Overheating & coolant overflow question
#1
Unregistered
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Overheating & coolant overflow question
hi Everyone!
Well, it's my first post, and unfortunately it's a repair question!
My '92 Accord (automatic), has been overheating recently, just started about 2 weeks ago.
On short trips it's fine, but anything longer than, say, 30 minutes, and it starts to get hotter. Temp gauge starts to rise a bit. Under the hood, I can actually hear the coolant in the hoses boiling (sort of a gurgling sound), and I am loosing coolant from the top of the overflow bottle, near the cap. Both upper and lower hoses are hot (I was thinking that thermostat was not opening, but upper hose is hot...so I'm thinking thermostat is opening ok).
Both fans run and turn off ok.
Any advice is appreciated!
Thanks!!
Marc
Well, it's my first post, and unfortunately it's a repair question!
My '92 Accord (automatic), has been overheating recently, just started about 2 weeks ago.
On short trips it's fine, but anything longer than, say, 30 minutes, and it starts to get hotter. Temp gauge starts to rise a bit. Under the hood, I can actually hear the coolant in the hoses boiling (sort of a gurgling sound), and I am loosing coolant from the top of the overflow bottle, near the cap. Both upper and lower hoses are hot (I was thinking that thermostat was not opening, but upper hose is hot...so I'm thinking thermostat is opening ok).
Both fans run and turn off ok.
Any advice is appreciated!
Thanks!!
Marc
#3
Thermostat could be only partially open and not fully opening causing overheating. I would replace the thermostat, since it's easy to access and relatively cheap. Use an OEM thermostat, they work better than aftermarket.
Smell the coolant in the overflow bottle. Any gasoline smell? If yes, the head gasket may be leaking exhaust gas into the coolant stream, overpressurizing system, causing overflow and overheating.
A weak pressure cap can allow overflow into coolant reservoir also, but if you're indicating overheating before this happens, then problem is not the radiator cap.
Even if the problem is not HG, don't continue to drive if overheating occurs, or you will have head gasket problems. This can make a $50 repair into a $500 repair.
good luck
Smell the coolant in the overflow bottle. Any gasoline smell? If yes, the head gasket may be leaking exhaust gas into the coolant stream, overpressurizing system, causing overflow and overheating.
A weak pressure cap can allow overflow into coolant reservoir also, but if you're indicating overheating before this happens, then problem is not the radiator cap.
Even if the problem is not HG, don't continue to drive if overheating occurs, or you will have head gasket problems. This can make a $50 repair into a $500 repair.
good luck
#4
Unregistered
Posts: n/a
leak (water and steam) is coming from overflow cap only, not radiator cap.
No smell other than coolant.
I see that the thermostat housing is very easy to get to, so I'll try that first.
Hopefully Honda dealer has good price on it.
Also, my GF added straight water to fill it after this started to happen, so that lowers the boiling point, but this overheating started before she added straight water.
No smell other than coolant.
I see that the thermostat housing is very easy to get to, so I'll try that first.
Hopefully Honda dealer has good price on it.
Also, my GF added straight water to fill it after this started to happen, so that lowers the boiling point, but this overheating started before she added straight water.
#6
leak (water and steam) is coming from overflow cap only, not radiator cap.
No smell other than coolant.
I see that the thermostat housing is very easy to get to, so I'll try that first.
Hopefully Honda dealer has good price on it.
Also, my GF added straight water to fill it after this started to happen, so that lowers the boiling point, but this overheating started before she added straight water.
No smell other than coolant.
I see that the thermostat housing is very easy to get to, so I'll try that first.
Hopefully Honda dealer has good price on it.
Also, my GF added straight water to fill it after this started to happen, so that lowers the boiling point, but this overheating started before she added straight water.
good luck
#7
Unregistered
Posts: n/a
i had an overheating problem myself and also would hear that boiling water noise. Check all of your rubber hoses and make sure that none of them seem torn. the problem with my car was that a small hose was torn and water was leaking thus causing the car to overheat.
#10
Is it overheating based on the temperature gauge or just based on the overflowing coolant?
A bad cap can allow it to overflow even with normal temperature.
Actual overheating can be caused by a bad thermostat, clogged radiator, corroded water-pump, or even large air-pockets in the cooling system.
A bad cap can allow it to overflow even with normal temperature.
Actual overheating can be caused by a bad thermostat, clogged radiator, corroded water-pump, or even large air-pockets in the cooling system.