Ok just bought another 88 civic sedan. It over heats but still runs good when I pulled the oil cap and the dipstick there was no white stuff so I don't think its the dead gasket what could it be I took out the thermostat but waiting for it to cool down I would post pictures but I am on my blackberry and I don't know how lol any ideas for this overheating problem

 

several things could be the problem, leaky cooling system, bad h/g (coolant doesn't have to mix w oil for you to have a bad h/g) warped head and or block, clogged radiator, or a combo of all those.

start off by performing a compression test and a cyl. leak down test. if that yields good, go to your local autozone and rent BOTH the cooling system pressurizer AND the import adapter so it will attach to your radiator. if you find that your cooling system is holding pressure properly, then try flushing your radiator. if that doesn't fix it then try replacing your water pump (and timing belt since you have to loosen it and take off the covers any ways). if that STILL doesn't fix it chuck the motor accross the street and buy a new one. lol

 

Lol this motor has 140000 original miles did the car fax and I'm thinking its the head gasket lots of oil and water on the block we will see putting the rebuilt a6 head on tomorrow ill keep you updated and will start my build thread soon

 

DCRB... wow man.

'hatch_kid', does the fan turn on when the engine starts to get hot?
Have you noticed if it stays overheated all the time or just when you come to a stop and idle for a while?

 

Ok so 179 120 120 179 is the compression from left to right so it has to be a head gasket and the car has been sitting for a couple hours and is still over the h on the temp gauge

 

Yeah it's def got a blown head gasket as anything more than 10-15 psi difference isn't good. Good luck with the replacement.

 

Ok guys just finished the head gasket and it still is over heating like two min after I start driving it goes to the h and I turn the heater on and it blows hot but stays over the h and I pulled the rad cap off and it shot up cause of pressure and hot water can someone help I am going to offer 20 bucks in a money order sent to the person that helps me figure this out. How easy 20 bucks just for sitting at a computer

 

Try cutting an old stant style t-stat, cut the spring stay off the base to make a restrictor,
bolt in with the gasket and properly bleed the sytem and see how that goes.

Also try crossing the temp switch wires to run the fan when ign. is on.

 

Ok about the Stant what in the hell do you mean lol I'm not used to this problem lol please explain in detail picture would help also the car overheats when driving it never goes down

 

This is what I am currently running to keep my car cool during the summer months Essentially a coolant restrictor.

 

Ok so the car is fixed turns out the gauge was messed up I switched the cluster with an si cluster and it reads normal I feel like a retard but who would have guessed lol thanks for all the help guys

 

It was the gauge all along huh. Well that's shitty lol. That's odd though that the low compression numbers on cylinder 2 and 3 would be indicative of a blown hg between those two cylinders. So after replacing the hg did the numbers improve at all?

 

Ya they did 179 175 176 179