, and a few warning lights came on (battery was one of them). Then I pumped the gas a little, and it started fine, and every thing seemed fine, then like 30-40 seconds later, it started getting a really rapid rough idle - like OOooOOooOOooOOoo, and it kept idling like that until it got warmed up for a while, then it started overheating - I just added some anti-freeze and water to it like 3-4 days ago. This morning, when I was on my way to school, I started it, and the same thing happened - it started, sounded fine, and then it started with the rough idle again.

I think my piston rings are shot, because it's been spewing an off-white (blue?) smoke when it's cold, or if I rev it hard (it's been like this now for about a year). I know sooner or later, I'm gonna have to get an engine for it (I really can't afford to get a new car right now, and I think getting an engine from jdmcustoms.com might be my best option for when it finally does take a $#!t on me).

but if anyone can maybe help me out with why it's idling rough, over heating, etc... Is there something I could do myself with some help from a chiltons guide that might alleviate this?

I don't have very good mechanic skills, but if it's gonna be something as simple as buying a part, and screwing or wrenching something off and then a new part on, I'd be really greatful.

Thanks in advance.

 

Rough idle
Overheating
Hard to start

Sounds like your headgasket is gone. Same symptons i got when i blew my headgasket on 3 different occasions.

DAN

 

My radiator now has a leak at the top, and my heater no longer warms up.

wow, it just keeps getting better and better.

hopefully tomorrow will be a better day.

 

is your coolant low again, have you drained your oil and check hat it looks like,

 

if ya have coolent in ur oil or oil in ur coolent... i would say the headgasket

you deff. have the simptoms of a blown one.

and thats a little more then just wrenching to fix that

 

no its still wrenching regardless, this is just more difficult if you even wanna say that. I replaced my oem hg with a cometic hp hg, head blots to arp head studs and replaced the timing belt, first time i took something like that on, had if off and back on and runnign ith in 4 hours. was actaully easier than i thought and the timing as prestty easy, long as you dont move/spin anything youll be fine and grab a haynes

 

Would replacing my headgasket stop my engine from smoking by chance?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EvilBastard &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Would replacing my headgasket stop my engine from smoking by chance?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yes it would. It would also stop the rough idle and the hard starts

DAN

 

what do you think the average garage would charge to slap a new head-gasket on?

Also, is there a cheap way for me to repair the Radiator to keep my car serviceable until my next financial aid check comes in (like mid-late april) - don't they make like an epoxy like substance that I can apply to the outside of the visible radiator hole that will harden and seal off the leak - if so, what brand would be the best?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EvilBastard &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Would replacing my headgasket stop my engine from smoking by chance?</TD></TR></TABLE><TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DannyDeuce &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Yes it would. It would also stop the rough idle and the hard starts

DAN</TD></TR></TABLE>

not necessarily, valve seals could be junk, oil rings could be junk, lots of other things cause smoking other than head gasket.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EvilBastard &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">what do you think the average garage would charge to slap a new head-gasket on?</TD></TR></TABLE>

ill post a broad price range but anyhere from 300(low side) to 600(high)

 

Its a headgasket issue, most of the smoke is being caused by this. EvilBastard replace the HG and tells us how it runs after. I bet your car will run like a million bucks after you do it.

Replacing it will get rid of most of the excessive smoke coming out of the tailpipe.

Then if its still smoking a little after that......then just like tuck'd said, it could be other things also.

DAN

 

The leak could also be in the intake, which is a much easier fix. You can buy a test kit for testing for burned hydrocarbons in antifreeze at a real parts store (meaning something like napa and not autozone). In any event, you'd have to take the intake off to get the head off anyway, so you can just go step by step to do the job.

K

 

Woohoo, I can afford that - thanks for your help guys.

I'm gonna start calling places right now to see what they'd charge to swap gaskets...

About the radiator thingy - anyone know if I'm still screwed on that issue?

 

I checked the oil dipstick yesterday, and lo and behold, it had a greenish tint to it (Anti-Freeze mixing with my oil).

I took it in to a shop, they called me back - it is in fact a blown head gasket - it's gonna cost me around $640-$840 (an additional $100-$200 if the head is cracked at all).

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EvilBastard &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I checked the oil dipstick yesterday, and lo and behold, it had a greenish tint to it (Anti-Freeze mixing with my oil).

I took it in to a shop, they called me back - it is in fact a blown head gasket - it's gonna cost me around $640-$840 (an additional $100-$200 if the head is cracked at all).</TD></TR></TABLE>

Knew it.....happened to me enough times...haha.

Get it fixed......and your car will run like a champ.

DAN

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DannyDeuce &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Rough idle
Overheating
Hard to start

Sounds like your headgasket is gone. Same symptons i got when i blew my headgasket on 3 different occasions.

DAN</TD></TR></TABLE>

sounds like that to me. i like how you described your idle lol. headgaskets are no fun.

 

good luck