Ok so id like to start off by saying I HAVE SEARCHED.

Heres whats happening:
If im in stop and go traffic my temp needle seems to rise over halfway if im driving on the interstate or remaining a constant speed the temp seems to remain normal.
the needle NEVER goes all the way up but more towards 3/4 of the way up.

ive replaced the thermostat and waterpump
ive bled the radiator but havent flushed it completely. (just what comes out when you do water pumps and thermostats.)
and the bottom hose seems to have a hard time getting HOT.
and replaced the temp sending unit recently

HERES THE KICKER.
i noticed my radiator fan wasnt turning on so i jumped the relay and it stays on, BUT im still having this problem in the stop and go traffic.
i dont notice any white smoke or anything crazy like that and my oil seems fine and my coolant doesnt smell like gas to me. Also NO leaks.

im not saying all of this is related but maybe it is. does anyone know the specific purpose of the ECT? could it have to do with that seeing as alot of people replace their thermostat and still have this same problem.

any help advice or CONSTRUCTIVE criticism is appreciated.

Thanks HT

 

The ECT switch controls the rad fan, the ECT sensor supplies the signal for the engine temperature gauge.

Your problem sounds normal, [over-heating in stop and go traffic but not when at a constant speed] for a car that the rad fan is not working, however it is no longer normal if the problem is still there with the rad fan running all the time, [jumped rad relay].

What is the MM&Y of car?
Any mods?
Full size or half size rad?
Still the stock rad fan for the rad you have? 94

 

i know it seems weird.
its a 95 rhd eg6 with a b18c
halfsize radiator. oem.

 

Go to a full size rad, or duel or triple half rad.
You could also try a custom rad fan that moves more air, your problem is airflow, the stock fan is not producing enough airflow for the rad you have or the rad does not have the capacity for the engine you have.

Because there is no problem when moving at a steady speed indicates the rad is "big" enough as long as there is enough airflow, in stop and go traffic the rad can not "keep up", even with the rad fan running, because the rad fan can not equal the airflow of the car moving at even 50KPH. 94

 

im confused though because i havent always had this problem...
i replaced the relay and the fan doesnt kick on im replacing the ECT tonight, do you think that could cause these issues as well? ( a bad ect sensor)

 

im having the same issuse. b18b1 motor, 94 integra ls, full size radiator.

 

It's probably air pockets in your coolant system.

Full thread: here

Solution: Fill, bleed, fill, bleed, fill, bleed. Just like your brakes.

Use the coolant bleed nipple on the engine block and add fluid to the radiator. Attach a hose to the nipple and have the other end submerged in a bottle with some CLEAN coolant in it. Obviously, don't try opening the radiator while the car is hot.

 

I'll share my experience from a couple years ago...I've wisened up alot since then lol

I had a spontaneous overheating problem while sitting in traffic...I knew I had a MINOR leak, and normally when the tempt creeps I'm pretty low on coolant...since there's no coolant, I cant just pop the cap. I pulled over, check the over flow, empty, pop the cap BAM coolant everywhere. Turns out my fan switch went bad, jumped it, tried to fill the rad back up....

I ran with the fan jumped for 3 weeks but my temp would still creep after about 20 minutes on the highway and ALOT while I was sitting. Changed the fan switch, it still persisted.

On a cold start, I let my car idle for 15 minutes with the cap off and a huuuuge bubble came out. Must've been caught around the waterpump.

 

ok well ive also noticed it takes a good while for my lower radiator hose to get HOT but the upper one will get hot like normal but i just replaced the thermostat. and i changed the ECT and the rad fan relay.

but once i drive on the interstate and the car gets HOT and the bottom hose FINALLY gets hot the fan kicks on as normal. its almost like its taking a while for the thermostat to open up. i got it from advance auto could it be a defective thermostat do you think?


also ive bled my system alot but tomorrow while im washing my car ill let it sit and stay on while i clean it and maybe thatll help.
blah

 

Headgasket was my fix for my sohc and my buddies f23

 

but i dont see a connection between bottom radiator hose not getting hot and a bad head gasket

 

common misconception...a bad headgasket doesnt cause overheating, low coolant because it's been burned off because it was leaking through a bad headgasket into the cylinders will cause overheating.

take your thermostat out and see if you lower rad hose gets hot faster

 

ok so i took the cap off and a few air pockets came out and the car started using the fan like it should.

but while the radiator cap was off the car never over heated or even went past the halfway mark. but once the radiator cap got put back on the heat started to rise =[
the fan kept kicking on but it was running ALOT hotter, almost instantly.

 

lower rad hose isn't supposed to be hot like the upper.

if the fan is cycling at idle when the temp is up as you've described, it sounds like your problem may be the cap. it may not be placing pressure on the system. is the cap cycling as it should be? allowing coolant into the reservoir at higher temps, the pulling it back in at lower temps?

 

the fan comes on after sitting for a while.
and yes coolant comes in and out of the reservoir appropriately.
and when i put the cap on the fan turned on but it was still hotter than halfway

 

What is the pressure stamped on the rad cap? Is it a 1.1 bar cap?

 

i just replaced it with a stant one just to see if that was the issue, and i dont think it helped.

 

Don't use Stant parts in the cooling system.

You didn't use a Stant thermostat too, did you?

 

yeah, i did

 

Haaha. Wait you can afford a Rhd car with what I'm assuming is a type r motor and you cheap out on no name garbage parts? Get an oem thermostat, a dual core rad, a better fan and re- bleed the cooling system

 

its really not about the price of oem parts.
i had actually already ordered an oem thermostat and gasket which are now sitting in the garage when i bought the stant thermostat, i just didnt have patience and didnt think there was anything wrong with going to advance and picking up a stant thermostat.

and trust me i do understand the importance of quality

 

Guess why you're having problems?

The single-stage Stant thermostats you can buy at chain parts stores almost never work properly. I've seen them cause more cooling system problems than they solve.

The only thermostat brands that I've seen work correctly in a Honda are the two-stage units from Fuji Thompson (OE), Nippon Thermostat (also OE), and TAMA Enterprises.

Don't listen to anyone telling you to change the radiator or fan. Unless they are faulty (e.g. cracked tank, leaking tank seals, damaged/missing core fins, burned out fan motor, etc.), there is no need to replace them. The stock pieces have enough capacity for a B18C and will work fine.

Install the OEM thermostat and bleed the cooling system, then get back to us.

 

Some Good info in here guys.

 

will do, i have to do the thermostat on my hardbody too, so looks like ill be doing them both. either way ill let you know

thanks alot man

 

Good stuff.. Ill be making some adjustments. Thanks guys