98 Accord, 4 cyl VTEC, 5 speed, 131K miles.

Original owner, always serviced, never driven hard, never over-heated.

Had to add 1 quart of oil earlier this year to get to my 128K oil change. 1st time ever adding oil. After that oil change, had to add 1 qt to get to my 131K oil change.

Investigated closely this time. Discovered oil in the anti-freeze. Coolant reserve bottle is like a chocolate milkshake.

Obviously an internal issue. Here is my question: $900 for gasket, $1,400 if cracked head, $3,000 to $4,000 if cracked block. I'll do the head gasket and even replaced the head if necessary, but I'll run from doing a block. The car isn't worth it to me. Is there any way to diagnose without tearing down??? I don't want to pull the head only to discover it's the block because then what???

tks.

 

3grand for a f series head??..I think not
4 grand for a f series block??...I think not again. Where are you gettin thos numbers?!? That’s just crazy talk right there.

F series are pretty cheap (money wise) You could pick up a whole JDM swap from a importer for like $1,000. That’s everything engine tranny dizzy the whole works.
Or you can prob. find just your engine for couple hundred bucks.

You prob. sounds like a head gasket issue. Pull the head and see...you might be lucky with a head gasket fix and be good to go.

 

Yeah, the numbers are for a shop to do it. Unfortunately, I don't have any skills with motors, only the peripheral stuff. This situation could put me in way over my head very quickly.

I hear you about the head gasket, but there is nothing in the oil. On the last oil change, I used a gallon jar and let it sit for a couple of days. I didn't notice any seperation or debris.

So that means the leak is at a point where the oil pressure is greater than water pressure. Please chime in... is that possible with just the head gasket???

 

Wow that high price...Check around some other shops IF you have to do a swap. I’m sure Jim or Desert will chime in soon. Someone else just had this prob. Not to log ago…not sure if they ever found out the prob. Hummmm let me see if I can find it. Try search for it too…

 

ok found it....but doesn’t look like it has been answered yet

https://www.hondaaccordforum.com/for...hlight=coolent

 

Mine for sure is oil since I'm having to add a quart between oil changes for the first time ever. Also, I have manual tranny so that rules out any theories about the tranny fluid in the radiator. I don't have any overheating.... yet!

What I'm really after is whether or not there is a way to diagnose without pulling the head off?