While accelerating onto the freeway, the temp gauge jumped to the top and pegged there. I was close to home and drove the 3 miles and parked it. The cooling fan did not come on like it normally does. I started it 2 days later and after a few minutes of idle the temp gauge pegged all the way up so I shut it down. Again no cooling fan. Where do I start? I don't want to take it to the dealer if it's minor and I don't have money to just throw at it. I'm looking for a little help and a direction to look in. Thanks

 

It could be multiple things. Water pump? Thermostat? belts? hoses to resevoir?

 

Kongzilla, thanks for replying. Next question is what should i be looking for under the hood to narrow it down? I will check the hoses and belts in the morning. How would I know if it's the water pump by looking at it? Or the thermostat, or EGR valve? I know just enough about cars to understand how they work, but not enough to work on them. Any help is again greatly appreciated.

 

check your fuses and if the fans still are not working and your sure their not its most likely a fan switch....take it one step at a time and dont even go for hoses or anything yet....get the fans running first





Radiator Fan Switch

This switch is the primary controller of the operation of the radiator fan(s) used for cooling. When the coolant in the system reaches a pre-determined temperature, the fan switch closes and completes a circuit. The fans will be brought on. Generally, the switch communicates with the fan relay, although the later PGM-FI cars send the signal through one of the many solid-state controllers first. Do not assume that the switch is the only component in the radiator fan circuit which controls its operation. There are many other components whose failure may prevent the radiator fan from operating. If the fans are not working when the engine is very warm, check the fuses first.

On all vehicles except 1990-95 Accords and 1992-95 Preludes, the fan switch is located in the bottom of the radiator. On 1990-95 Accords (except V-6) and 1992-95 Preludes, the switch is located in the housing at the rear end of the coolant connecting pipe. This is the pipe running along the outside of the engine, just above the oil filter. The switch the only electrical component in the housing. On the Accord V-6, it threaded into the side of the coolant crossover pipe (not next to the bleed bolt) on the transaxle side of the engine.


on the accords there are 2 fan switches....one on the thermostat housing and one on the upper rad hose housing and they are both different...i would replace them both

 

What about faulty wiring to the gauge? Is the car actually overheating or is the gauge faulty? Next time the guage goes all the way to hot, shut the car down but leave key in ON position. Does the gauge eventually drop slowly as it cool? You may have a short in the wiring.

 

Thanks everyone for the input. Gauge is functioning correctly because the car is overheating after a short idle. The idle is bouncing as well, 900 to 2100 rpm after only a minute or so at idle. belts are in good shape and hoses are in good shape too. Radiator overflow bottle is well under max line. no coolant leak. The relays look good but i have to test them. Just downloaded a service manual. time to get greasy.

 

I had this same problem with a civic and it turned out to be low anti freeze level! I had a small leak and then it would get to so low a level the water pump would scavenge and not circulate the fluid and it would over heat. so check you fluid levels first.

Hope it is that simple.

 

When you say that the idle jumps around and you are low on coolant, I would bet on a thermostat. When air is in the system, the sensors get false readings, causing your bouncing idle and fans not to cycle correctly. You might just try topping off the coolant level and see if/where you loose it again.

 

Checked the electrical, relays are good. The top of the radiator fins were dry. Filled the coolant back up from min line on the overflow bottle to max. Started and warmed up. The idle jumping almost seams like a fuel problems where the idle will rev to 2100 and then seem to cutoff and fall to 900. they bounce again to 2100. The Fan came back on. Drove it about a mile around the block and it overheateded and started to steam. So what next, water pump? Is there a valve that could be stuck closed or not getting the right signal to open? Is that a thermosat issue? Funny but the check engine light is not on. I would have thought that would have gone off for sure.

 

If the radiator and overflow bottle were topped off and it overheated going around the block, I'd do at least a new thermostat and new coolant.

 

again try replacing the fan switches...not the relay....and also check your oil to see if theres anti freeze in it....the idle surge can also be coincidence and be coming from a dirty iacv valve so dont go by just that