Overheating/Potential Cooling System Leak
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Overheating/Potential Cooling System Leak
I do want to clarify, I have spent an absurd amount of time looking through any forums, articles, and other related media regarding this topic, a lot of that research being on this website in particular, so I do apologize if this question has already been answered, I’m just letting it be known that I have done my research, I don’t mean to waste anyone’s time.
But anyway, the other day, I was fishing around in my engine bay trying to find an oil leak that had been leaking down the transmission bell housing (I tried the aerosol foot powder trick, it actually worked wonders) and after I had the car running for a while, it started to overheat. Not too much, I shut it off once it barely got above the center mark, but enough for me to visible see a difference through a video I made of it
I have a sticky note of every diagnostic procedure I plan on following through with involving the cooling system once I find some time in my schedule to give the car a proper diagnosis. One of those methods involves running the car, but here is where my question lies:
The only reason I found that oil leak I mentioned previously is because when I recently changed my oil, due to a relatively low oil level beforehand, having that much oil in my system again caused it to leak a good bit of it back out down the bell housing. My car has had low coolant for a while, but only recently began overheating (Below Min in the overflow tank, not much in the radiator, as far as I know.)
Is it a good idea to add more coolant to the system in order to aid with finding a possible leak?
The car in question is a 1994 Honda Civic Si, D16Z6 engine
Thanks in advance!
But anyway, the other day, I was fishing around in my engine bay trying to find an oil leak that had been leaking down the transmission bell housing (I tried the aerosol foot powder trick, it actually worked wonders) and after I had the car running for a while, it started to overheat. Not too much, I shut it off once it barely got above the center mark, but enough for me to visible see a difference through a video I made of it
I have a sticky note of every diagnostic procedure I plan on following through with involving the cooling system once I find some time in my schedule to give the car a proper diagnosis. One of those methods involves running the car, but here is where my question lies:
The only reason I found that oil leak I mentioned previously is because when I recently changed my oil, due to a relatively low oil level beforehand, having that much oil in my system again caused it to leak a good bit of it back out down the bell housing. My car has had low coolant for a while, but only recently began overheating (Below Min in the overflow tank, not much in the radiator, as far as I know.)
Is it a good idea to add more coolant to the system in order to aid with finding a possible leak?
The car in question is a 1994 Honda Civic Si, D16Z6 engine
Thanks in advance!
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From: The South - Roll Tide !!!
Re: Overheating/Potential Cooling System Leak
It is a good idea to add coolant/water to help keep the car from overheating. The fact that you didn't overheat until the coolant level got particularly low suggests that there is a good chance that the engine is OK... that the issue is more likely a pin hole in a cooling hose. A car of this age likely has compromised hoses, and it will take a FULL cooling system to find the problem. If you use coolant and not water, you will see white chalk left in the areas around the leak when things dry off. If you have a pressure test system, you can locate the leak without adding (and wasting) additional coolant.
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Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 428
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From: St Louis
Re: Overheating/Potential Cooling System Leak
I do want to clarify, I have spent an absurd amount of time looking through any forums, articles, and other related media regarding this topic, a lot of that research being on this website in particular, so I do apologize if this question has already been answered, I’m just letting it be known that I have done my research, I don’t mean to waste anyone’s time.
But anyway, the other day, I was fishing around in my engine bay trying to find an oil leak that had been leaking down the transmission bell housing (I tried the aerosol foot powder trick, it actually worked wonders) and after I had the car running for a while, it started to overheat. Not too much, I shut it off once it barely got above the center mark, but enough for me to visible see a difference through a video I made of it
I have a sticky note of every diagnostic procedure I plan on following through with involving the cooling system once I find some time in my schedule to give the car a proper diagnosis. One of those methods involves running the car, but here is where my question lies:
The only reason I found that oil leak I mentioned previously is because when I recently changed my oil, due to a relatively low oil level beforehand, having that much oil in my system again caused it to leak a good bit of it back out down the bell housing. My car has had low coolant for a while, but only recently began overheating (Below Min in the overflow tank, not much in the radiator, as far as I know.)
Is it a good idea to add more coolant to the system in order to aid with finding a possible leak?
The car in question is a 1994 Honda Civic Si, D16Z6 engine
ok let me get this straight (not being a smart a@@, Im hung over) you think its over heating because the temp gauge went over the half way mark, and you have low coolant in the reservoir? ok half way up the temp gauge is not over heating, 3/4 up the temp gauge is NOT over heating, it just means it running warm and things might get interesting. The cooling fan normally turns on when the gauge is at a wee bit over the 3/4 section of the temp gauge. Once the fan kicks on, it will stay running until the temp gauge gets to about the middle, then it will turn off. Fill the overflow reservoir, start the engine and let it run until the fan kicks on, when it does, look at the temp.. As far as the loosing coolant, its more than likely the radiator cap letting steam out, steam is just a hot version of liquid so youl wont see any puddles.
And going back to the starting it and waiting for the fan to turn on, it could take up to 30 minutes for that fan to turn on. These little engines run super cool. My d15b7 takes about 30 minutes from cold to kick the fan on, but my 4.6l in the mustang, the fan starts cycling in about 15 minutes
Thanks in advance!
But anyway, the other day, I was fishing around in my engine bay trying to find an oil leak that had been leaking down the transmission bell housing (I tried the aerosol foot powder trick, it actually worked wonders) and after I had the car running for a while, it started to overheat. Not too much, I shut it off once it barely got above the center mark, but enough for me to visible see a difference through a video I made of it
I have a sticky note of every diagnostic procedure I plan on following through with involving the cooling system once I find some time in my schedule to give the car a proper diagnosis. One of those methods involves running the car, but here is where my question lies:
The only reason I found that oil leak I mentioned previously is because when I recently changed my oil, due to a relatively low oil level beforehand, having that much oil in my system again caused it to leak a good bit of it back out down the bell housing. My car has had low coolant for a while, but only recently began overheating (Below Min in the overflow tank, not much in the radiator, as far as I know.)
Is it a good idea to add more coolant to the system in order to aid with finding a possible leak?
The car in question is a 1994 Honda Civic Si, D16Z6 engine
ok let me get this straight (not being a smart a@@, Im hung over) you think its over heating because the temp gauge went over the half way mark, and you have low coolant in the reservoir? ok half way up the temp gauge is not over heating, 3/4 up the temp gauge is NOT over heating, it just means it running warm and things might get interesting. The cooling fan normally turns on when the gauge is at a wee bit over the 3/4 section of the temp gauge. Once the fan kicks on, it will stay running until the temp gauge gets to about the middle, then it will turn off. Fill the overflow reservoir, start the engine and let it run until the fan kicks on, when it does, look at the temp.. As far as the loosing coolant, its more than likely the radiator cap letting steam out, steam is just a hot version of liquid so youl wont see any puddles.
And going back to the starting it and waiting for the fan to turn on, it could take up to 30 minutes for that fan to turn on. These little engines run super cool. My d15b7 takes about 30 minutes from cold to kick the fan on, but my 4.6l in the mustang, the fan starts cycling in about 15 minutes
Thanks in advance!
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