I have a car question.

[ondarkness]

Don't know how it started, but when I tried to mix the 50/50 fluid-water mix it went down hill from there.
Now, the car overheats about 30 minutes into the drive. and I've temporeraly tried to just fill the radiator with water to quick fix it.
Now the radiator starts to spit out copper colored water. and the reservoir is caked with the same colored residue. the watter almost has a muddy texture.

My main question is this:
Will a thurough flush and fill of the rad. & engine block correct this issue?

Any insight is appreciated.
98 civic ex.
thx.

 

[cavemanmoron]

Originally posted by: ondarkness
Don't know how it started, but when I tried to mix the 50/50 fluid-water mix it went down hill from there.
Now, the car overheats about 30 minutes into the drive. and I've temporeraly tried to just fill the radiator with water to quick fix it.
Now the radiator starts to spit out copper colored water. and the reservoir is caked with the same colored residue. the watter almost has a muddy texture.

My main question is this:
Will a thurough flush and fill of the rad. & engine block correct this issue?

Any insight is appreciated.
98 civic ex.
thx.

How many miles?

Head gasket is a common problem after 125,000 miles.

I had a CRX that had 200,000 miles,I put a new radiator in it,
and other costly repairs.{New Exhaust/brakes tires/windshield}

Then AFter I spent about $1,000 on repairs found out the head gasket was shot,
And the car was rotten underneath. :|

 

[amdskip]

Almost sounds like you have a cracked head/bad head gasket but I don't know if civics have those problems. Does the oil have antifreeze in it? How hot does it get?

 

[Eli]

Thermostat?

How overheated did it get?

"copper colored" water? What color is the antifreeze you used?

It almost sounds like a blown head gasket.. is there any strange sludge anywhere in the coolant system?

 

[Slimline]

Correct me if I am wrong, but if it is head gasket if it is not repaired quick there is potential for the anti freeze to get in your crankcase. This is a no go as it thins the oil and will %$!@ up your motor bad.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: Slimline
Correct me if I am wrong, but if it is head gasket if it is not repaired quick there is potential for the anti freeze to get in your crankcase. This is a no go as it thins the oil and will %$!@ up your motor bad.

It doesen't "thin" the oil, since oil and water don't readily mix. It does deplete the oil's additives, causes oil breakdown and creates a oil/coolant sludge that coats the inside of the coolant system.

So basically, yes.

 

[ondarkness]

the car has 170,000miles. when it heats up its usually when I'm at idle at a red light after a 30 minute commute.
When i hear the fan initiate I usually just turn on the heater to cool it down again. (my ex got me doing this)
The copper colored water has a irony smell to it. and I used the yellow packaged Auto Zone rad-fluid. (neon-green colored)

 

[RU482]

was the 50/50 mix you put in green, yellow, pink, or...gulp...blue

 

[Eli]

hmm. Check the thermostat first, it's cheap.

Does turning on the heater actually keep it from overheating?

 

[BatmanNate]

Originally posted by: Slimline
Correct me if I am wrong, but if it is head gasket if it is not repaired quick there is potential for the anti freeze to get in your crankcase. This is a no go as it thins the oil and will %$!@ up your motor bad.

Not to mention your head will probably overheat and warp. OP, does the oil have coolant in it? Also, are you sure you filled it up all the way? (Fill radiator, fire it up, turn it off, fill again...till full)

Edit for plural on a Civic

 

[ondarkness]

Originally posted by: Eli
hmm. Check the thermostat first, it's cheap.

Does turning on the heater actually keep it from overheating?

yup, it regs the temp back to normal for a little while.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: ondarkness

Originally posted by: Eli
hmm. Check the thermostat first, it's cheap.

Does turning on the heater actually keep it from overheating?

yup, it regs the temp back to normal for a little while.

hmm.

 

[ThisIsMatt]

First off, what caused the need to add fluid in the first place?

 

[ondarkness]

Originally posted by: ThisIsMatt
First off, what caused the need to add fluid in the first place?

The car allovasudden started to overheat.
my quick fix was to add water to the fill line.
after a week it overheated again.

I figured if I drained the radiator it would be enough.
I replaced it with neon green fluid and half water.
It was fine for a couple months. then the same problem of over heating began.

 

[cHeeZeFacTory]

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: ondarkness

Originally posted by: Eli
hmm. Check the thermostat first, it's cheap.

Does turning on the heater actually keep it from overheating?

yup, it regs the temp back to normal for a little while.

hmm.

yea i've tried that, it works.

 

[cavemanmoron]

Originally posted by: ondarkness

Originally posted by: ThisIsMatt
First off, what caused the need to add fluid in the first place?

The car allovasudden started to overheat.
my quick fix was to add water to the fill line.
after a week it overheated again.

I figured if I drained the radiator it would be enough.
I replaced it with neon green fluid and half water.
It was fine for a couple months. then the same problem of over heating began.

Junkyard time

Head gasket repair is not cheap.It will need a rebuilt head.

Look for another car.

I suggest soemthing with less than 50,000 miles.

 

[ThisIsMatt]

Originally posted by: ondarkness

Originally posted by: ThisIsMatt
First off, what caused the need to add fluid in the first place?

The car allovasudden started to overheat.
my quick fix was to add water to the fill line.
after a week it overheated again.

I figured if I drained the radiator it would be enough.
I replaced it with neon green fluid and half water.
It was fine for a couple months. then the same problem of over heating began.

Did you have the timing belt and water pump replaced at 160k?

 

[funboy6942]

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: ondarkness

Originally posted by: Eli
hmm. Check the thermostat first, it's cheap.

Does turning on the heater actually keep it from overheating?

yup, it regs the temp back to normal for a little while.

hmm.

Thermostat 100% and a big ass air bubble in the system right now. Make sure after replacing the thermo that you open the valve to let all of the air out of the system.
The valve should be around the thermo housing and look more like a nipple

The heater core hoses bypass the thermostat and that is why your temp drops. If your car ever overheats and you have NO heat coming out of the vents your low or out of water. It is overheating but there is no water in the core to produce heat. Hence why your overheating but no heat coming out of the vents.

And that think muddy copper looking stuff is old antifreeze. Need to flush that sucker out too while your at it and make sure to put a container of alumiseal in there when your half full. It will lube all the parts and seal any leaks in the rad, head, or block provided they are small ones.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: cHeeZeFacTory

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: ondarkness

Originally posted by: Eli
hmm. Check the thermostat first, it's cheap.

Does turning on the heater actually keep it from overheating?

yup, it regs the temp back to normal for a little while.

hmm.

yea i've tried that, it works.

Well, yeah.

All the heater core is is a small radiator.

But my car knowledge is failing me right now, as I don't know exactly what that means that he can turn the heater on and actually have it prevent the car from overheating. That seems a little weird.

Besides, doesen't the thermostat have to open before coolant gets to flow through it? Just trying to figure out if the thermostat could be the problem.

Why are you having to add water? You should basically never have to add coolant, lol.

 

[funboy6942]

Hey one more thing. When your going down the road does it register normal temps and overheat when your stitting for a bit?

If this is the case your electric fan isnt working. Run the car and if it get 3/4ths of the way up or further and doesnt come on then thats your problem. And this may sound silly but if it doesnt come on turn your AC on. Most newer cars when the ac in turned on it turns on another circuit opens to turn the fan on bypassing the temp sensor or regulator. It does this so you dont overheat in traffic since the ac will produce more heat to the radiator.

 

[ondarkness]

Originally posted by: funboy42

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: ondarkness

Originally posted by: Eli
hmm. Check the thermostat first, it's cheap.

Does turning on the heater actually keep it from overheating?

yup, it regs the temp back to normal for a little while.

hmm.

Thermostat 100% and a big ass air bubble in the system right now. Make sure after replacing the thermo that you open the valve to let all of the air out of the system.
The valve should be around the thermo housing and look more like a nipple

The heater core hoses bypass the thermostat and that is why your temp drops. If your car ever overheats and you have NO heat coming out of the vents your low or out of water. It is overheating but there is no water in the core to produce heat. Hence why your overheating but no heat coming out of the vents.

And that think muddy copper looking stuff is old antifreeze. Need to flush that sucker out too while your at it and make sure to put a container of alumiseal in there when your half full. It will lube all the parts and seal any leaks in the rad, head, or block provided they are small ones.

Any thoughts on changing the thermostat from the stock one to one designed to open at 160 degrees F opposed to the factory 190 degrees F?

 

[funboy6942]

Stick with what came with the car.

 

[ThisIsMatt]

Originally posted by: ThisIsMatt

Originally posted by: ondarkness

Originally posted by: ThisIsMatt
First off, what caused the need to add fluid in the first place?

The car allovasudden started to overheat.
my quick fix was to add water to the fill line.
after a week it overheated again.

I figured if I drained the radiator it would be enough.
I replaced it with neon green fluid and half water.
It was fine for a couple months. then the same problem of over heating began.

Did you have the timing belt and water pump replaced at 160k?

 

[ondarkness]

Originally posted by: funboy42
Hey one more thing. When your going down the road does it register normal temps and overheat when your stitting for a bit?

If this is the case your electric fan isnt working. Run the car and if it get 3/4ths of the way up or further and doesnt come on then thats your problem. And this may sound silly but if it doesnt come on turn your AC on. Most newer cars when the ac in turned on it turns on another circuit opens to turn the fan on bypassing the temp sensor or regulator. It does this so you dont overheat in traffic since the ac will produce more heat to the radiator.

The fan for sure does not alway seem to turn on. Not regularly atleast. When I get home and the car is overheating, the fan is not on mostly. BUT, if I turn the car off all the way, and then switch the key on with out igniting the engine- the fan will then turn on.

 

[funboy6942]

You may just have a bad fan relay or loose wire. Un hook the fan wires and plug it into a switched fuse under the dash so it is hard wired on all the time when the car is running.