mattharper

i was driving home today(its frikin cold outside) and my temp gauge was way low for a while, when it got up to norm,like halfway up, the heat started working kinda, then i gunned it and the temp went all the way down, this happend 2 times on the way home(like a 20 min dirve) and the hwole time the heat seemed colder than usual. im plannin on doin oil change and coolant flush in the next few days.
could this be more than low rad fluid?

mattharper

btw...i didnt check the coolant lvl because its wayyy to cold tongiht

imported_D dot T

maybe thermostat gone

blk93si

yup low coolant or thermostat

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

I'm betting thermostat unless you had idle problems as well that you failed to mention.

mattharper

i dont really have any idle problems that i know of...i have a loud stereo and dx cluster

but today i felt the rad hoses, one was hot the other wasnt.

i hope this info helps a little

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

t-h-e-r-m-o-s-t-a-t

mattharper

thanks, how do i test to make sure?

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

you pull it out, dunk it in boiling water, and see if it opens Should open at what, like 90 degrees or something.

Well, actually I think yours is permanently open, so when you take it out see if it's stuck open.

Also, check to see if you have oil in your coolant.

kwikb16a2

same thing happened to me a few times, i still dont know to this day what it is

mattharper

ya, my coolant does look pretty dirty...does that mean its cooked?

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

what do you mean it looks dirty? what color is it? I have yet to see dirty coolant

mattharper

well, it looked murky almost, gummmy, greyish color, wiht buildup on the sides of the resivoir.

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

did you or anyone else put in "Radiator Restore" or a similar product???

imported_gatherer

the thermostat when and if it fails it fails safe in the open position to help prevent damage to the engine.....

mattharper

no rad restore by me, but i bought the car form a shifty used car guy

imported_D dot T

ya, my beater accord had some greyish crap in the rad as well.....no idea what the hell that was but i certainly flushed that crap out.

mattharper

i believe its from not using distilled water.

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

it could be, but most likely it's some radiator restore crap to seal some rad leak