Brian18

Hey guys, I have a question about my 90 Honda Civic.. It has the stock 1.5L engine in it, and lately I've been losing coolant. It kept heating up the other day and the temperature guage would shoot up to the top. So I would turn the heater on and it quickly made the guage come back down. I pulled over and let it cool for awhile. When I looked inside the radiator, it had lost a good portion of it's coolant. So I fill it back up, and the next day, it does the same thing. I check the oil, and it doesn't look like it's getting coolant in it. So I put some cardboard underneath my car to see if it was dripping, and there were no drips. I checked my tailpipe, and when I rev it up, I get a good bit of moisture out of it, but someone told me that was normal as long as there's no steam or white smoke. I also have a lot of black soot around the tailpipe which I'm guessing means I'm burning some oil. This engine has 205k miles on it. Does anyone have any advice for me on tracking this leak down? I'm assuming it's a leak somewhere since it doesn't look like water is mixing with the oil. Thanks.

Tankard

It's a blown head gasket if you don't actually see it leaking anywhere. Replacing the had gasket should fix it. You can also try some of that head gasket sealer stuff they sell at wal mart or any auto parts store. You just pour it in your coolant.

Brian18

I had a feeling it might be that.. I got this stuff that's supposed to seal up head gaskets and small cracks in aluminum heads. I put it in and so far it still seems to be losing water. I guess my best bet is gonna be pulling the head off and changing that gasket. Maybe I should do the rings at the same time since I do seem to burn some oil.

raul95020

yah i agree with you.

drkslayer

yea most likely it is the head gasket... but be sure to fill up the radiator, and then rev the engine at 3g for a couple minuites to make sure you don't have a pin hole leak... i thought the same when after "careful" investigation it was a bypass hose that goes down the back of the intake to the block...

fudge04au

if its losing all its water overnight you really should be able to notice it in the oil. Stange prob!
Is there a guy on the corner selling 2nd hand bottles of coolant?

red97tj

have you checked the overflow bottle when it does this? it could be the thermostat is bad & the coolant is coming out of the overflow bottle...
i would check the thermostat first since that's an easy change.
good luck...

DUNK_Performanc

Yeah this is one thing ive definatlly do is check the overflow, if the thermostat is bad or the waterpum(sumtimes the fins wear away and dont flow coolant as well) If there is no visible leakes through the engine it is very possible a head gasket, in rare occasions when people abuse their beaters that have high milage ive seen , mainly on older CRX R and CiviC SiR's SOCH ive seen heads that have small haiirline cracks near the exhaust ports on one or more cylinders thus fore just pushing the water into the exhaust and not throught the combustion chamber making the white smoke.It could be this or the waterpump if the car does not run badly than otherwise notices.

Magic Carpet

yeah. by the way - do not use that head gasket sealer stuff. destroys hondas radiators. did it to mine and had to get it taken apart and totally cleaned out. jus replace the head gasket.

DUNK_Performanc

Exactlly as said never use that crap on any imports, itll stop the leak alright and stop the water flow in your radiator and heater core, That stuff is designed for older american beaters such as ..um..Fords or Chevrolet's