Michelle is our 1997 Accord DX, 4-cyl (not v-tech_ 5-speed). She is our backup car, and gets driven occasionally. She had a new radiator installed this past summer. Straight water – no antifreeze.



She is driven every few weeks. Today, I took her into work – it was 18 degrees this AM. The trip is about 15 miles. A few miles in, the heat was blowing fine. About 10 highway miles out, I noticed the heat needle way high.

( I also, coincidentally noticed, that the cold/hot selector (red/blue) wheel would not turn all the way to low - I tried it as I was figuring out what was happening - this is probably a red herring, but it had never behaved that way before.)

Then I heard a clunky noise (once). Then I saw lots of white smoke behind me. I got her the couple extra miles to work. The heat needle cycled during this time Way-up, back to normal, Way-up, back to normal,
probably 3-4 times. When I pulled into my parking deck, and backed her into a spot, the engine was high-revving, low revving – could not find idle. I popped the hood, and here was water all around.

I went into work, and just now went out to check her, two hours later.
There were icicles all over poor Michelle (hence my stupidity was confirmed)


Cold now, I started her up. She started fine, and found idle. After a minute I checked the oil – its clean, no water (thank goodness). I know I was stupid, now I have to move on. I’m interested in two things : * what might have happened and getting her home. I was thinking I could fill her with water, and drive her home with the radiator cap off, stopping if she gets too cold.

Your comments are appreciated – I need a plan and need to get out of here in about four hours.

Thanks..
…Mike


Michelle, I am sooo sorry.

 

Straight water w/o coolant causes severe corrosion and you could have internal problems; pinhole defects in coolant passages. Flush and fill w/ coolant for starters.

Overheating could have damaged the head gasket. Time will tell. If you see evidence of white smoke (steam) from exhaust, missing, oil in coolant, or coolant in oil, head gasket failed due to overheating.

good luck

 

Sounds like it froze up.

Question now is what, if anything, broke/gave up. Fill it with water and look for signs of leaks. Get it home, if you have a garage, park it in there.

Use the other car and get some coolant from a parts store. Need to get the straight water out an replace with a 50/50 mix of coolant and water.

EDIT: And as usual, I'm slow at typing...TX replied as I was typing.

 

So, I do Have to get her home.
I was gonna do the following when I leave.
1) start her up and run for 3-4 minutes
3) turn her off - wait about 10 minutes for residual heat to melt whats left in her
4) fill with water - its what I have here
5) look for leaks
6) if none, carefully drive home without cap - stopping. filling as necessary
7) if major issues, I guess I call for a ride and a tow

...Mike

 

I went out and started to put water in the radiator for the ride home.
After two quarts or so, I noticed the big leak sound. It started coming out nearly as fast and as much as I out it in.

Not sure what it could be - while I can't see the leak, or feel it, Ill try to describe where.

Follow the lower (large) radiator hose from the radiator to whatever it goes in to. That fitting is dry. It seems like the water is coming out (a lot) about 4-6" to the driver's side from there.

Any ideas?

(depending on what might be there, I will have it towed to the shop, or my house)

Ideas please. Thanks... ...Mike

 

Hard to say...there are hoses and a tube back in that area. If the water is coming out as fast as it is going in....do not drive.

If you did the radiator job, tow it home. From there find the real source of the leak. I'll do some looking and see if I can give a pic or two of things I think it might be. Could be a block plug or tube.

 

Thanks so much - that would be great

 

Ok, this might look bad but it isn't really.

Leave the jokes about my "paint skills" out, I'm getting better? The blue arrow shows where the lower rad hose connects. The red line is on the "tube" that runs from the back of the water pump to the thermostat housing. As you can see there are several rubber hoses in that area, inspect them. Also inspect that "tube" for the source of the leak.

If you remove the instake tube - between air filter and throttle body - the view of the area will be a "bit" better. Also if you have a jack and stands - be safe under a car at ALL TIMES - get it in the air and remove the pass/right front tire as that will help the view from under it as well.

Coming out as fast as it goes in...should be pretty easy to find. Once you know where it is coming from let us know. We can help with "how hard"/"watch out for X". If you can post a pic that would be great added info.

Since this is the "spare" car, if you don't want/need to mess with it. Open the drain on the rad - center lower - and remove the rad cap. I looked at the 5 day, tomorrow night is ~25 but from there the rest of the lows are above 32. So no worries.

 

You don't want to do this combination again; live and learn.
A gallon of Prestone ($11) and a gallon of distilled water ($1) going into the new radiator would have avoided all problems.

Luck. good advice here.

 

It may yet turn out to be a hose. The bypass hoses look to be a possibility. You will need to remove the air intake duct for access. If it's the crossover pipe leaking, I think you'll need to remove the intake manifold for access.

good luck