Sorry i have to make this fast, but ill get back later as soon as i can... here is whats going down. Im a loing time Honda owner for being 20 lol, but this is my first forum post.

94 civic ex coupe D16z6, all stock, 187k, just bought it about a month ago from a stereotypical used car dealer . It ran perfect for a solid three weeks, then i noticed the temp guage creeping up. I immediatly flushed the coolant with some Zerex normal flush and refilled with 60:40. Still overheated... i did some other tests as well but nothing works. My dad took it took a shop one day while i was in class and they suggested a new radiator and this is basically a break down of what i have done since then...
3 text book coolant flushes (with sink water, NOT distilled )
Oem Radiator
removed t-stat, replaced gasket with Caterpillar gasket maker
tested e-fan, temp sensor, all fuses and relays, compression (and leak down test 30% loss).
Burped/purged system everytime
TRied this BLue devil head gasket sealer. (this stuff is pissed off jello )

Im actually in class as i type this, so im short on time, but im pretty sure that is all the procedures i have gone through.

no leaks or puddles on ground
when HOT the over flow tank fills up very very fast.
little steam when up to temp.

I also noticed when i filled the system and pulled the hose off of the t-stat housing and pushed the throttle, the water kind of just dribbled out. No significant pressure.

So im down to either the head gasket or water pump??? or both???

The car runs fine though, no loss of power, i just cant drive far w/o over heating.

Again this i am a long time reader of this forum, but this is my first post, because i am so frustrated. I really wan't to be positive of a faulty water pump or head gasket before i move on.

Any advise, help, or even just a joke to cheer me up would be greatly appreciated!!!

Thank you in advance for your time and patience everyone.

Feel free to ask any questions im open to anything, and im sure i left some stuff out.

 

sounds like water pump. look under the water pump if theres coolant coming from the holes then its bad.

 

Exactly, I'm thinking the water pump took a dump. Either that or you have a clog somewhere in the system.

 

HG.

He said there's no water leaking

Pull the valve cover and set your torque wrench to 53ftlbs and tighten all the head bolts, if one moves, your HG is gone.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bmxmacdaddy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
I also noticed when i filled the system and pulled the hose off of the t-stat housing and pushed the throttle, the water kind of just dribbled out. No significant pressure.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

There should be pressure. No coolant leaking does not always mean the water pump hasn't gone south. If the head gasket had blown surely there would be some smoke from exhaust and a poorly running engine. Although it could also be the head gasket leaking coolant into the cylinder slowly.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SeVeNisOnE &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">If the head gasket had blown surely there would be some smoke from exhaust and a poorly running engine.</TD></TR></TABLE>

You'd be surprised about that actually, I've seen a fair number of them push coolant into the resorvoir but otherwise show no signs of a blown headgasket, no smoke, no milky oil, no power loss.

 

For sure the head gasket took a dump i just finished doing mine and it didn't have all the typical signs but when i pulled the head and took the gasket off the matter was leaking slightly through different areas....my car never leaked antifreeze, my oil was never contaminated, the only two things that gave it away was the constant over flow tank filling up constantly and the tiny bubble in the radiator when the car was running! I pulled my water pump after 180k sucker had no corrosion clean like a whistle and no shaft play amazing how healthy it was but i still replaced everything and yeah the headgasket was blown!

 

lol if this were the case then i don't see a reason to fix it j/k!

"Pull the valve cover and set your torque wrench to 53ftlbs and tighten all the head bolts, if one moves, your HG is gone."- none of the bolts moved. but ig guess that is a good thing.

i am going to put some dye in the fuel tank and check my coolant... could it possibly be both? i really doubt it, but ill believe anything right now.
few questions-
How long could my car run, properly, with a bad water pump? hour or so?

What has your experience been with HG's and Coolant Pumps? as far as removal and installation time(s). i remember helping my friend do the timing belt on a DA teg, didn't seem too long, but he is a gifted wrench.

how do i quote people on here?
Is there a way to update and/or move my post up the list?




Modified by bmxmacdaddy at 4:33 PM 9/2/2008

 

I'm still betting you'll find a head bolt loose. Been there, done that.

 

Replacing a water pump isn't all that hard, just time consuming. Putting headgaskets in hondas is IMO an exercise in futility. Long term success is very low, short term is a little better, but still not good. If you overheated the engine bad enough to blow the headgasket you probably warped the head, and ruined the rings. It seems like more often than not once you blow the headgasket once they just keep blowing, add to that they often burn oil after that and it tends to make more sense to replace the engine.

 

Just a thought, I know you changed the radiator but did you also change the cap, check to see if the gaskets are ripped or if you have a pressure tester available check the pressure on the cap

 

It was the head gasket... d@mn