Ok checked thermostat, fan, coolant level, spark plug gap, and compression tested it, headgasket seems fine, (rings a lil worn though )

So now what? It's still overheating during regular driving...Waterpump isn't making any funny noises, but the car only overheats when I'm at a stop....temp is normal when I'm moving....So where do I go from here? car has 76k miles on it...turbo'd for over a year

 

There still could be a few possibilities.. Make sure your coolant/water ratio is 40/60 or what ever is recommended by the factory... Generally, the more coolant ratio you have the less efficient your cooling system will be since coolant dosen't dissipate heat as good as water.. Another possibility is you might have a clogged up radiator, one way to check is when your car is overheating, pop the hood and see if your radiator fan is blowing hot air or not. I hope this helps.. keep us posted!

Charleston

 

ttt

 

check your radiator by looking for cold spots on it. thats how you can check to see if it is clogged. Also, reduce the coolant and add more water. Add a bottle of redline water wetter, pep boys carries it. Ignition timing, valve timing should be good. Also make sure your cat is not clogged. you should tell a little if you feel a drop in HP. replace the thermostat in case its sticking. You can check this buy turning on yoru car an dlooking donw the radiator. You should see the water flow then stop every few minutes. Also a cracked head will cause you to heat. Check oil for water and check plugs for green residue and oil.

 

take the cap of the radiator and "squeeze"the various coolant hoses to relieve air pockets.. mods involving the coolant system may add a stubborn additional air pockets..

Some of the 82 series Civics would require jacking up the right front of the car and doing the above.. they would develop some stubborn air pockets and would cause a problem similiar to yours.. I'm not saying to jack up the car, but make sure you are not experiencing this similiar situation by squeezing out that extra air..

 

does your fan run when sitting still

 

yes it does...blows cool too

 

has this car ever been wrecked in the front end

 

never...thank goodness

 

Here are a couple of items you might want to check/replace...

If the cooling fan seems to work sometimes and not others, it may be the relay. The cooling fan relay sits in a box up by the battery. Remove it, lube with Di-electric tune up grease (any auto parts store should know) and reinstall. If problem persists, replace.

You should have two Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT in the svc. manual) sensors. See if you can find someone to test their operation, replacing if necessary.

Let us know what happens here, I'm dying to know!

-T

 

Thanks, I'll check the ECT today