Hi! I am experiencing an overheating problem on my 96 2.2L Accord, and through other post I haven't found people having the same symptoms, so here is a description to help diagnose my problem (sorry for the long text, I try to give as much info I can):

Last summer (2011), I began having engine heating problems and "diseapering" coolant. After 4 trips to the garage, a new radiator and a few leaking hoses changed, the car seemed well except I felt the fan seemed to start running sooner than before, even in winter (only a few minute after startup).

then this summer came and and when stuck in heavy traffic, the engine began heating again (needle about 70%+ on gage, going back down to it's regular 45% when out of traffic and car running again).

This happenned only when stuck in traffic or when driving downtown (30 min+) or on really hot summer days.

Now fall has come and the problem persist, and seems to overheat sooner, even with cooler temperatures outside. The gage doesn't go as much as the red zone, but I don't drive long enough to let it to and the gage always have stayed at 45% all of the 16 years life of the car, so there is a problem...

other details:

-no smoke of "burnt coolant" at the exhaust
-no signifiant coolant loss and coolant look clean
-fan is working
-problem stop as soon as I'm back on a no traffic highway (air cooling)
-car had a waterpump failure/change 50k ago and symptoms where different, so i'm not sure it's the waterpump.

I was thinking to try changing the thermostat, but from what I read here since the fan is starting it's meaning the hot coolant go through (or does it moves the other way around?)

Also maybe the radiator cap but no leak around, no lost of coolant and coolant clean, could it still be the cause?

Thanks for the help!

 

It's a long shot, but simple enough to check:
do a rad coolant freeze point measurement (unit costs $4, any car store), your rad coolant freeze point should be -34F. 50/50 water/antifreeze
If below -38 or -40F, or so, then you have too little water in your radiator's water/antifreeze mixture.
Drain some out and refill with distilled water. Not tap water.

Had somewhat similar sounding problem with Nissan car once, and this fixed it.

If you live in the near-arctic, don't follow my advice.

 

I will try it. I live in Montreal so the nights are nearing the freezing point right now, but I suspect my problem is caused by something they did wrong when they changed the radiator... could be wrong mixture...

 

Thanks for the hint, effectively the needle went on top with the tester, so they put 100% pure coolant when I had my rad changed last year... also, I think they inverted the fan connector, it's broken and hold plugged with a tie-wrap!

Can someone confirm me the direction the fan should me turning? mine is sending air to the rad, so it's working against the air coming in the front of the car...

Last question, even when the car is really hot, if I turn off ignition the fan stop turning, I seem to remember that the fan should continue working for a while after the car has been stopped if hot...

 

The fan should draw air from the bumper, so it sounds like the fan is wired backwards.

When the engine is cold, start the engine and turn on the a/c. Do both fans on the radiator turn on?

Do you have a volt meter and know how to test for open/closed circuit?

 

ok so they really inverted the plug of the fan... as for the 2nd fan, I presumed that it's for the a/c, wich I haven't used for years (empty of freon). I know how to check for continuity of wires, but is it the a/c fan that spins when the car is off? If so they probably forgot to plug it back again... else if it's the main fan, I suppose I need to test the switch that triggers it when the ignition is off? What should I check?

thanks again!

 

BOTH fans are supposed to run when triggered by temperature while the engine is running. Test that...
Follow the lower radiator hose back to the thermostat, there's a fan switch in the T-stat housing. Unplug that & jumper the wires with a paperclip. Key on, that should make BOTH fans run.

There's another fan switch in the nozzle for the upper radiator hose. That's got a higher setpoint, and it only works after you turn off the engine. So if you unplug that one, jumper the wires, it won't do anything until you switch off the engine. There's a timer, so you can't just test it without switching the key ON then OFF. When you turn it off, ONE fan should run.

 

This is more towards the 4th gens (90-93) but so much of it is the same.

https://www.hondaaccordforum.com/for...similar-44973/

Replacing the stat can't hurt and is not that much money. Just be sure to bleed the air from the system when done.

 

Sounds like a blown head gasket you shout get the test kit from autozone to see if you have combustion gases in your cooling system. That was the problem i had with my accord. No problems since. There wont be coolant in your oil btw. At least if the part of the head gasket that is blown is the same as mine. I've also heard 94-97 accord have a tendency to where the head gasket will deteriorate because they have that layered head gasket. Also i did take my head to a shop to get it checked is wasn't warped because i never let get to hot. But its still always a good idea to get it checked sill. It cost me 80 for checking warpness and pressure checking for cracks and 46 for the whole gasket kit offline. Including head gasket,exhaust manifold gasket, intake manifold gasket, valve seals,valve cover gasket...and etc....but good luck hope this helps if you need anymore info let me know.

 

I went back to the garage showing the inverted plug and the test showing pure coolant, they changed the coolant and replugged the conector, seem to have solved the problem... hope I did not damage anything (I did about 7000 km in those contitions, but needle never went in the red zone).

As for the gasket, there is no coolant loss but probably not a bad idea, since there is oil slowly leaking around the head (but not burnt, and I do not need to add oil between changes).

Seriously, this car is the best buy I ever did in my life!