Hello, I have a 98 Accord 2.3 4 cyl. VTECHHHH

anyways, bought the car from auction and i’ve been working on it for a while.
There’s white smoke coming from the radiator, it’s quite clear it’s leaking antifreeze as well and the fans won’t turn on at all…

here’s a video of what’s going on, after driving it’s starts smoking wayyyyyy more but that’s about 10 minutes of idling, temp gauge never goes above middle so i don’t think engine is overheating at all
https://youtu.be/k7Jm7AVBXJ8

 

You need to troubleshoot the radiator/cooling system for leaks and why the fans won't turn on.

For the cooling system, some autoparts stores have a loaner tool to pressure test the radiator. You put the adapter on the radiator cap and pump the radiator with air pressure to about 16 psi. The system should hold 16 psi for a while. Do this when the engine is cold. From your video, it looks like the crimp from the metal to the plastic is leaking which happened on my TSX. There is also an adapter for the radiator cap, where the radiator cap should hold pressure until about 16 psi then release pressure. If you find the radiator is leaking, I'd recommend a Denso brand radiator.

For the fans, start the engine and turn on the a/c. Let us know which fan(s) turn on, if any. You can also try unplugging the radiator fan switch on or near the thermostat housing. The sensor should have a green plastic connector. The wire colors going to the fan switch are green and black. Short the electrical connector on the engine harness, start the car, and let us know which fan(s) turn(s) on.

 

Thank you very much!

You’ve fixed my “non working” fans, as soon as i put a paper clip in that ect sensor both of the fans were running great, I ordered a new ect switch and it arrives in a couple days. As for the radiator I ordered a new one but it’s going to take a while to arrive, do you think it’s unsafe to drive with the leaky radiator I have now? Maybe i can just keep a gallon of anti freeze for the week until I replace it, or is that a terrible idea…?

 

I'd minimize driving the car as much as possible. Do short trips until you figure out how much coolant you need to add. Running the car hot can warp the cylinder head and cause a head gasket leak. That is a ton of work an $ to fix

When driving, have a gallon of coolant and fill the actual radiator when the engine is cold. Watch the temp gauge in the car. If it goes above the normal ~1/3 mark, turn on your heat full blast with outside air to help cool the engine.

Not sure about supply chain on the radiator, but a u-pull-it junkyard may have one in decent shape that would be a temporary fix. It is a gable, but might be worth a shot until your new one arrives. Rockauto may have a Denso radiator for sale, maybe ebay?