So, just picked up a 2002 civic with 146,000 miles a few days ago, and let’s just say I’m neck deep in regret...hoping it’s not a head gasket issue.
I drove the car an hour home after buying, and didn’t notice any issues. Waking up the next morning to warm it up, and I couldn’t get heat until I started driving. No over heating yet...
After driving for 4 hours to go visit family, I stop at The store for a bit, and then continue. Then I notice the over heating. I stop before it gets too hot. Initially I banked on it being air in the system. After popping the hood, I noticed coolant had overflowed out of the overfill res... I popped the radiator cap and started the car with the defrost on high to try and burp the system. I noticed air bubbles coming out and let it run for 5 minutes until they stopped ( not quite sure if they stopped completely...)
I was back under way for another hour drive with no issues. The car sat for 2 days, and after driving for 20 minutes on my way home, it almost overheated again. I burped the system again, and it ran fine for 20 minutes while I got back to my families place. After some short diagnosing, here are some of the symptoms/what I know.
- Relays and fuses in the box are good to go.
- Both fans wouldn’t work, and I found that the Engine coolant temp sensor switch was bad, so I completed the circuit on the plug with a paper clip to get the fan working. The AC condenser fan still won’t come on no matter what, atleast not while stopped with the AC on.
- Heat won’t work unless the system gets burped, and even then I have to be driving/revving.

Any help is appreciated.

 

Dang man. Should have gotten a pre purchase once over with a mechanic. Head gasket failures are common in these engines and your symptoms describe just that.

Common issues to look for when buying a 7th Gen Civic - Honda Civic Forum (civicforums.com)

Overheating and mysterious coolant loss common causes - reference - Honda Civic Forum (civicforums.com)

 

Any recommendations on a rebuilt cylinder head? I’m seeing prices from 350 to 650 bucks.
It’s looking like that’s the route I gotta take. Accept my loss and make the best of it!

 

I had my HG replaced with OEM and head planed so not sure about the replacement head or engine route. It did not overheat but caught it when there was a lack of heat in the cabin and presence of exhaust gases in the coolant.

Good luck with whatever route you take.