I got a 93 civic dx hatchback and am having problems with it overheating.

*It only over heats when I pull off the highway after driving for a while and put it in neutral
*The radiator doesnt take any coolant from the reserve even if the coolants low in the radiator
*The top pipe gets warm and the lower one is cold
*When I switch the air vents to blow cold the coolant creeps up when the cap is off.

Any ideas on what it could be? Im in a really big hurry since I got a 2 1/2 hour drive ahead of me and dont have any time to search

 

Maybe your thermostat is stuck closed... since the lower hose isn't warming up.

 

Ok im gonna go get a new thermostat...if anyone else has any ideas let me know

 

Oh just noticed that my fan doesnt turn on either...How would you go about checking it?

 

If your thermostat is stuck closed, your fan might now kick on because your CTS isn't reading correctly.

 

bump


Modified by drmix at 9:59 PM 5/20/2008

 

Still overheats!!

*Replaced the thermostat
*Fan turns on
*Mostly over heats when driving on highway
*Top hose gets hella hot to where I can barely touch it for long
*Bottom hose gets a little warm but nothing like the top one
*Have to fill up coolant in the radiator almost every time I drive
*Only takes coolant from reserve once in a while

Any ideas?

 

Cloggs.......leaks.......use some dye, see wat u find.Also, notice if ur car burns white smoke.

 

Yeah it does smoke white but thats only when the engines cold...once it warms up its fine.

Also my heater blows cold air after it idles for a while but once i start driving again it gets warm

 

aha! ok, if your losing cooland to the point have have to routinly add it, you have a leak somewhere. now you said you were getting smoke on cold startup, it it is from coolant, it will smell little sweet. once the cat gets hot, it will cover up a head gasket leak. so hence is why you only see it when its cold. however, the head gasket should keep the coolant form circulating. the abilty for the radiator to take in form the bottle depends on the hose between them to be free of clogs, and the cap's one way vacuum valve to be good [ which is usually whats wrong] and the system to be able to take and hold a small vacuum such as when the system cools off. if you changed the t- stat and did nto put it in backwards, then i think the coolant may not be circulating. if the heat works the water pump is good. i am curious to know if the radiator may be clogged. an easy way to know is disconnect the hoses, and run a garden hose through it. but this only shows flow, and not its ability to dissapate heat. if you run the car and keep seeing bubbles int he radiator while its running, then its definitaylt a head gasket

 

Hmm its starting to smoke more and more it seems. Also has a weird idle when i start it like it bogs out a little...im beginning to think it may be the head gasket

 

check your oil to see if its got coolant in it

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by drmix &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Hmm its starting to smoke more and more it seems. Also has a weird idle when i start it like it bogs out a little...im beginning to think it may be the head gasket</TD></TR></TABLE>


check your oil dipstick if it has like a milky material your head gasket is blown since is sputtering i think is your head gasket ....that sux for your two hour drive.....

 

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


check your oil dipstick if it has like a milky material your head gasket is blown since is sputtering i think is your head gasket ....that sux for your two hour drive.....

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

Just went and checked the oil didnt really look milky just like normal oil. However the coolant in the reserve did have a oily look to it

 

head gasket

 

my car was doing the same thing. I replaced the thermostat, checked for leaks. Fan wasnt coming on so I got that to work, car still overheated. White smoke would come out from underneath my hood. So is my car having the same problem "bad head gasket"??? hows a good way to check to see if your water pump is in good working condition? thanks.

 

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

Just went and checked the oil didnt really look milky just like normal oil. However the coolant in the reserve did have a oily look to it</TD></TR></TABLE>


definately head gasket as the problem gets worst itll start sputtering more and more sometimes itll even should the water out of the exhaust

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jvaughn &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">my car was doing the same thing. I replaced the thermostat, checked for leaks. Fan wasnt coming on so I got that to work, car still overheated. White smoke would come out from underneath my hood. So is my car having the same problem "bad head gasket"??? hows a good way to check to see if your water pump is in good working condition? thanks.</TD></TR></TABLE>


if the water pump is bad itll heat up really quick because the water isnt circulating which bad water pumps cand end up blowing your head gasket .......if your water gets in to your oil it becomes a mess

 

also the car was having a hard time starting, whats thats about?

 

is having a hard time starting probably cuz water is getting into your combustion chamber take of your spark plug and see if any of the cylinders are wet

 

i might be the sensor my 97 honda civic dx was doing the same thing and i replaced the sensor and my fan started working

 

but this doesnt mean it will have a hard time starting up

 

so if theres water, what are my steps of taking care of this problem??? thanks man.

 

if theres water there then is gonna be your head gasket replace head gaske if your oil is milky you gotta flush the whole system .........and thats a bitch good luck