"MIN" <wlee04@chol.com> wrote
> I have Honda LX 99 4 Door. Today I started engine to drive and I
> noticed that
> the thermometer indicator went up and down couple of times (it went up
> to about half.) and it became normal and I drove about an hour
> without any problmes. This is first time that I noticed it.
> I was told that I should check or replace thermostat. I have heard
> that after you change something which you should not then more
> problmes occur.

This is a cliche designed to relieve stress. Ignore it.

Careful troubleshooting is all that is required.

> I just wonder if anyone has same problem as this or should I check the
> thermostat?

The thermostat's a good first place to start, particularly given the age of the
car.

How many miles are on your car, BTW? If over 70,000 miles, it probably wouldn't
hurt to replace the thermostat. If you're handy and have done a little work on
cars in the past, replacing the thermostat is a pretty easy do-it-yourself job.

The part should run you around $20. Don't forget the rubber gasket for it. Buy
an OEM thermostat. My research on the net and around town indicates it's worth
the couple extra bucks.

My 91 Civic LX's cooling system was working fine, and at 151k miles I'd never
replaced the thermostat. Someone here cautioned me that they do degenerate in
performance over time, so it was probably a good idea to pre-emptively replace
it, particularly given how long it had lasted.

A few other questions:
Do you follow the maintenance schedule for draining and replacing the coolant?

Do you regularly check the reservoir level?

Have you checked to see that the fan comes on after the car has sat and idled a
while?