Today I was driving back home from work and I noticed my temperature gauge is just a bit over the middle and right after I got home I let the car idle for a bit and the needle almost reached HOT but right after it went up, it went back to the normal temperature. So I turned off the engine and started it again and same thing happened, the needle goes up for a bit and then back to normal. I already changed the thermostat and its still doing the same. What could be the problem? The only problem I could think of right now would be the water pump, the radiator, or possibly the head gasket. Can someone point out the symptoms of each because I really dont want to be changing the wrong part. I already tried taking off the rad cap and starting the car and it blows lil bubbles and the top hose gets really hot and the bottom hose is actually cold. Plus I have a full size radiator and one side of the radiator is hot while the other side is cold. So any pointers on what else I should do or I should look at to find out what causes the problem would be much appreciated. The car is a 98 GSR. Also, my check engine light came on yesterday and it was a misfire on the #3 cylinder and the car has rough starting specially when its cold. Originally, I thought the misfire is probably caused by worn out spark plugs and spark plug wires because I havent had a tune up since I bought the car last January. So I changed the spark plugs, spark plug wires, cap and rotor yesterday and today this problem occured. My question is, will a blown head gasket could cause a misfire? If a misfire is a symptom of a blown head gasket, what else should I look at or do to make sure it is the head gasket before I start doing the headgasket. I really need to know how to properly check this problem out.

TIA




Modified by mmvito at 3:14 AM 10/21/2008

 

That you have done the thermastat all I can sugest is theres still air in the system, the water pump or faulty gauge.

That bleeding the cooling system is the cheapest try that first. That my integra doesn't have a bleed nipple(it was snaped off and wielded over) I have to jack the front of the car up. Then rev and squeeze the hoses. Iv found just taking the cap off still leaves lots of air in it.

Next check the temp gauge is earth well behind the dash, it could have a dodgy earth that rattles on and off causing the gauge to read hot/cold.

If your cam belt is starting to get old/high ks get it done aswell as the water pump. They should both be done at the same time so if its old/high ks so is your water pump.

 

actually the timing belt and water pump just got replaced before I got the car last january. It had 104,000 kilometers back then, now it has 123,000.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mmvito &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> I already tried taking off the rad cap and starting the car and it blows lil bubbles and the top hose gets really hot and the bottom hose is actually cold. Plus I have a full size radiator and one side of the radiator is hot while the other side is cold. </TD></TR></TABLE>

You need to bleed all the air out. The top hose will get hot fast until the thermo opens. You need to bleed it until all the air is out/both hoses are the same temp. Same with the rad. Should be the same temp.

 

Or you might just have a radiator leak. On the top of the radiator, that seal tends to leak. Do you see antifreeze anywhere.

 

Start from the small and move up.....

1.radiator cap
2.air/faulty gauge....
3.thermostat...stuck?
4.cracked hoses
5.water pump/timing belt on right
6....dare I mention .....headgasket...

GL