Elle wrote:
>
> "Grumpy AuContraire" <Grumpster@GrumpyvilleNOT.com> wrote
> > My Civic FE project had a head gasket breach which led to
> > overheating.
> > I opted to try an el cheapo block seal treatment which is
> > described here:
> >
> >
> > http://home.earthlink.net/~honda.lioness/id17.html
> >
> >
> > As an update, still no sign of problems. Drove over one
> > hundred miles
> > today in mid 90's Texas heat without incident.
>
> JT, what "el cheapo block seal treatment" product did you
> use?
>


CRC/KDS which is available at most autopart stores for under $10.

Follow directions except I doubled the running time and drying time.
And my car had bubbles in the coolant. I had problems after with
lowering coolant levels (air in the closed system) but that was due to a
crack in the elbow of the coolant recovery tank. JB Kwik Weld took care
of that and the system works perfectly now maintaining the coolant level
at exactly the "full" mark on the tank.



> I have a friend with a 99 Civic with intermittent
> overheating and intermittent loss of coolant. The level
> seems to go up at times like Tegger said. Can't see any
> bubbles in the reservoir. No suspect residue is on the spark
> plugs or oil filler cap. (Plugs in fact look beautiful.)
> Can't smell anti-freeze in the exhaust. But I also can't see
> how it could be anything else. Been several weeks of the
> overheating/loss of coolant problem. Pep Boys and dealer
> have both looked at it and found nothing but likely did not
> do a coolant pressure test; cylinder compression test; or
> test for hydrocarbons in the coolant.
>

Overheating can also result from stuck thermostats or failing waterpump
though these are not typical on Hondas.



> Her car overheated about three years ago when relatives were
> driving it; a rock was said to have hit the radiator; they
> didn't know it and so didn't pull over (yeah, I know...
> slobs) before the temperature gage hit red. I figure a
> breach began about then but hadn't manifested itself until
> this particularly hot year hit.
>


Extreme overheating loosens all the crud in the system ultimately
collecting in the radiator. Sounds like this may be what happened.



> I hesitate to send her to a block sealant product, since
> rumor has it they often gunk up cooling systems bad. Told
> her at this point best bet is to let a radiator shop
> troubleshoot it. But I'll study the packaging of the product
> you used and google on it and see if it seems worth a try.

If no bubbles in the coolant, I would not suspect the need for block
seal. A clean system seems to be the need here...

JT