Tech / Misc Tech topics that don't seem to go elsewhere.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Where does my coolant go?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Oct 31, 2011 | 10:29 AM
  #1  
TurboTeG4's Avatar
Thread Starter
Honda-Tech Member
 
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 2,290
Likes: 0
From: Maui, Hawaii, United States
Default Where does my coolant go?

Ever since i put my freshly built engine in my teg 6 years ago i always have to fill my reservoir bottle up every couple days...I can run a pressure test and it literally holds 16psi for hours, over two, thats with my reservoir also pressurized. Coolant doesnt blow out my exhaust either, i run a fluidyne full sized.

So where can my coolant be going? Rad cap?
Reply
Old Oct 31, 2011 | 10:33 AM
  #2  
tuck1crx's Avatar
Honda-Tech Member
 
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 619
Likes: 0
From: bethlehem, pa,
Default Re: Where does my coolant go?

pressure test it with the motor hot.

what head, studs gasket, and were they ever retorqued?
Reply
Old Oct 31, 2011 | 11:27 AM
  #3  
TurboTeG4's Avatar
Thread Starter
Honda-Tech Member
 
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 2,290
Likes: 0
From: Maui, Hawaii, United States
Default Re: Where does my coolant go?

done, same thing no drop in pressure, apr studs
Reply
Old Oct 31, 2011 | 02:02 PM
  #4  
JustOneOrTwoPosts's Avatar
Honda-Tech Member
 
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 665
Likes: 0
From: yay area, ca, usa
Default Re: Where does my coolant go?

any leaks anywhere?
Reply
Old Oct 31, 2011 | 02:09 PM
  #5  
TurboTeG4's Avatar
Thread Starter
Honda-Tech Member
 
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 2,290
Likes: 0
From: Maui, Hawaii, United States
Default Re: Where does my coolant go?

no leaks, zero pressure drop
Reply
Old Oct 31, 2011 | 05:28 PM
  #6  
tuck1crx's Avatar
Honda-Tech Member
 
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 619
Likes: 0
From: bethlehem, pa,
Default Re: Where does my coolant go?

retourque ur head studs. may be happening underboost where your peek cylinder pressures are the highest.
Reply
Old Oct 31, 2011 | 09:04 PM
  #7  
TurboTeG4's Avatar
Thread Starter
Honda-Tech Member
 
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 2,290
Likes: 0
From: Maui, Hawaii, United States
Default Re: Where does my coolant go?

Ill do that, good idea hmmm whats the arp torque..
Reply
Old Oct 31, 2011 | 09:35 PM
  #8  
TOO MUCH TORQUE's Avatar
Honda-Tech Member
 
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,005
Likes: 3
From: California
Default Re: Where does my coolant go?

coolant is not suppose to disappear..the coolant in my teg has always been between min and max. never had to add coolant.

if you dont see leaks or something, i have a feeling its evaporating from high temps.

my friend has to add coolant to his civic every week or so.....its suffered from some overheats.
Reply
Old Oct 31, 2011 | 09:58 PM
  #9  
TurboTeG4's Avatar
Thread Starter
Honda-Tech Member
 
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 2,290
Likes: 0
From: Maui, Hawaii, United States
Default Re: Where does my coolant go?

My integra never overheated not one time, could a bad radiator cap have anything to do with it. Im a chk my arp torque tomorrow
Reply
Old Nov 1, 2011 | 07:20 AM
  #10  
tuck1crx's Avatar
Honda-Tech Member
 
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 619
Likes: 0
From: bethlehem, pa,
Default Re: Where does my coolant go?

Originally Posted by TurboTeG4
My integra never overheated not one time, could a bad radiator cap have anything to do with it. Im a chk my arp torque tomorrow
mine are torqued to 72lbs. do you know the correct way to re-torque? have they ever been?
Reply
Old Nov 1, 2011 | 10:25 AM
  #11  
TurboTeG4's Avatar
Thread Starter
Honda-Tech Member
 
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 2,290
Likes: 0
From: Maui, Hawaii, United States
Default Re: Where does my coolant go?

I called arp and they said its not recommended to retighten the arp head stud, what would be your procedure to retighten..
Reply
Old Nov 1, 2011 | 11:14 AM
  #12  
tuck1crx's Avatar
Honda-Tech Member
 
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 619
Likes: 0
From: bethlehem, pa,
Default Re: Where does my coolant go?

Originally Posted by TurboTeG4
I called arp and they said its not recommended to retighten the arp head stud, what would be your procedure to retighten..
Honda specify to retorque twice.

It is not because the studs work lose or where not acurately tightened, it's because the head and the gasket compress and settle during the first full heat cycle.

Aluminium expands a lot more than steel, so as the head heats up it expands more than the bolts and the bolts get tighter and crush the bolt bosses and gasket more. As the head cools and shrinks the bolts are now at less than spec.

A retighten gets it back to spec. This time the gasket and head are already precrushed so the crush canot become as much so the bolts stretch within their elastic limit as they where designed to and don't lose as much tension this time.

A really good gasket, a used head but with perfect surface and a block with a perfect surface and good studs might let you get away with it if you don't ask to much from it, but retorquing is the best procedure for gauranteedreliability under heavy duty conditions.

start in order 1-10, ONE AT A TIME, back off one full turn with something other then your torque wrench, torque down in one step to desired torque (72 is a number i have found that works great)

I hope this helps
Reply
Old Nov 1, 2011 | 05:36 PM
  #13  
JustOneOrTwoPosts's Avatar
Honda-Tech Member
 
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 665
Likes: 0
From: yay area, ca, usa
Default Re: Where does my coolant go?

also, you would be able to see if it is a bad cap. coolant would be dripping around that area and you would see residue.
Reply
Old Nov 2, 2011 | 05:59 AM
  #14  
anotherslowEG's Avatar
Honda-Tech Member
 
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 111
Likes: 0
From: Denison, TX
Default Re: Where does my coolant go?

Do you believe in magic?
Reply
Old Nov 2, 2011 | 02:27 PM
  #15  
cornfed's Avatar
Honda-Tech Member
 
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
Default Re: Where does my coolant go?

Had same issue and me and other honda techs think its just evaporating due to alot of underhood heat.
Reply
Old Nov 2, 2011 | 04:11 PM
  #16  
10psiLsEf2's Avatar
Honda-Tech Member
 
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,197
Likes: 0
From: Near Pacific Coast Highway
Default Re: Where does my coolant go?

Originally Posted by cornfed
Had same issue and me and other honda techs think its just evaporating due to alot of underhood heat.
Since when does coolant evaporate lols!
Reply
Old Nov 2, 2011 | 06:18 PM
  #17  
tuck1crx's Avatar
Honda-Tech Member
 
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 619
Likes: 0
From: bethlehem, pa,
Default Re: Where does my coolant go?

Originally Posted by cornfed
Had same issue and me and other honda techs think its just evaporating due to alot of underhood heat.
the vapor pressure of water at 197*F is only 0.011PSI. (Glycol is lower) so unless his system is under a vacuum or using isopropylalkohol as coolant, its not evaporating.
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Mhillips
Honda Civic / Del Sol (1992 - 2000)
4
Jul 31, 2013 07:16 PM
GeneBEllis
Acura Integra
5
May 10, 2013 05:44 PM
mortificationrock
Honda Civic / Del Sol (1992 - 2000)
24
Aug 11, 2008 11:09 AM
petrv
Honda Prelude
1
Apr 18, 2004 09:27 PM
petrv
Tech / Misc
2
Apr 18, 2004 09:26 PM




All times are GMT -8. The time now is 12:12 PM.