Hello,

My fiance and I went on vacation and after getting to our destination, we noticed the vehicle was getting hot. before we left, we checked the coolant, and it was empty! So we filled er up and headed home just fine. the next day, she drove to work and before she headed home, she noticed the coolant had leaked but didn't think much of it since it had been doing so well. On her way home, the car started running hot, so she pulled over to let it cool. she then drove a few more miles and it was almost instantly hot. She pulled over again. This time some people thankfully pulled over to help her out. They got some water in the radiator and what not. But when she went to take off, the car wouldn't start. The engine sounds like it's trying to turn over but it doesn't.
They helped us tow the car home the next morning (phew! no vandy). Now I'm trying to figure out what's wrong. Would a 96 accord have like a "shut off protection" gadget so u don't blow up ur engine or something? or is there something actually wrong with the engine? And with the leak, what are the common leakpoints, and does it sound like the radiator is leaking, or just the coolant tank, or perhaps something like the water pump?

Please help!

Thanks,

Fade

 

First off, it could be any number of things...
If it just stopped running, what was it doing before it stopped? Sputtering??
I know women don't always do the right thing, If she drove it while it was overheating, or while it was dangerously in the red zone, it could have blown the head gasket and/or warped the head...
I used to have cooling probs years back, and although my temps would raise I would ALWAYS be careful not to drive when the needle is in the red, this is very important.

Best case scenario is u/fiancee got spark plugs wet or ignition wet when filling coolant, loose wire or something, maybe even blown ECU fuse (under hood, in fuse box), ignition coil, fuel pump, it could be MANY MANY things...
U need to trouble shoot a little bit, or take it to a mechanic...
Do u have a Haynes Manual? if not, why not?

Worse case is u blew head gasket and or warped the head because it was driven when overheating (aka steam bubbles in your coolant don't transfer heat very well, and ur pistons burn at like 1500 deg F., conduction through fluid is much more efficient, like 1000 times, cause it's much more dense than a gas like steam) although possible, it's not likely, unless u saw some WHITE smoke coming out of tailpipe b4 it broke...

Gimme some more info, I can only speculate right now

More important, what sounds does it make??
Can u hear compression when it turns over?? or does it make an "empty" metallic noise...
Do u hear fuel pump turn on when key is turned to 'ON" position, does it make a "hum noise for like 3 secs" before u turn on starter...

-Mike

 

Ok, i have a chilton, but it's not very helpful (as ones i've had for other vehicles).
She says the last time she stopped it made like one clank sound. so she pulled over. Used a funnel to pour in coolant.. just a little dribbled over. She doesn't recall seeing any white smoke, but she was also driving at night.

When i put the key in and turn it, everything looks/sounds fine... Even when i try to turn it over, it sounds like it's gonna at first, but then it just keeps trying to turn over. not sure if that would be considered the emtpy metallic noise =\

The radiator and coolant holder don't seem to hold any fluid. I may try and put some in, cuz if it were the water pump, it would only leak while running right?

 

Ok, ok...
First I'm pretty sure it ain't the head gasket or else it woulda smoked like a motha...like alot of smoke clouding out the street...Although it's possible because it could mean no compression....

Second, Here's what to do...
1. check for spark
pull out a spark plug, preferably #1 (driver side), and hold it real close to the block of the engine, or anything metal that would make a ground, or use a screwdriver, and have ur fiancee turn over motor, if it sparks ur good, if not could be:
1- anyhthing with ignition, ie coil, ignitor...
2- spark plugs, but highly unlikely

2. If u got spark, listen for the "empty metallic noise", it sounds unlike ur engine is supposed to... it's supposed to go "ru-huhuhuh" normally, like it's "cranking" over hence the name... If it sounds like just the flywheel is spinning, or it makes a noise like less engine is being turned over, it could be:
1- timing belt, also timing belt is connected by the timing belt to the water pump, so maybe a failed water pumped cause belt to break??

Just look for spark first n get back to me...
If coolant is "disappearing" from the radiator it';s def a leak of some sort, but ur car should still start normally....
Is there any Check Engine Lights??

P.S. It's scary that she said it made a clank sound, cause it really could be timing belt= NO GOOD. Mine broke on me 3-days before we were set to cahnge it on weekend, how many miles u got??
-Mike

 

Hello,

I haven't checked for spark yet, but...
i think she woulda noticed a LOT of smoke.. so hopefully u r right.
the noise it makes: It first starts out like normal, and if sometimes it even does it twice in a row. but after that it makes more if a slower chug uh - chug uh - chug uh noise. not that speedy ruh uhuhuhuh sound. and hm, by twice in a row, i mean the noise sounds normal for double the time (randomly). like it almost starts up, but the engine doesn't wanna turn over. i hope that makes sense.
where would the belt be located? there's two belts that look fine on the driver's side. i also opened up the radiator cap and there was still water around the cap... everything looked moist. but the coolant tub is empty.
there are NO check engine lights.

ok, so pull out the wire over plug1 and hold a screw driver close to the opening? it'll spark that high up? (ugh, i'm scurr'd of electricity, been zapped too many times ) and it's that ez?

Thanks very much for the help! in the past, with other vehicles, it's taken much longer to get a response from someone

 

Hey man,
It's cool, I like helping people out cause when I was in your situation I had no one to help me out, other than the dealer, LOL...
First, don't be scared of the plug, pull the spark plug wire and rubber boot out of the spark plug hole, hold the rubber boot part that's connected to the wire, and place the open end of the boot, where spark plug connects, and point the end at a metal bolt or screw on ur engine, don;t worry bout screwdriver...
Second, u can't see ur timing belt without removing the valve cover... It's kept inside of engine not on outside where power steering belt or A/C belt is.
U can remove valve cover if u want, it's only 10mm bolts prob like 10 at most, if u do u would see timing belt immediately...
It sounds like the motor isn't getting any fuel, How many miles u got??
U should hear fuel pump turn on when key is turned to "on" position, listen for a very slight "humm" for like 2 seconds...
Get back to me with info.

-Mike

 

we have 187000 miles or so. but that's weird about not getting gas, cuz we had no troubles before. i'll check for the belt and i'm still not sure about the spark. can i just hold the end of the boot there for the spark?

 

I have 180,000 miles on my civic and I never needed fuel pump, yet my sister's car, same 5g civic with less miles, only 165,000, her fuel pump just stopped working one day, and now it works on and off...
If it's ur pump, lift rear seats and pound on bench with your fist while ur girl cranks motor over...
It should start up if it's ur pump..

Yeah don;t sweat the spark plug wires, just make sure you're holding rubber part n ur fine, it can't hurt you unless you're grounded... if u have sneakers on ur fine... Do u understand what I'm telling u as far as how to check for spark?? Don't touch the spark or end of the boot, just hold the INSULATED rubber boot...If u have haynes manual it will tell u how to check for spark...

Yes, It is weird that it would die right after your overheating problems, but yet again u have 187,000 miles on an original pump correct??

-Mike

 

i'm not sure. we've only had the car around 2 months! and of course it was sold as-is with a 1month discount type warranty.. which has long expired lol. my mom has an accord and it has had only small problems (like a taillight bulb going out). I also worked for Honda shortly, so i learned a lot and thought it would be an awesome vehicle to have! which it still is, just a pain lol

i'll check the chilton to be sure about the plugs, mebbe i can get more of a visual on it. i think i understand tho

i'll try the pump idea too when i can.

thanks

 

Hey, just letting anyone who read this, know that the problem was:

faulty waterpump, which caused the timing belt to snap, etc

thanks mb!