1993 Accord Overheating after changing nearly everything
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Joined: May 2022
Posts: 1
1993 Accord Overheating after changing nearly everything
Hey all, New to the forum, really struggling to solve an issue and hoping to find some tips and tricks.
So I have a 1993 Accord LX with the F22A1 and 4 speed automatic trans with 390k miles that I just recently took ownership on.
It's been overheating since I got it, with the symptoms being it overheating going up hills or sitting in traffic, heater on full blast would help lower the water temperature gauge.
With that, I went down the list of diagnosing what it could be, I found that the cooling fans were not switching on at a certain temp, but would turn on with AC on or with a jumper installed into the fan switch connector, verifying fan functionality. I purchased an oem honda cooling fan switch/thermo switch. Since the car was older I decided to just throw parts at it thinking it would at least help with the next 400k more miles so at this point I have changed each of the 4 related sensors found from the thermostat housing, under the distributor, and on the neck coming out of front of the engine for the fans to turn on with the car off. I also thought a really thorough flush was in order so I used distilled water to flush the system 5 different times...I will say, the fans were operating per normal with the last of the 5 flushes, that's when I felt comfortable to drain and refill with the honda coolant, thinking it was solved, put in the coolant and call it good. I put in the coolant, the issue is still present.
At this point I use a website service called justanswer to ask a honda mechanic for more tips. That mechanic and I follow a pattern of thought that leads us to believe the water pump simply isn't moving enough water to sufficiently trigger the thermostat and cooling fan mechanisms. So I change the water pump and timing belt. Same issue.
In summary, 1993 accord AT trans accord 400k miles, overheating sitting in my driveway allowing it to warm up for the coolant bleeding process with the fans never turning on, 4 honda oem sensors, honda oem thermostat, water pump/timing belt, and the radiator hoses are all new parts, still getting persistent overheating with no fan engagement or lower hose heat/pressure.
Additional FYI -
I use the bleeding funnel for the radiator to ensure the system is fully bled
The distributor above the sensors was leaking oil directly onto the connectors and their wiring, I changed the distributor to alleviate that.
I also found wire damage from the hot oil leaking onto the connectors, I ordered replacement pig tails (the necessary connectors with loose wire flying to install into your current set up) and installed those to replace damaged insulation on the wires at the connectors for the thermo switch, ect switch, and temp gauge sens.
I'm struggling to find the right way to verify what it should be, the only part I haven't ordered to just throw at it in hopes of help is the radiator fan control module found under the driver side dash.
So I have a 1993 Accord LX with the F22A1 and 4 speed automatic trans with 390k miles that I just recently took ownership on.
It's been overheating since I got it, with the symptoms being it overheating going up hills or sitting in traffic, heater on full blast would help lower the water temperature gauge.
With that, I went down the list of diagnosing what it could be, I found that the cooling fans were not switching on at a certain temp, but would turn on with AC on or with a jumper installed into the fan switch connector, verifying fan functionality. I purchased an oem honda cooling fan switch/thermo switch. Since the car was older I decided to just throw parts at it thinking it would at least help with the next 400k more miles so at this point I have changed each of the 4 related sensors found from the thermostat housing, under the distributor, and on the neck coming out of front of the engine for the fans to turn on with the car off. I also thought a really thorough flush was in order so I used distilled water to flush the system 5 different times...I will say, the fans were operating per normal with the last of the 5 flushes, that's when I felt comfortable to drain and refill with the honda coolant, thinking it was solved, put in the coolant and call it good. I put in the coolant, the issue is still present.
At this point I use a website service called justanswer to ask a honda mechanic for more tips. That mechanic and I follow a pattern of thought that leads us to believe the water pump simply isn't moving enough water to sufficiently trigger the thermostat and cooling fan mechanisms. So I change the water pump and timing belt. Same issue.
In summary, 1993 accord AT trans accord 400k miles, overheating sitting in my driveway allowing it to warm up for the coolant bleeding process with the fans never turning on, 4 honda oem sensors, honda oem thermostat, water pump/timing belt, and the radiator hoses are all new parts, still getting persistent overheating with no fan engagement or lower hose heat/pressure.
Additional FYI -
I use the bleeding funnel for the radiator to ensure the system is fully bled
The distributor above the sensors was leaking oil directly onto the connectors and their wiring, I changed the distributor to alleviate that.
I also found wire damage from the hot oil leaking onto the connectors, I ordered replacement pig tails (the necessary connectors with loose wire flying to install into your current set up) and installed those to replace damaged insulation on the wires at the connectors for the thermo switch, ect switch, and temp gauge sens.
I'm struggling to find the right way to verify what it should be, the only part I haven't ordered to just throw at it in hopes of help is the radiator fan control module found under the driver side dash.
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 16,328
From: Houston, TX
Does the temperature gauge lower when the vehicle starts moving after the temp rises when at a stop?
Does turning on the a/c lower the temperature when it starts rising?
What were the OEM part numbers for each fan switch? Switch A is on the thermostat housing and Switch B is on the front of the engine where the upper radiator hose connects.
Does turning on the a/c lower the temperature when it starts rising?
What were the OEM part numbers for each fan switch? Switch A is on the thermostat housing and Switch B is on the front of the engine where the upper radiator hose connects.
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