Radiator & hose replacement clarifications - Honda-Acura.net

bman95dx · 10-02-09, 11:48 PM

I've got a 95 DX with a B15B7 engine and I noticed a small leak in my radiator. I'm planning on replacing the radiator this weekend. Conventional wisdom seems to dictate replacing the hoses as well, so that is also part of the plan.

I was planning on running a cleaner thru it as part of the flush and I'm assuming I should do this after I've got the new radiator and hoses on, correct? Forgive me if it seems like a dumb question, but I've never fiddled with the radiator/cooling system before and I just wouldn't want to clog up the new radiator with dislodged "gunk", if that could happen.

For the hose replacements, the upper and lower are obvious but I'm assuming I should also go ahead and replace the heater and bypass hoses, yes?

And finally, are there any quality concerns with hose brands........Kelly-Springfield, Goodyear, Drive-Rite and Gates are all sold locally. I was planning on going with whichever seemed to most closely mirror the old hoses after I pull them off.

Thanks in advance for any guidance.

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Line7 · 10-02-09, 11:59 PM

honestly, I would just do a flush before. Although manufacturers would recommend it, its not necessary to flush out the new radiator. Ive had bypass hoses burst on me before, so you should change them all at once.

However, be very careful when removing the hoses to the heater core, im not sure about this but i believe the heater core in your car is plastic, and those hoses are gonna be on there pretty snug. and you dont want to have to replace your heater core because you broke the nipple while replacing the hose.

fathergoat · 10-03-09, 08:14 AM

the heater core is copper and it's easy to crush the inlet/outlet if you use pliars so cut a slit down the hose before taking it off.
personally I'd do the flush before replacing the radiator.

bman95dx · 10-03-09, 10:25 AM

Thanks for the quick advice on the flush. I will do that first thing this morning before disassembling it. And thanks for the heads up on the inlet/outlet.....that would have sucked to crush/snap it trying to replace a hose.

**CivicSiRacer** · 10-03-09, 09:21 PM

replacing the heater core is not as necessary as the inlet/outlet hoses of the radiator. how did the replacement go? I found how funny it was to replace mine in the D16Z. One bolt holding everything down, replaced the fan, plopped it right back in and all done. Takes me longer to rotate my tires :0

bman95dx · 10-04-09, 02:53 PM

The replacement is still ongoing but going fine so far. It always takes me longer cause, well, I don't know what I'm doin so I double/triple check everything.

Plus, my weekends are typically interupt driven so I work on it in 30 minute bursts between interuptions.

Unfortunately, I'm not giong to have time this weekend to get all the bypass and heater hoses so they'll have to wait til next weekend. I don't know when/if the hoses have ever been replaced so I had to cut the Upper and Lower off. The thermostat housing is nasty so I'm trying to clean that up. I had to take out the coolant reservoir and the air intake plastic piece to be able to get the old radiator/fan out and the new one in without mangling the fins.

I also can't figure out exactly how many bypass and heater hoses I have. My helms manual shows a bunch of differnet configurations (none of which look exactly like my car), the guys at autozone weren't sure and I haven't found it specified in the Haynes manual. Not an immediate concern though.

One of the heater/bypass hoses (that I'm not fiddling with right now) has a little device in the middle of the hose. Pictures attached. I haven't been able to figure out what it is but I haven't spent much time on it either. I'm thinkin maybe it has something to do with the heat controls.

bman95dx · 10-04-09, 10:19 PM

All done. I ran the engine thru 4 cycles of the radiator fan coming on. Left the radiator cap off to burp the system. Intermitten bubbles never seemed to stop coming up though.......should I be concerned about this?

A couple other oddities......I never could find a bleed screw for the cooling system. Both the Haynes and Helms manual mentioned one. Didn't see one on the thermostat housing nor on the front of the engine where the upper radiator hose connects to the block. Am I just missing it?

Also, the guys at Autozone gave me a themostat housing gasket and the engine doesn't seem to need one. I'm not talking about the thermostat O-ring, which I did install. Rather, this is an actual soft gasket that fits between the mating metal surfaces of the housing itself. I didn't see one when I took the housing off and the gasket looks too large for the space anyway.

Shameinator · 10-05-09, 12:40 AM

if you instaled the o-ring you don't need the gasket.

bman95dx · 11-07-09, 11:24 PM

tam85....It is possible to take the radiator out: Yes. I'm a little confused as to the rest of what you're asking. Could you clarify the 2nd part of your question about the splash guard?

Redline96LX · 11-18-09, 04:47 PM

The D16s from the 96-00 Civics did not have a bleeder valve for the cooling system. I have bled my car many times, yes it does 'burp' quite a bit.

When you flush it, just use water, don't use any special cleaner.

As they said, BE CAREFUL! when removing the two hoses from the heater core. The heater core pipes have a sealent from the factory and are brass, they are weak. It can be hard to tug the hoses off, but do NOT use pliers to twist the hoees, those two pipes can bend easily! I learned this the hard way and had all my coolant dump into my car's interior, it sucked. Replacing the radiator...if the upper and lower hoses are OEM factory hoses, I would leave them unless you live in an area very prone to salt or sand (like where they salt the highways or live on a small island.) Factory hoses are a lot better than aftermarket ones, at least they are for Honda. Honda doesn't half ass on parts like these, ya know, hoses, gaskets, wires and connectors (though they do give shit for tires.) If the stock hoses are not visibly damaged, you are fine.

The only hose to keep an eye on really if its not a Honda hose is for the heater valve/cylinder head. This hose goes under the distributor. If the distributor seal leaks, oil will drip onto this hose. After several months, the hose will begin to swell, and months after that, it will split lightly (you'll hear and smell it.)

That 'box' that separates the hoses and is the physical control for the heater valve. it allows coolant to flow into the heater core in the cabin for your car's heater (the hot of the hot/cold slide on your air conditioning). A cable attaches to it, and that controls the flow of hot coolant (thats what the heater slide does inside the car, as well as opens the flap to allow air to pass over the heater core.) there are two hoses, a short one to the heatercore on the firewall, and the other goes to the cylinder head (top of the engine). Both connect to this heater flow valve (you'll see the arm attached and a black cord with a silvery wire - this is the wire that opens that arm and lets the coolant flow.)

hope this helped.

10-02-09, 11:59 PM	#2
Line7 Platinum Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: NY Posts: 813	honestly, I would just do a flush before. Although manufacturers would recommend it, its not necessary to flush out the new radiator. Ive had bypass hoses burst on me before, so you should change them all at once. However, be very careful when removing the hoses to the heater core, im not sure about this but i believe the heater core in your car is plastic, and those hoses are gonna be on there pretty snug. and you dont want to have to replace your heater core because you broke the nipple while replacing the hose. __________________ For Sale: ITR/SiR rear LCA's JDM!!!

10-03-09, 08:14 AM	#3
fathergoat :3 Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: BFE Posts: 5,989	the heater core is copper and it's easy to crush the inlet/outlet if you use pliars so cut a slit down the hose before taking it off. personally I'd do the flush before replacing the radiator. __________________ the cake is a lie aux finally approved my DIY

10-03-09, 09:21 PM	#5
CivicSiRacer Honorary Moderator Alumni Join Date: Sep 1999 Location: Someplace with cones=AUTO Posts: 8,644	replacing the heater core is not as necessary as the inlet/outlet hoses of the radiator. how did the replacement go? I found how funny it was to replace mine in the D16Z. One bolt holding everything down, replaced the fan, plopped it right back in and all done. Takes me longer to rotate my tires :0 __________________ Sponsored by: KAM Racing Sports, Falken Tires, Progress Technology, Brady's High Performance, Taggart Performance Engineering, Rotora Brakes Autocross is: 90% driver, 5% car, & 5% CRAZY MOJO! Autocross Help Page

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10-03-09, 10:25 AM	#4
bman95dx Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 9	Thanks for the quick advice on the flush. I will do that first thing this morning before disassembling it. And thanks for the heads up on the inlet/outlet.....that would have sucked to crush/snap it trying to replace a hose.

10-04-09, 10:19 PM	#7
bman95dx Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 9	All done. I ran the engine thru 4 cycles of the radiator fan coming on. Left the radiator cap off to burp the system. Intermitten bubbles never seemed to stop coming up though.......should I be concerned about this? A couple other oddities......I never could find a bleed screw for the cooling system. Both the Haynes and Helms manual mentioned one. Didn't see one on the thermostat housing nor on the front of the engine where the upper radiator hose connects to the block. Am I just missing it? Also, the guys at Autozone gave me a themostat housing gasket and the engine doesn't seem to need one. I'm not talking about the thermostat O-ring, which I did install. Rather, this is an actual soft gasket that fits between the mating metal surfaces of the housing itself. I didn't see one when I took the housing off and the gasket looks too large for the space anyway.

10-05-09, 12:40 AM	#8
Shameinator Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Sacramento Posts: 185	if you instaled the o-ring you don't need the gasket.

11-07-09, 11:24 PM	#9
bman95dx Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 9	tam85....It is possible to take the radiator out: Yes. I'm a little confused as to the rest of what you're asking. Could you clarify the 2nd part of your question about the splash guard?

11-18-09, 04:47 PM	#10
Redline96LX Registered User Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 23	The D16s from the 96-00 Civics did not have a bleeder valve for the cooling system. I have bled my car many times, yes it does 'burp' quite a bit. When you flush it, just use water, don't use any special cleaner. As they said, BE CAREFUL! when removing the two hoses from the heater core. The heater core pipes have a sealent from the factory and are brass, they are weak. It can be hard to tug the hoses off, but do NOT use pliers to twist the hoees, those two pipes can bend easily! I learned this the hard way and had all my coolant dump into my car's interior, it sucked. Replacing the radiator...if the upper and lower hoses are OEM factory hoses, I would leave them unless you live in an area very prone to salt or sand (like where they salt the highways or live on a small island.) Factory hoses are a lot better than aftermarket ones, at least they are for Honda. Honda doesn't half ass on parts like these, ya know, hoses, gaskets, wires and connectors (though they do give shit for tires.) If the stock hoses are not visibly damaged, you are fine. The only hose to keep an eye on really if its not a Honda hose is for the heater valve/cylinder head. This hose goes under the distributor. If the distributor seal leaks, oil will drip onto this hose. After several months, the hose will begin to swell, and months after that, it will split lightly (you'll hear and smell it.) That 'box' that separates the hoses and is the physical control for the heater valve. it allows coolant to flow into the heater core in the cabin for your car's heater (the hot of the hot/cold slide on your air conditioning). A cable attaches to it, and that controls the flow of hot coolant (thats what the heater slide does inside the car, as well as opens the flap to allow air to pass over the heater core.) there are two hoses, a short one to the heatercore on the firewall, and the other goes to the cylinder head (top of the engine). Both connect to this heater flow valve (you'll see the arm attached and a black cord with a silvery wire - this is the wire that opens that arm and lets the coolant flow.) hope this helped.