04 Civic EX Automatic Overheating

[ndccpf1]

Worked a a friend's 2004 Civic EX 1.7L VTEC today. Car overheating /
no heat into passenger area / both cooling fans will come on only if
AC is turned on. Main cooling fan not coming on. Changed T-stat with
OEM Honda part and still temp gauge rises while car sits idling.
Heater hoses into firewall one is cold other just barely warm. At
first lower radiator hose was cool to touch then after car sat off not
running the hose warmed up. Waterpump ?

[jim beam]

On 10/01/2011 08:18 PM, ndccpf1 wrote:
> Worked a a friend's 2004 Civic EX 1.7L VTEC today. Car overheating /
> no heat into passenger area / both cooling fans will come on only if
> AC is turned on. Main cooling fan not coming on.

check operation of the thermoswitch. they can and do fail.

> Changed T-stat with
> OEM Honda part

the right one for this vehicle? oriented correctly? not saying you
didn't but mistakes happen and have a big effect.

> and still temp gauge rises while car sits idling.

did you check the expansion bottle to see if there are bubbles when the
motor's running?

> Heater hoses into firewall one is cold other just barely warm. At
> first lower radiator hose was cool to touch then after car sat off not
> running the hose warmed up. Waterpump ?

unlikely - pumps hardly ever fail in a way that stops them pumping.

check the basics before guessing what the problem is:

does it have sufficient coolant? look in the radiator, not just the
expansion bottle.

what is that coolant like? clear? cruddy? is it properly concentrated
antifreeze or just water?

are the drive belts present? in good condition?

i'd fix the known problem first - the thermoswitch [it won't solve the
hose temperature anomalies, but a working one needs to be present], then
as part of the above, make sure it's not the head gasket. if the gasket
is leaking and the coolant circuit is full of bubbles, you'll not get
much heat transfer.


--
nomina rutrum rutrum

[jim beam]

On 10/02/2011 09:08 AM, Elmo P. Shagnasty wrote:
> In article<j6a1u0$1jf$1...@speranza.aioe.org>, jim beam<m...@privacy.net>

> wrote:
>
>>> Changed T-stat with
>>> OEM Honda part
>>
>> the right one for this vehicle? oriented correctly? not saying you
>> didn't but mistakes happen and have a big effect.
>

> been there, done that.

it's a particular problem on hondas because they use a bypass flow
design, and the thermostat needs to be both present and working for
routing to be correct.

--
nomina rutrum rutrum

[ndccpf1]

On Oct 2, 12:02 pm, jim beam <m...@privacy.net> wrote:
> On 10/01/2011 08:18 PM, ndccpf1 wrote:
>
> > Worked a a friend's 2004 Civic EX 1.7L VTEC today. Car overheating /
> > no heat into passenger area / both cooling fans will come on only if
> > AC is turned on. Main cooling fan not coming on.
>
> check operation of the thermoswitch.  they can and do fail.

Will have to check this one. It sticks out from the T-Stat housing
correct ?

>
> > Changed T-stat with
> > OEM Honda part
>
> the right one for this vehicle?  oriented correctly?  not saying you
> didn't but mistakes happen and have a big effect.

I gave the parts counter the VIN # of the car to help eliminate
mistakes but will have to go back and cross reference the part number
listed on the package.

>
> > and still temp gauge rises while car sits idling.
>
> did you check the expansion bottle to see if there are bubbles when the
> motor's running?

On this design no easy to look into the expansion tank down the neck.

> > Heater hoses into firewall one is cold other just barely warm. At
> > first lower radiator hose was cool to touch then after car sat off not
> > running the hose warmed up. Waterpump ?
>
> unlikely - pumps hardly ever fail in a way that stops them pumping.

I figured the pump would be OK just the seals could leak. However on
VWs / Audis they had been using waterpumps with plastic vanes that had
a high failure rate. Plastic are they for real !

>
> check the basics before guessing what the problem is:
>
> does it have sufficient coolant?  look in the radiator, not just the
> expansion bottle.
>

I made sure I added the correct pre-mix into the radiator and
expansion tank ....in addition removing the air pockets.

> what is that coolant like?  clear?  cruddy?  is it properly concentrated
> antifreeze or just water?
>

Old mix did not appear so bad I replaced with Pre-mixed Prestone.

> are the drive belts present?  in good condition?
>

If belts were missing AC compressor would not work (AC works but no
heat), Powerr steering pump on top and see the belt there...and no
Battyer light on (Alternator OK)

[Tegger]

ndccpf1 <ndc...@gmail.com> wrote in news:3e71b814-e467-493f-8afb-
35de44...@d17g2000yqa.googlegroups.com:

You are probably low on coolant, and thus no flow at idle.

When the engine starts to overheat, does the temperature go back down if
you rev the engine to 2,500rpm and hold it there?


--
Tegger

[ndccpf1]

On Oct 2, 5:26 pm, Tegger <inva...@example.com> wrote:
> ndccpf1 <ndcc...@gmail.com> wrote in news:3e71b814-e467-493f-8afb-
> 35de44221...@d17g2000yqa.googlegroups.com:

>
> > Worked a a friend's 2004 Civic EX 1.7L VTEC today. Car overheating /
> > no heat into passenger area / both cooling fans will come on only if
> > AC is turned on. Main cooling fan not coming on. Changed T-stat with
> > OEM Honda part and still temp gauge rises while car sits idling.
> > Heater hoses into firewall one is cold other just barely warm. At
> > first lower radiator hose was cool to touch then after car sat off not
> > running the hose warmed up. Waterpump ?
>
> You are probably low on coolant, and thus no flow at idle.
>
> When the engine starts to overheat, does the temperature go back down if
> you rev the engine to 2,500rpm and hold it there?
>
> --
> Tegger

After draining for the T-stat replacement, I topped off with new pre-
Mix and made sure the over flow bottle had it also. I also tried to
work the air out (capt off running).. What condition changes at the
extended 2,500 RPM ?

[Tegger]

ndccpf1 <ndc...@gmail.com> wrote in news:a1bd092b-b1af-48ab-a0ec-
15183c...@j19g2000vbn.googlegroups.com:

> What condition changes at the
> extended 2,500 RPM ?
>

The water pump is able to kick even low amounts of fluid through the
system.


--
Tegger

[ndccpf1]

On Oct 2, 9:28 pm, Tegger <inva...@example.com> wrote:
> ndccpf1 <ndcc...@gmail.com> wrote in news:a1bd092b-b1af-48ab-a0ec-
> 15183cb60...@j19g2000vbn.googlegroups.com:

>
> > What condition changes at the
> > extended 2,500 RPM ?
>
> The water pump is able to kick even low amounts of fluid through the
> system.
>
> --
> Tegger

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Had to work the air out of the system. Car now running great and
STRONG heat in the cabin now. Thanks to everyone who replied.