230,xxx miles

Replaced:
OEM thermostat and thermostat gasket
Radiator cap
Radiator
Thermo switches
Driver side fan

Still overheating after driving for an hour or so. Today, it overheated and the oil and battery light flicked on and off, the car cut completely off (while in traffic) and I had to put it in park to get it to start again.

Oil was 4 1/2 quarts full. Battery and alternator tested fine at Auto Zone but the alternator tested bad at Advance Auto Parts.

My mechanic is at a loss and with the gauge riding, I turned the heat on blast, windows down and straight to Honda at 5PM. They closed at 7PM so all I could do was leave it there since they wouldn't have time and I didn't want to risk driving it.

Everyone's saying it doesn't look like a blown head gasket because it has none of the symptoms. The overheating only happens after the car has been driven for a while.

With a infrared gun, it showed that the upper radiator hose was at 180 near the radiator but 240 near the actual engine.

I'm at a total loss...

 

When you say the car is overheating, is the needle getting close to the H mark? Or where is the needle at on the gauge (50%, 75%, .... to the H mark).

When you turned the heat full blast, where did the gauge needle end up?

Are you losing any coolant? When the engine is cold, remove the radiator cap and check the coolant level.

The dash dimming is interesting. Can you get your car to stall out by shaking the key while the engine is running?

 

Yes. The needle is getting very close to the H

When I turned the heat on, the needle went back to normal. The 1/3 mark.

No coolant loss.

I'm not sure. The car is at Honda now.