Zak

So before I begin this post allow me to first apologize for my vehicular ignorance and allow me to say that I tried to use the use the “search” option but, although I uncovered some valuable information, I am still at a loss as to how to go about fixing this problem.

I was driving my girlfriends 1999 Honda Civic yesterday when I noticed that the temperature gauge was rising dangerously close to the red area and the check engine light came on. I pulled into the nearest gas station and purchased some 50/50 coolant that I then poured into the (bone-dry) reserve coolant/antifreeze tank. I waited about 20 minutes with the hood up and the heat on full blast (weirdly, though, the air coming into the cabin was cool, not hot) until the temperature gauge returned to a normal position. Immediately after I turned the car back on, however, the needle on the temperature gauge climbed back into the red area. I was only about five minutes from home so I drove the car back to my apartment as slowly as possible, keeping the rpm’s as low as I could. The next morning I checked the reserve coolant tank and it was, again, empty, but I could not find a leak anywhere and I did not notice any coolant on the ground. I refilled the tank and drove the car around the block a few times before the temperature gauge began to rise again. After doing some research, I removed the radiator cap and let the car run for about 15 minutes to try and remove any air bubbles that might be in the radiator, (?) but I cut the car off once the temp gauge started climbing into the red area. I checked the oil but it didn’t seem to be milky or foamy. I have not tried to conduct any other tests for fear that I might blow a head gasket or warp a head (if I haven’t done so already). Any thoughts?

Kabooki

sounds like a blown head gasket. any antifreeze smell from the exhaust? prolly burning off your fluid.

CivicSiRacer

That was my problem last year until I had enough money to change the headgasket. No leaks anywhere, but I could smell coolant. Found out the headgasket was leaking into the combustion chambers burning up my coolant (which is why no leaks on the ground). All the hoses were ballooning pretty bad, but my temp would only go up during autocross runs. Daily driving it was fine.

Zak

I'll have to check to see if there is any antifreeze smell from the exhaust (I know this is probably tough to describe, but what would it smell like?). There is not any smoke coming from either the exhaust or the engine, however, and it doesn't look like any of the hoses are ballooning. If it is a blown head-gasket, can I get the repairs done at any mechanic shop, or should I take it to a Honda dealership? Any ideas on how much $ it would cost to fix?

Thanks so much for all the help so far.

CivicSiRacer

It should smell sweet. open the antifreeze bottle and smell that. Should almost smell the same. Sort of like popcorn with sweet butter. Do you smell it in the interior? If so could be a cracked heating line or heater core (which heats your car and you mentioned that no heat is coming out). Which then you should smell coolant in the interior. Is the overflow tank full or empty?

You could take it to Honda and have them do a pressure test to see if it's that or not.

Really up to you where you take it. I used Honda this past time since I know most of the guys there. If it's a blown headgasket get ready to pay a lot. The head has to be taken off, and most places will mill the head to make sure it seals back up right with the new headgasket.

Zak

The overflow tank was empty when I first noticed that the car was overheating. After I filled the tank and got the car back home I checked it again and it was still full. The next day, however, the tank was empty again. I refilled the tank and drove the car around the block a few times before it started overheating again. After the drive around the block, I checked the tank and it was still full. I was smelling something in the cabin of the car, but it wasn't sweet; it just smelled like something was burning.

Thanks again for all the help SIRacer, your input is invaluable.

Zak

So I just checked the reserve tank and, even though the car hasn't been driven since the last post, the tank is empty. It seems like, based on what everyone has said, that its probably a blown head gasket and possibly even a warped head.

CivicSiRacer

Well the overflow tank could be emptying because you are low of coolant in the system. The system when it cools down will suck coolant from the overflow tank. You said you topped off the radiator?

Did you do these steps?
1) make sure the car is cool 1st and the heater switch is on hot (this will force coolant into the heater core)
2) then open the bleed screw near the block
3) open the radiator cap and pour enough coolant in there so coolant starts flowing out of the bleed screw without bubbles
4) tighten the bleed screw to about 5 ft/lbs (finger tight if you don't have a torque wrench)
5) leave the radiator cap off and start the car
6) let the car warm up and the fan should kick on and off about 3 times
7) make sure to keep adding coolant cause when the thermostat opens it will feed coolant into the system
8) this should probably take 15-20 minutes
9) just make sure to keep an eye on the temp gauge
10) if it starts overheating turn it off

cruzalekz

with engine cold, remove the radiator cap, be ready with a galoon of mix antifreeze and keep filling up the radiator.

if the galoon of coolant is not enough, that means you got a major problem since the coolant went somewhere. at the shop where i work at, we do pressure testing of the cooling/coolant system to pinpoint the leak.

if you think its a head gasket problem, you could perform a compression test and it would result with 2 side by side cylinders with low compression.

hopefully its not the head gasket.

Zak

I followed the ten (brilliantly) laid out steps posted by SIRacer, and everything went off without a hitch. The only discrepancy between the steps and what actually happened was at step 6 (let the car warm up and the fan should kick on and off about 3 times). Although, for the first time since the overheating began, I WAS getting hot air in the cabin, neither of the two fans at the front of the hood kicked on. The engine did not overheat during the 25 or so minutes it took me to complete the task. Thank you SIRacer, the steps you posted were very useful.

The gallon of coolant was enough, (I've only used a little over 2 liters since the problem began) and the coolant didn't appear to be going anywhere because the reserve tank level did not drop during the entire process. Could this just be a problem with the fans?

Again, thanks to all for the information; I would be lost without you guys.