Honda Car Forum

In article <27d3c559.0401121936.7d412386@posting.google.com >,
seven@aloha.net (Seven) wrote:

> "Tegger®" <teggeratistopdotcom@changetheobvious.invalid> wrote in
message news:<Xns946EB683A2C94teggeratistop@207.14.113.17> ...
> > <snip>
> >
> > This does not sound like a rad problem at all. How's the coolant level? Has
> > it been bled properly using the bleed bolt on the upper rad hose?
> >
> > Do you notice the reservoir level mysteriously going UP?
> >
> > If the coolant level is fine, it sounds more like something electrical,
> > Like maybe the TW switch being bad, its wiring corroded or something else
> > electrical.
>
> I never checked this. I was going to after the new radiator
> installation because, like I said earlier, the damn radiator fins are
> disintegrating! So regardless of what's causing the problem, I need to
> replace the radiator. Just wondering if it could possibly be the
> thermostat that's really the cause of the problem. I guess it could be
> the TW switch, so I will check that after the radiator is replaced.
> Any tips on checking that?
>
> Thanks,
> Chris

Chris,
I am now wandering what made the fins on the radiator go bad. Do you live
in a state that receives lots of snow? If so, I wander if the salt used on
the road to melt the snow and ice managed to get on your radiator. Did you
drive into some standing water on the road and did the water coat the
front of your car? If so, that could explain why your radiator fins are
now in bad condition. If that did not happen--it could be a factory
defect. You might want to talk to the service manager at the local Honda
dealership to determine whether or not there have been in recalls on your
vehicle. You may be able to find that sort of information on the internet.
Try this site
http://www.alldata.com/
also
www.recalldata.org

tomwilson@nospamhotmail.com (Tom Wilson) spake unto the masses in
news:tomwilson-1301041002530001@pm3-broad-193.snlo.dialup.fix.net:
>
> Chris,
> I am now wandering what made the fins on the radiator go bad. Do you
> live in a state that receives lots of snow?


This is normal. If you live in an area that gets snow, it's only a matter
of time before the fins corrode away. Very common up here.

You have to lose a good chunk of the fins before cooling is noticeably
affected, like a third of them. Usually you get a hole in the middle bottom
of the rad that goes dusty and falls out. It's that "bottom-feeder" grille
that does it.


--
TeGGeR®

|Do you think that the radiator is the root of the problem with the
|symptoms I am having?

Sounds more like a cooling fan isn't coming on. Could be the fan, or the switch
that controls it. May also be a relay in the circuit.


|1) Is the work involved too much for a backyard
|mechanic

No. relatively straightforward.

|2) Do I need any special tools the average backyard
|mechanic would not have access to?

A varied vocabulary is probably useful.
Bandaids.

|3) How much will a new radiator be (price range)?

Should be able to get it for under $100
Call around, prices vary wildly and it's a competitive market.

|4) Should I purchase a Honda radiator?

There are only a few manufacturers, all are of good quality.

|5) Can I do the job in a day? Will I need more than myself to do it?

One day should be easy. Do the hoses and anything else - fan motors? - at the
same time.

|6) Any other advice you can give regarding the specifics about
|radiator replacement in Honda Civics of this vintage.

Use the steps listed in the shop manual or a Haynes.
Proper sequence will keep you from doing something twice, orhaving to force one
thing past another. see "vocabulary", above.

Good luck
Rex in Fort Worth

>
>
> This does not sound like a rad problem at all. How's the coolant level? Has
> it been bled properly using the bleed bolt on the upper rad hose?
>
> Do you notice the reservoir level mysteriously going UP?
>
> If the coolant level is fine, it sounds more like something electrical,
> Like maybe the TW switch being bad, its wiring corroded or something else
> electrical.

i agree with TeGGeR®, this sounds like a low coolant problem, i had a
very similar expierence, i would suggest topping off yuour coolant
level and reserve tank before doing anything major.

tomwilson@nospamhotmail.com (Tom Wilson) wrote in message news:<tomwilson-1301041002530001@pm3-broad-193.snlo.dialup.fix.net>...

> Chris,
> I am now wandering what made the fins on the radiator go bad. Do you live
> in a state that receives lots of snow? If so, I wander if the salt used on
> the road to melt the snow and ice managed to get on your radiator. Did you
> drive into some standing water on the road and did the water coat the
> front of your car? If so, that could explain why your radiator fins are
> now in bad condition. If that did not happen--it could be a factory
> defect. You might want to talk to the service manager at the local Honda
> dealership to determine whether or not there have been in recalls on your
> vehicle. You may be able to find that sort of information on the internet.
> Try this site
> http://www.alldata.com/
> also
> www.recalldata.org

I live in Hawaii, where there is salt in the air, as well as humidity.
Could that be a reason for the corrosion?

Andrew Smit <smit_andrew@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:<130120041727141423%smit_andrew@hotmail.com>. ..
> >
> >
> > This does not sound like a rad problem at all. How's the coolant level? Has
> > it been bled properly using the bleed bolt on the upper rad hose?
> >
> > Do you notice the reservoir level mysteriously going UP?
> >
> > If the coolant level is fine, it sounds more like something electrical,
> > Like maybe the TW switch being bad, its wiring corroded or something else
> > electrical.
>
> i agree with TeGGeR®, this sounds like a low coolant problem, i had a
> very similar expierence, i would suggest topping off yuour coolant
> level and reserve tank before doing anything major.

Hi,

Yes the coolant was low. Very rusty colored, too. I checked it
yesterday before doing anything else. However, I still decided to go
and replace the radiator and thermostat. I wanted to replace the
radiator now as like I said, the whole front of it was pretty bad, all
the fins had disintegrated. And I'd rather not get stuck someplace
when it eventually goes bad. I put in a new thermostat as well, being
that I was in there, as well as new hoses.

NOSPAMrex@REMOVEtxol.net (Rex B) wrote in message news:<40046b5f.115252175@news.txol.net>...
> |Do you think that the radiator is the root of the problem with the
> |symptoms I am having?
>
> Sounds more like a cooling fan isn't coming on. Could be the fan, or the switch
> that controls it. May also be a relay in the circuit.

Nope, fans come on. See above.

> Bandaids.

Ain't that the truth, I got nice and cut up putting the damn thing in!

> |5) Can I do the job in a day? Will I need more than myself to do it?
>
> One day should be easy. Do the hoses and anything else - fan motors? - at the
> same time.

Took me 12 hours to do it, including chasing down the parts,
lunch/dinner breaks, flushing and refilling. Damn tiring. My
legs/lower back hurt from stooping over the fenders and front end
working in the engine compartment!

> |6) Any other advice you can give regarding the specifics about
> |radiator replacement in Honda Civics of this vintage.
>
> Use the steps listed in the shop manual or a Haynes.
> Proper sequence will keep you from doing something twice, orhaving to force one
> thing past another. see "vocabulary", above.
>

I had a Haynes manual, which was just OK. I could have done the work
without it, I think. I'd much rather like an official Honda manual,
though don't know where to get one.

The damn A/C line hose got in the way of me putting in the driver's
side fan. I scratched up the fins a bit getting this fan in with the
tight clearances between the exhaust manifold, A/C line hose(s) and
the radiator. This shouldn't affect the functionality of the radiator,
should it? I also noticed that the A/C line hose is brushed up against
the shield on the exhaust manifold. The A/C line hose has a plastic
shield around it I am thinking that acts as a shield from the somewhat
hot manifold shield. I didn't notice the proximity of the hose to the
shield before, so I don't know if this is OK or not. Also, I didn't
notice/smell anything burning when I drove the car to work this
morning, so I have to assume it's OK. Thoughts on this?

So the car is running cool now, the temp gauge is 1/3, solid. It does
not move at all. Awesome! Stop-and-go or straight on the freeway,
everything's "cool". The fans are not coming on at all, 'though I
don't know if I hooked them up incorrectly or if the engine is not hot
enough for them to come on.

Thanks,
Chris

> I had a Haynes manual, which was just OK. I could have done the work
> without it, I think. I'd much rather like an official Honda manual,
> though don't know where to get one.
>
> The damn A/C line hose got in the way of me putting in the driver's
> side fan. I scratched up the fins a bit getting this fan in with the
> tight clearances between the exhaust manifold, A/C line hose(s) and
> the radiator. This shouldn't affect the functionality of the radiator,
> should it? I also noticed that the A/C line hose is brushed up against
> the shield on the exhaust manifold. The A/C line hose has a plastic
> shield around it I am thinking that acts as a shield from the somewhat
> hot manifold shield. I didn't notice the proximity of the hose to the
> shield before, so I don't know if this is OK or not. Also, I didn't
> notice/smell anything burning when I drove the car to work this
> morning, so I have to assume it's OK. Thoughts on this?
>
> So the car is running cool now, the temp gauge is 1/3, solid. It does
> not move at all. Awesome! Stop-and-go or straight on the freeway,
> everything's "cool". The fans are not coming on at all, 'though I
> don't know if I hooked them up incorrectly or if the engine is not hot
> enough for them to come on.
>
> Thanks,
> Chris

sounds like you are all set, to check the fan i think you can unplug
both of the wires going to the sullinoid in the rad and connect them
together which should turn on the fan, but that may be differant on
newer hondas

Andrew

seven@aloha.net (Seven) spake unto the masses in
news:27d3c559.0401141253.5b0037d5@posting.google.c om:

> tomwilson@nospamhotmail.com (Tom Wilson) wrote in message
> news:<tomwilson-1301041002530001@pm3-broad-193.snlo.dialup.fix.net>...
>
>> Chris,
>> I am now wandering what made the fins on the radiator go bad. Do you
>> live in a state that receives lots of snow? If so, I wander if the
>> salt used on the road to melt the snow and ice managed to get on your
>> radiator. Did you drive into some standing water on the road and did
>> the water coat the front of your car? If so, that could explain why
>> your radiator fins are now in bad condition. If that did not
>> happen--it could be a factory defect. You might want to talk to the
>> service manager at the local Honda dealership to determine whether or
>> not there have been in recalls on your vehicle. You may be able to
>> find that sort of information on the internet. Try this site
>> http://www.alldata.com/
>> also
>> www.recalldata.org
>
> I live in Hawaii, where there is salt in the air, as well as humidity.
> Could that be a reason for the corrosion?
>


Yup. When I was there in '85, it rained pretty much every day, usually at
night. I was also surprised at the amount of rust on the cars there, until
I realized it had to do with the salt sea air.

--
TeGGeR®

On 14 Jan 2004 14:09:49 -0800, seven@aloha.net (Seven) wrote:


>I had a Haynes manual, which was just OK. I could have done the work
>without it, I think. I'd much rather like an official Honda manual,
>though don't know where to get one.

Official Honda service manuals are available at www.helminc.com

>The damn A/C line hose got in the way of me putting in the driver's
>side fan. I scratched up the fins a bit getting this fan in with the
>tight clearances between the exhaust manifold, A/C line hose(s) and
>the radiator. This shouldn't affect the functionality of the radiator,
>should it?

If you didn't gouge the coolant channels it should be OK. If the fins were
badly bent I'd have "combed" them back into approximate line. Did you not
read my tip on protecting the fins during installation with pieces of
cardboard?<shrug>

> I also noticed that the A/C line hose is brushed up against
>the shield on the exhaust manifold. The A/C line hose has a plastic
>shield around it I am thinking that acts as a shield from the somewhat
>hot manifold shield. I didn't notice the proximity of the hose to the
>shield before, so I don't know if this is OK or not.

No - it's not "OK". That "shield" is a sleeve where the hose should be
clamped in a bracket coming back off the front valance and over the
radiator. Either you're missing the bracket or missed what its purpose is
during reassembly.

> Also, I didn't
>notice/smell anything burning when I drove the car to work this
>morning, so I have to assume it's OK. Thoughts on this?
>
>So the car is running cool now, the temp gauge is 1/3, solid. It does
>not move at all. Awesome! Stop-and-go or straight on the freeway,
>everything's "cool". The fans are not coming on at all, 'though I
>don't know if I hooked them up incorrectly or if the engine is not hot
>enough for them to come on.

Better check they're working... in your driveway, rather than downtown.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??