Hello! I'm new to here so sorry if I make any mistakes! I'm really hoping someone can help me figure this thing out. I have a 96 Civic CX Hatchback, i bought it for my wife. Anyway, Ive noticed that when im driving or idiling sometimes, actually more now then before, it kind of want's to overheat but not fully. I changed the thermostat and still does it. Check the fluids and is fine. The part that catches me is that when the temperature starts rising, I immediately put the heater to the fullest and the fan on blast and instantly the temp goes back to normal. I lower the blower down to 1 and put the temperature to a cooler temp, it start to overheat a little. Now i'm scratching my head thinking is something more serious. For the record, I'm not a mechanic but I just don't wanna pay for something and then not be the problem..

hope someone can help me on this.

Thanks!

 

any leaks? and have you tried to bleed the system of any air. that will do it everytime. let me no thanks.

 

ya heater to full blast very smart to do when getting hot. is your fan kicking on? without putting heater on. does it go on.

 

Well no leaks at all besides the fact that my friend put the thermostat wrong and i had to take it to professional to get it done. It was fixed perfectly, no leaks but still overheating a little. And no i have not tried flushing it.

 

Actually I noticed that my car has two small Radiators. The one on the left that has the cap doesn't turn on and the one on the right it does.

 

reason i ask about leaks. is if leaking no water. but what do you mean two radiators. you should have one in the middle of car exactly or slightly to left if you are standing in front of it. thats you main radiator. right on back side of that should be a big fan. the other one im not sure what refering to unless that is over flow tank. but you should have one fan? but does it turn on by itself. if not sure all you need to do is let it idle or take around block until gauge almost in middle around that time you should hear fan kick on by itself. if it is not. then i assume your fan clutch is no good. and you can eithier replace or run a switch directly and put in car and turn on by your self. cheaper but chance of forgetting to turn on. lol. but ya if fan does work. then try bleeding the cooling system. and that will possibly help air in the system will cause to over heat. but im suspect to your fan. when you turn on blower that turns on fan. and allows to cool. because fan is on at this point. let me no if fan kicks on by itself at any point without heater/ac on. it will be very noticalble sound

 

I just drove around 95 for about 45 mins with the heater off. To be exact i hit the AC on for a while and the needle stayed at normal. Maybe like you said there was an air bubble. I have no clue! lol All i do is built computers and stuff so mechanic is different for me lol

 

One is a radiator, the other is an air conditioning condenser. The one with hard metal lines going into it is the condenser - don't fiddle with it.

 

ya what im trying to see is if your fan kicks on. get it up to temperature without the heater or air condition on. see if your fan kicks on by itself. if there is a air bubble or air in lines. you will need to look up how to bleed cooling system. just little hard to explain if no expierience may be easier to read about it and try. or have someone do it. but ya see if fan comes on before you try anything else. im stil suspect you have no fan working. but let me no.

 

Since you build computers you should be familiar with multistage processor fans. As the CPU works harder it generates more heat. Most newer desktops will increase fan speed to cool the processor.

Your car behaves the same way. As the engine heats up, a temperature switch closes and turns the radiator fan on. You did effectively the same thing by turning on the cabin heat.

When the car is moving air forced through the fan should be sufficient but when sitting or moving in slow traffic the fan increases air flow.

The placement of the switch by Honda can lead to issues after coolant system maintenance. The switch is in a place susceptible to an air pocket. If all air is not bled from the cooling system the switch is in air not coolant and doesn't sense temperature properly. Thus the suggestions to see if the fan is turning on and to bleed the system of air.

If the problem persists, then it is time to troubleshoot the fan electrical circuit. When engine temp increases the temp switch closes, this causes the fan relay to close applying voltage to the fan motor. It's a pretty basic circuit. The increased air flow lowers the coolant temp and the temp switch opens and the fan turns off.

Not trying to talk down to you, just thought with your background a description of the system would help you troubleshoot.

 

I just checked and the fan did not turn on after it started to rise the temperature.

 

ya exactly what i thought. then your fan switch/clutch is no good. to prove if its the clutch.. with car off. spin your fan blade by hand should have resistance to it. if just free spins like if you were spinning a bicycle tire. then no good. but unhook wires from fan and hook up to your battery you will see if fan at least works. but ya this is your problem. you can turn heater on if desired every time or run a switch instead. but fan is your problem

 

Yeah bleed all the air out first using the bleeder screw in the front, size 12. Add coolant to the radiator until coolant comes out the bleeder. Tighten it back up. Let your car get to norml temp( about 10 mins) then the fan on the left( radiator fan) should come on. If not, then you might have to wire up the fan to a toggle switch and activate it when your at stops in heavy traffic.

 

Sounds good guys! Thanks a lot!!! I will fix the fan!

 

Bleed the cooling system properly.

 

no problem good luck hope it helps you out. need anything else let me no ill check in on you. take care.

 

I know this might sounds like a really stupid question, like I said be fore I'm not a mechanic but how do u properly bleed a cooling system?

 

https://honda-tech.com/forums/showth...1#post39830585

 

Thanks a lot RonJ@HT. Will do!!!