<matthew_jamees@hotmail.com> wrote
> Thanks for all your reply. It really helped a lot and will watch for
> the coolant and take coolant with me till this issue is fixed.
>
> I looked at the coolant level and it has decreased around 2 inches
> since the past 15 days. When I noticed the level 15 days back the
> engine was very very hot (see below). After I saw Elle's post, I looked
> at the coolant level (the engine was not driven since 11 hours) and
> noticed the decrease in coolant. Will the coolant level will increase
> when the engine is very very hot?

The coolant level definitely rises in proportion to the engine temperature.
If one checks a properly functioning Honda with the engine stone cold (after
10 hours of sitting, engine off, say), the level in the reservoir will be X.
Drive the car until the temperature gage reads normal (like for 20 minutes,
assuming the outside temperature is not super low), and the rise in the
level should be noticeable. Two inches above X is not all that unusual.

> If yes, the decrease of 2 inches
> noticed might not be a correct observation.

I agree.

As your next step, I recommend doing a purge and fill of the cooling system
to the precise, proper level. See the www.autozone.com free online manaul
for the exact steps. Since you have had problems with the fan, make sure it
comes on. Again, it will take at least 30 minutes for the car (sitting and
idling, while you read a magazine) to warm up enough to start the fan twice.
If it doesn't come on after 60 minutes, I'd be worried about the fan switch
yada.

Follow the manual's instructions on checking the level. It should say to
check the level after the car has been fully warmed up, engine off. It
should read at the "Max" line. Of course you can also check it when it's
cool and compare to other readings you do on other days when it's cool. If
there's a serious leak, it will be obvious very quickly.

During all these radiator and overheat problems, your car may have
overheated and caused a breach between engine cylinders and cooling system.
E.g. a failed head gasket or some other breach, like the other posters said.

I can't quite tell when the oil change was done relative to the mechanic
taking a look a the oil's condition. If you just did an oil change, then
coolant in the oil may not be obvious.

Also, you can check the coolant in the reservoir and look for signs of oil
in it.

So far, I still suspect a seriously damaged engine that will limp along but
get progressively worse (and possibly increasingly more expensive to
repair?). Nothing else occurs to me to explain the white smoke. Sounds like
you're being careful, anyway. Let the group know how it goes. It will help
others.

> To give a little history:
> 16 days back, while driving with the heater on at level "1", I felt
> unusually warm after driving for 8 or 9 miles and noticed the dashboard
> temperature going high. I immediately stopped the car and had it towed.
> The mechanic showed me coolant on the entire width of the top and over
> the radiator and mentioned that the top of the radiator had cracked. He
> also showed me that there is no white smoke from the exhaust and also
> opened the oil cap (he mentioned he was looking for milky white
> formation inside the oil cap to see signs of water inside the engine)
> and mentioned the engine has not been affected. The whole radiator was
> replaced and the coolant filled up. When driving back (again 10 miles),
> the dashboard temperature went very high. I called up the mechanic. He
> asked me to look at the level of the coolant and it was full (as
> mentioned above). He asked me to drive back to the garage with the
> heater fully on. At the garage, he found and showed me that the fan for
> the radiator was not spinning and the dashboard was still showing high
> temperature. He shorted the temperature sensor and the fan spun. So he
> replaced the temperature sensor. I have been driving with no problem
> till two days back.
>
> Last week as part of my car maintenance I had the Air Filter replaced,
> Transmission fluid flushed and filled up, Fuel System cleaned, put in
> new oil and replace the oil filter.