I put the thermostat in this morning before going to work and also flushed the radiator and added 50/50 coolant / water.
The car idled fine where it was really shaky when sitting at red lights. But, when i got to work I noticed smoke coming from the hood. I popped it and noticed that antifreeze was leaking from where I had installed the thermostat. I didn't have any tools so I just left it since the leaking stopped after about 30 seconds and it wasn't much anyhow. So, on my way home the needle gets WAY up HIGH like to the red and I'm like $HIT!!!!! So, I pull over on I-95 and pop the hood. The coolant is leaking again from the same spot and I check the resovoir tank and it's good. I fill it pass the max line just in case it does start getting low and drive the car. After I get up to 5th gear the temp. gauge is back up and I have to pull over again on I-95. I sit for about 10 minutes and then drive again. This time I get on it and get up to about 80 before the temp. gauge is in the red and I cut the engine off and cruise until the speed is kind of low 35mph. I turn the engine back on and gun it again then coast....

I do this about 7 times stopping one time at the gas station to sit for a few minutes and check the fluids.

I get home and my dad takes a look.

The radiator was ice cold and all the fluid I put in the resovoir was still there. He said the coolant was not flowing into the engine and it was really heating up! I was thinking the sensor was giving a false reading on the needle. I don't know what the hell I did wrong with the thermostat install. I put it in the same way as I removed the old one. Also, put the black rubber gasket that was on the old thermostat on the new one. Autozone sold me a gasket with the thermostat but I could not figure out where it went since t was way smaller than the seal at the thermostat.

Also when I installed the thermostat I just stuck it in place. The old one popped right out. Was I suppose to turn it (tighten it) into place or what?

I'll be outside looking at it in the morning.....

Thanks for any help!

 

Not that hondas are that tough to properly bleed, but have you bleed the cooling system? You can easily get a large air pocket in the cooling system, which will give this affect.

Jeff

 

or maybe thermostat is stuck closed?

 

you coulda installed the thermostat backwards, or just the thermostat is faulty.

 

yea id assume its stuck closed. i bought a jackson racing one everyone i got it would get stuck closed the second day i had it. first day ran great second got stuck so i gave up on them. good luck on it. try pulling it out and taking a peak at it that'll give some good insight.

 

the pin thing on the thermostat has to be at the 12 o'clock position
it could be that

 

dude
replace the coolant temprature sensors!
the thermostat might not have been broken

 

first thing, bleed the coolant. Where did you get the t-stat from?? Anytime I replace a stat I check to make sure it operates, which most will. But you never know. Most likely it's not that. And I don't know what to say about the leaking.

 

Just gut it. That is what I did and my needle barely moves now. If you live where it gets cold during the winter it will take a while for your car to heat up, but here in Alabama it never gets cold so I do not really worry about it.

 

I picked it up from Autozone for $6. Package looked new. I think it's installed wrong as far as lining the pin up as someone mentioned. I may even take it out, test it in boiling water, and drive without it to see if the coolant flows then.

It may be the sensor as someone mentioned, but I doubt it.

to the feedback!

Quote:

Just gut it. That is what I did and my needle barely moves now. If you live where it gets cold during the winter it will take a while for your car to heat up, but here in Alabama it never gets cold so I do not really worry about it.

Gut it as in leave the thermostat out?


[Modified by Hybrid93Hatch, 2:04 PM 12/22/2002]

 

Sounds like you just didn't install the gasket right or didn't use silcone to seal it right. Mine I had to let sit 12 hours to cure enough to drive it. If not then it will leak and you have a loss of pressure in the system.
Also in cold weather sometimes the thermostat may not open for quite a while. I'll sometimes drive around and the top radiator hose will be cool to the touch but the engine will be in operating temp.

Take the thermostat out.
Make sure it was installed correct with the rubber o-ring seal that goes around the thermostat. Also in the correct position.
Test it or replace it.
Re-install with the spring facing the engine.
Use a decent amount of silicon around the housing when you install it and tighten it evenly so it seals correctly.
Wait till the seal cures before you start it.

Good luck!

 

UPDATE!!!!!!

I decided to leave the thermostat out and see if the temperature would stay in normal operating range. After letting the car idle for a few minutes I took it for a spin. The car got up to normal operating temperature after a mile or so. Rode a total of about 3 miles before returning to the house.

Needle stayed well below the midline and FAR from the red

So, is it ok to leave the thermostat out?

I may go back and try it again with the pin at the 12 o'clock position. But, if I don't need it, I'll just leave it out. I'm in Ga where it's HOT 95% of the year. Pop's said the engine will run cooler in the summer with it left out.

 

That is the first thing I was thinking. Then you mentioned the radiator was cold and that means there is no coolant flowing through. Check that Thermostat and good luck.

 

I would put a thermostat back in. Your car needs to warm up to operating temp as soon as possible and without a thermostat it's gonna take a while. If anything drill a couple of holes in it if you want a little better flow.