98 4 cyl Accord. 247,000 mi. Just bought this car so I'm trouble shooting. It ran like crap on the way home, stalling at every light.
I changed plugs and wires. Valve cover gasket, temp sensor and distributor O ring.
Ran better, but still overheating. Replaced thermostat. Now it's blowing antifreeze out through the reservoir hose and temp gauge bouncing between 1/2 and 3/4 mark.
Bad radiator maybe??

 

 

Thanks. I did drain the radiator before replacing the thermostat, but a complete system flush probably would have been better.

 

compression test to see if the head is warped

 

Did you properly air bleed the cooling system with the bleeder nipple on the backside of the thermostat housing? Verify that the heater is set to full hot to open the heater control valve.
12mm open end wrench, use a clear vinyl tube that will reach to the top of the cowl, open the bleeder and fill up the cooling system when you start seeing coolant fill the tube slow/stop and let the coolant settle.
Rinse repeat. When the tube is just solid coolant, close the bleeder. Finish filling the radiator, if need be. Fill reservoir, start engine, watch temp gauge. If it is steady go for a drive.

 

Thanks MAD_MIKE, I have not tried that yet.
Thanks holmesnmanny, I need to find someone to do that test for me since I don't have the equipment needed.
The shop I took it to yesterday said the radiator is shot and one hose leaking. I've ordered a new radiator and hoses.
After replacing those I will find someone to do a compression test. Thanks for all the suggestions! :-D

 

Also, thanks Pvadams, I plan to do that when the new radiator and hoses get here. :-)

 

I went with OEM hoses, but couldn't help wonder what was up with all the "silicone hoses" are they better, or just a fad?

 

thats one of the symptoms of a blown head gasket. if compression is leaking into the cooling system then it will build up pressure and push water out the weakest spot, which in turn casues less than optimum cooling because the water/coolant is being pushed out. crank it up and take off the radiator cap and check for gas/exhaust smell. if water is gushing out when you remove the cap then you have a blown head gasket. be careful not to get burnt when removing the cap with motor running. do it when engine is cold. other symptoms include a hissing noise every time the piston goes up and down, or coolant/water in oil, or oil in water/coolant, or smokes badly (you could have all or one of these symptoms as well)

 

Unlike rubber hoses the silicone will not break down over the years. Plenty of ex-CHP Mustangs sporting the original heavy duty silicone blue hoses even though the rest of the cooling system and engine have been replaced. That is if the hoses are correctly made. I cannot say with all the funky red, purple and green silly-cone ebay hoses if they are up to the same task.
A correctly made silicone hose will outlast a rubber hose, however after replacing my own hoses at 300+K miles the factory Asuba(spelting?) hoses still looked pretty damn good.

 

Thanks again for all the info.

 

If you don't have one of these guys ( ), I would highly recommend. Might not use it all of the time, but it burps the system of air and makes adding or replacing the coolant pretty foul proof.
You can rent the compressor testing kit at O Reillys fo free. Beware the adaptors really like getting stuck in the spark plug tube holes. make sure to unplug the connector to the dizzy and the fuel pump fuse (drivers side fuse panel) when doing the test.

 

+1 Holmes and Mr. Howell. Leaking head would also explain the stalling.
My son's '94 LX had the same issues. Unfortunately we replaced everything else and then got to the head gasket. Lesson learned.
Highly recommend the following procedure. We got to step four before confirming the leak.
Part 1 -How To Test for a Blown Head Gasket (2001-2005 1.7L Honda Civic)