solid4life

I'm not sure if anyone has heard about this problem before but my mechanic can't even figure it out.

I have a 2000 honda civic CX hatch and for some reason it keeps on overheating and the antifreeze just disappears. There are no leaks in the rad or overflow reservoir.

My mechanic changed the thermostat but the problems still exists.

I think it could be the water pump or heater core....not sure....if anyone has any insight it would be appreciated. Also if you know a good mechanic that would be able to diagnose the problem that would awesome.

Thanks

imported_chris_v2

Your mechanic doesn't seem to bright.

I can check it out for you instead of you wasting more time.

Could be an internal leak or heatercore.

1sloweg

Hey im a liscenced mechanic, I can check it out for you no problem

nrg3k

check for leaks... usually you'll find a hose has some crack, or its damaged. Best way to find out on your own is to just fill up the coolant (so the res is at MAX) then drive around for a bit to get the motor warm (5 mins). Park it, leave it running and open the hood. You can usually see the rad fan running (this tells you its working)... next you can touch the top hose on the rad, and see if its warm. if it is, fluid is circulating. You should now be able to see if fluid is coming out of anything. There are hoses on the motor, rad and heater core (near the firewall). If you are losing fluid, you should see it somewhere. this process might take 10-20 mins at idle.

DJM:>

imported_jdm ek4

Or it could be your head gasket. How many km do you have on that car?

solid4life

the car has 166,000 km

thanks for all the input guys

imported_starboy869

I think you should find a new mechanic since he can't figure out a simple coolant problem.

You have something leaking like a coolant hose, loose connection, water pump, or a (yuk) head gasket.

imported_Nicotine

is there any excessive smoke/steam coming out of your tailpipe?...

imported_Cablerat

it's not very difficult to see coolant leaking, considering the amount of coolant a car carries and the fact that you say it overheats (probably due to no coolant).

Sounds like you probably have a head gasket issue. Your car is most likely burning it out. As Nicotine said, you should notice puffy white smoke coming out the tail pipe and it might smell a little sweet. (smell sweet? isn't sweet a taste?)

Anyway, as other's mentioned, you probably need a new mechanic as well.

imported_janz3n

my 91 honda was loosing coolant alot .. then i took it to my mechanic and figured it out in a couple minutes.. turned out to be the rad. the fins were beat up so bad it was leaking very slowly but evaporating right away whe it hit the air. your mechanic seems kinda slow liek everyone els has said.

imported_chris_v2

Its not very difficult to see coolant on your driveway, but your average joe might not be able to find the cause.

solid4life

if I saw coolant on the ground it's a no brainer but the reason I'm stumped is because there is nothing on the ground.

Also, I haven't really noticed any white smoke coming out of the tail pipe but I'll try to pay closer attention.

Thanks again everyone

imported_janz3n

lol... what about my advice? it would show no signs of leaks like puddles on teh ground.

solid4life

well how would you know if the rad fins are beat up?

imported_187Chor

get a new rad ur overheating and its so hot that its evaporating the coolant... (my guess)

solid4life

latest update:

Checked the spark plugs for white residue (to see if coolant is burnt on them) but they looked mint

Felt around under the centre console for dampness or coolant smell but everything was fine

Checked for white smoke coming out of the tailpipe but nothing

any other suggestions?

imported_chris_v2

btw, I should of mentioned this in the pm, just because your plugs are clean doesnt mean you dont have a HG.. check your coolant for oil residue. (probably not a HG) but might be.

If that all checks out, you need to pressurized the system. These kits for for $200+ for a good one (like mine). Maybe you do have a heater core problem, but its just not damp enough for you to feel.

Also run the car with the cap off, does it foam? is there gas escaping?

imported_Cablerat

you can check the fins of the rad on the engine side of the rad. touch the fins through the fan. On a worn out rad the fins will just crumple..

imported_piggy96

how fast do you run out of coolant? do u smell the coolant at anytime?

just to be safe keep an eye on ur oil level, if the hg is blown, it can also leak into the oiling system, although its rare in hondas

imported_jdm ek4

When my HG went, it wasnt blowing white smoke at all and the park plugs looked fine but it did have a little hint of sweet smell.