Hey, all, brand new member here. Just spent about four hours reading stuff on this board, and WOW!!! I wish I knew half the stuff you folks know about Honda's, for real. I bought my first Honda a few years ago, and I love my sled like a mother******. I just try to keep it running good and pour maintenance money into it left and right, because I have to drive it to work for about two hours a day and I can't really afford to take it to a dealer. Just a mechanic wannabe, I guess, even though I'm not avery good one. Well, at least I try.

Anyway, here is my situation. My sled is a 92 Accord EX, ATwith about 165,000 on it. OEMwater pump and timing belt put on at 90,000.A few weeks ago, I noticed what appeared to be a coolant leak (Honda coolant only!) around the top plastic seam part of my upperradiator assembly, and I began investigation. Some coolant was leaking, but nothing "major". I also noticed in the course of my investigation that after long, hard runs, the radiator cap and the LOWER radiator hose was cold, albeit still under pressure. Temperature gauge did what it always does.......up to the middle, and stays put, no matter if going 80 or sitting at idle for 5 hours. It simply doesn't move past the half-way point. The heater is outstanding, too, and both the fans work.

So, I did what any other red-blooded American would do. I went to my localmom-and-pop radiator shop, ponied up about $125 for a brand new radiator, then headed to my local Honda dealer where I boughtthe following: new thermostat, upper radiator hose, lower radiator hose, all new ATF hoses, overflow to radiatorhose, heater inlet and outlet hoses, by-pass hose, new O-ring for radiator drain plug(Petcock), new radiator cap, a newreservoir hose, fresh Honda coolant,and all new clamps. Then, I backflushed the system with tap water.Put everything on, and took about 6 hours doing it. Used the bleed bolt, put in fresh coolant, and started patting myself on the back. No leaks, but the new cap and lower radiator hose was still not getting warm..

Then, I drove the sled to work for about a week, pulled in the garage, and saw coolant spewingunder the vehicle. It was a slit hose I overlooked going from near the thermostat to the branch pipe thing that is connected to the heater hoses. It was gushing, so I naturallyreplaced it. Anyway, drove it for a few more weeks, and now it appears to be leaking from around the top seamof my new radiator again, as indicatedby white specs all around the area. Lower hose and cap still remain cold. Upper hose and radiator itself arehot as hell. Nocoolant in the oil, no milkshake appearance, and no sign of head gasket damage, although I'm not positive about not leaking around the headgasket. All my hose connections are dry and tight, and my heat is still great, along with my temp. gauge.

It just seems to me like there is too much pressure or something, yet why is my new radiator cap and lower hosecold, even after I drive the **** out of the car. Man, this thing has me beating my head against the wall, and I was wondering if maybe some of you folks had any ideas (and no, I'm not really ready to die, at least until I get this problem solved.) Any help is appreciated. I'm a stumped ****.

Tim

 

if lower rad hose is cold t-stat is not opening up..
chk it, install another one if needed and bleed the system..
also you are using a 50-50 mix coolant and water right ?

 

Yes, I am using Honda Gunuine HG Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant Type 2, 50/50 prediluted antifreeze. I wish it was the thermostat, but it's unlikely sinceI replaced it with an OEMat 90,000, and then just replaced it with another OEM a few weeks ago, yet it's doing the same thing. Plus, when I backflushed the system, everything flowed smoothly.I also believe the systemto beproperly purged, as a few air bubbles came out of the bleed valve when I added my fresh coolant, and then it became a steady stream.. At any rate, I'll boil the thermostat to check and re-bleed again.

 

Old school.... gotta love that... although I will admit when you say sled all I can think of is a snowmobile *L* I'd also rebleed the coolant system and put some coolant in the overflow bottle in case it needs it, once the car is up to temp does the upper radiator hose go soft? if not then it just re-confirms that your thermostat isn't opening (unless you've got more airbubbles in there)... Check your oil to be safe and make sure that it's not milky colored at all, then look in your radiator in the morning before you start it and see if there is an oily looking film on the top of the coolant, two easy ways to check for a blown head gasket... but even if it was blown there is no reason why the thermostat shouldn't have opened... I'm guessing air in the system or a bad thermostat (might not be the only problem but it's not helping matters) let us know what you find