Honda Car Forum

Hi all!
1996 Accord EXR (V-Tech), 5-speed, ABS and A/C

started noticing an overheat problem with the car recently. First noticed it
on real hot days, pulling my boat with the A/C on - made sense. The needle
only goes slightly past normal temp - not a real concern. Never used to do
that though. Recently, the needle has been climbing a bit higher and on one
hot day, I noticed the needle go past normal when I wasn't hauling the boat.
I figured the car was getting old and maybe the rad isn't as efficient. I
gave her a cleaning with some Sulfuric acid and high pressure water but no
change.
The other day I hopped out to get a coffee and left it running. When I
returned, the needle was to full hot! Now I knew there was a bigger problem.
So, here is what I have noticed that might shed some light on any advice.
There are two electric fans behind the rad. I always assumed one was for A/C
and the other just your normal fan. When I put the A/C on, BOTH fans come
on. (Incidentally, I left the car at idle and waited for it to overheat then
turned the A/C on. The temp fell to normal). With the A/C off and the car
overheating at idle, no fan comes on. I believe this is NOT normal. However,
the moment I shut the car off, one fan DOES come on ( I think the passenger
side) until the car cools down. This is normal - it was a daily thing on my
Prelude and this Accord did that on hot days or days I was working it, but
lately it does it almost everyday.
It would appear that for some reason, the cooling fan is not coming on while
the car is running when it senses an overheat condition. Both fans obviously
work though.
Any thoughts?

MajBach

MajBach1 wrote:
> Hi all!
> 1996 Accord EXR (V-Tech), 5-speed, ABS and A/C
>
> started noticing an overheat problem with the car recently. First noticed it
> on real hot days, pulling my boat with the A/C on - made sense. The needle
> only goes slightly past normal temp - not a real concern. Never used to do
> that though. Recently, the needle has been climbing a bit higher and on one
> hot day, I noticed the needle go past normal when I wasn't hauling the boat.
> I figured the car was getting old and maybe the rad isn't as efficient. I
> gave her a cleaning with some Sulfuric acid and high pressure water but no
> change.
> The other day I hopped out to get a coffee and left it running. When I
> returned, the needle was to full hot! Now I knew there was a bigger problem.
> So, here is what I have noticed that might shed some light on any advice.
> There are two electric fans behind the rad. I always assumed one was for A/C
> and the other just your normal fan. When I put the A/C on, BOTH fans come
> on. (Incidentally, I left the car at idle and waited for it to overheat then
> turned the A/C on. The temp fell to normal). With the A/C off and the car
> overheating at idle, no fan comes on. I believe this is NOT normal. However,
> the moment I shut the car off, one fan DOES come on ( I think the passenger
> side) until the car cools down. This is normal - it was a daily thing on my
> Prelude and this Accord did that on hot days or days I was working it, but
> lately it does it almost everyday.
> It would appear that for some reason, the cooling fan is not coming on while
> the car is running when it senses an overheat condition. Both fans obviously
> work though.
> Any thoughts?
>
> MajBach

=====================

Radiator and reservoir aren't Full. Coolant won't trip the sensors if it
gets too low. Knowing the mileage would tell us a lot more stuff.

'Curly'




--

To REPLY: If there are a couple of underscores in my return address,
you must remove them to reply directly . . . . . . Thanks.

Regarding stage performances: When everyone else has finished playing,
you should not play any notes you have left over. -

<snip>
> > MajBach
>
> =====================
>
> Radiator and reservoir aren't Full. Coolant won't trip the sensors if it
> gets too low. Knowing the mileage would tell us a lot more stuff.
>
> 'Curly'
>
>
>
>
> --
>
> To REPLY: If there are a couple of underscores in my return address,
> you must remove them to reply directly . . . . . . Thanks.
>
> Regarding stage performances: When everyone else has finished playing,
> you should not play any notes you have left over. -
>

Rad is full - haven't checked res. 280,000 kms but excellent condition -
including rad.
I dont think it's related to coolant but maybe.
Is there a relay for the fan? Is it different from the one [if there is one]
that makes the overheat fan come on when ignition is off?

On 9/2/04 11:35 AM, in article
vZHZc.23061$CG3.1481837@news20.bellglobal.com, "MajBach1"
<removeallbut_majbach@sympatico.ca> wrote:

> <snip>
>>> MajBach
>>
>> =====================
>>
>> Radiator and reservoir aren't Full. Coolant won't trip the sensors if it
>> gets too low. Knowing the mileage would tell us a lot more stuff.
>>
>> 'Curly'
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>> To REPLY: If there are a couple of underscores in my return address,
>> you must remove them to reply directly . . . . . . Thanks.
>>
>> Regarding stage performances: When everyone else has finished playing,
>> you should not play any notes you have left over. -
>>
>
> Rad is full - haven't checked res. 280,000 kms but excellent condition -
> including rad.
> I dont think it's related to coolant but maybe.
> Is there a relay for the fan? Is it different from the one [if there is one]
> that makes the overheat fan come on when ignition is off?
>
>
I'm not sure exactly what an Accord EXR is, but if it has the 4 cylinder
engine, there are two thermostatic switches that control the fan. One near
each of the radiator hose connections on the engine. Make sure the radiator
is full and the expansion tank is at least up to the min mark and let it
idle with the AC off. The the fan doesn't come on by the time the needle
starts climbing past normal, the switch by the thermostat is probably bad.

See if your thermostat is working properly. If you aren't getting the
proper amount of coolant into the system due to the thermostat being stuck
closed, then it will run hot. Typical scenarios are as follows: Thermostat
stuck OPEN: Car seems to never "heat up" on cold days, and takes longer
than normal to heat up on warmer days. Also, if you rev it up to about 5000
or 6000 RPM, your temperature needle will drop to "C". It will return to
it's current position after you let off the gas. Thermostat stuck CLOSED:
Car heats up very quickly and will overheat if left idling. When driving,
the outside air is keeping the engine cooled to approximately normal temp.
My guess is, when you were pulling the boat, the thermostat broke at that
point. Usually the engine coolant temperature sensor controls the fans via
a relay, and this sensor is usually located "after" the thermostat, but I'm
not that familiar with 1996 Accords to say that for sure. I had the same
problem with my 1984 Accord, and replacing the thermostat corrected the
problem. Your car should use a 180-degree thermostat.

Good Luck!

Jonathan

"MajBach1" <removeallbut_majbach@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:5rEZc.21805$CG3.1436797@news20.bellglobal.com ...
> Hi all!
> 1996 Accord EXR (V-Tech), 5-speed, ABS and A/C
>
> started noticing an overheat problem with the car recently. First noticed
> it
> on real hot days, pulling my boat with the A/C on - made sense. The needle
> only goes slightly past normal temp - not a real concern. Never used to do
> that though. Recently, the needle has been climbing a bit higher and on
> one
> hot day, I noticed the needle go past normal when I wasn't hauling the
> boat.
> I figured the car was getting old and maybe the rad isn't as efficient. I
> gave her a cleaning with some Sulfuric acid and high pressure water but no
> change.
> The other day I hopped out to get a coffee and left it running. When I
> returned, the needle was to full hot! Now I knew there was a bigger
> problem.
> So, here is what I have noticed that might shed some light on any advice.
> There are two electric fans behind the rad. I always assumed one was for
> A/C
> and the other just your normal fan. When I put the A/C on, BOTH fans come
> on. (Incidentally, I left the car at idle and waited for it to overheat
> then
> turned the A/C on. The temp fell to normal). With the A/C off and the car
> overheating at idle, no fan comes on. I believe this is NOT normal.
> However,
> the moment I shut the car off, one fan DOES come on ( I think the
> passenger
> side) until the car cools down. This is normal - it was a daily thing on
> my
> Prelude and this Accord did that on hot days or days I was working it, but
> lately it does it almost everyday.
> It would appear that for some reason, the cooling fan is not coming on
> while
> the car is running when it senses an overheat condition. Both fans
> obviously
> work though.
> Any thoughts?
>
> MajBach
>
>