Hey guys.

Honda Accord 2.2L lx 95'

So I just did a head gasket R&R on my car last weekend. What a job. Took my and my step dad about 14 working hours. Got half off on the kit though! He is a shop mechanic. Gotta love napa shop discounts

Anywho, so my car was burning a small amount of antifreeze back then. Once I smelled it, I tested it for hydrocarbons. Liquid turned yellow and I got to work.

Getting everything back together all went well except for the fact that we pulled the threads out of my block on the exhuast mani. (TIP: Dont take bolts out of a hot engine) But im just gonna helicoil that this weekend.

Ran some aerosol seafoam through it that same day. 285,000 miles of carbon smoked out the whole block.

Now a week or so later, im still very slightly smelling antifreeze burning. I cant imagine its from any that fell into the cylinders because that would have surely burnt out by now. My lower radiator hose has a leak right at the hose clamp on the radiator. It needs a new clamp because that was the only clamp i re-used. I think it could be possible that the coolant is leaking back onto my downpipe when im driving, but i also smell it just idling.

No smoke out of my exhuast. It does burn a minute amount of oil so there is that, but you wont convince me to put new rings in.

My thermostat is also sticking closed too, i just havent had the money to get a new one. I can visually see any leaks around the housing, hoses, or anywhere else beside where i mentioned.

My question is simple, is it possible there is another way for my engine to burn a little antifreeze from somewhere not around the cylinders? I had the head machined and the block is totally flat so i doubt its leaking in there still. I just dont know if there is another way for it to get in there?

Thanks!
Tyler

 

I would watch the level in the overflow tank. You will smell antifreeze for a while. When I had thermostat and radiator problems on my first car, I would spell it everywhere.

 

the level in the overflow has gotten lower but there is a couple reasons why. 1: its burping the air out of the system and getting lower. 2: the small leak at the hose clamp.

Once I get those twp things fixed, i can see better and more accurately