Honda Car Forum

Hi Honda Experts

I had a coolant leak a few weeks ago with some hose that was not
readily accessible. Took it to a Honda mechanic who replaced the
hose.

Ever since then, I cant seem to keep coolant in the engine.

I would fill the coolant bottle to the max line when cold. I notice
when the car gets hot, the level rises which I think is normal and the
coolant is bubbling in the bottle. However after about a day of use,
the coolant bottle is virtually empty when cold but the radiator is
full.

I have checked all over for any signs of coolant loss and the only
thing I can see is coolant overflow on the top of the coolant bottle.

My question is why is this overflowing when I only filled to the max
line?? Could it be my coolant bottle is the problem??

Thanks

jasguild

On 10/6/03 8:22 AM, in article
835954ae.0310060522.3d6c8189@posting.google.com, "jas kim"
<jasguild@hotmail.com> wrote:

> Hi Honda Experts
>
> I had a coolant leak a few weeks ago with some hose that was not
> readily accessible. Took it to a Honda mechanic who replaced the
> hose.
>
> Ever since then, I cant seem to keep coolant in the engine.
>
> I would fill the coolant bottle to the max line when cold. I notice
> when the car gets hot, the level rises which I think is normal and the
> coolant is bubbling in the bottle. However after about a day of use,
> the coolant bottle is virtually empty when cold but the radiator is
> full.
>
> I have checked all over for any signs of coolant loss and the only
> thing I can see is coolant overflow on the top of the coolant bottle.
>
> My question is why is this overflowing when I only filled to the max
> line?? Could it be my coolant bottle is the problem??
>
> Thanks
>
> jasguild

Test your radiator cap & see if it opens at the right pressure. It sounds
like it might not be working (opening at too low pressure).

There should not be any air in the radiator at all. If you are getting
bubbling in the overflow bottle, then you have air in the system. The level
should just rise in the bottle. It should not be bubbling. Make sure the
system was properly purged of air after the hose job.

Also check the hose from the radiator to the overflow tank. It it has any
cracks or holes, or if it does not seal to the top of the radiator and to
the tank, it will not be able suck the coolant back into the radiator as it
cools and you will end up with air in the system.

I had the small problem with my Civic 93. The reservoir bottle would
overfill and spil out. This, unfortunalty, is a head gasket problem. The
fluid overboils due to the bad head gasket, and when it overboils it spills
excessivly inot the reservoit bottle. HEAD GASKET for sure!



"jas kim" <jasguild@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:835954ae.0310060522.3d6c8189@posting.google.c om...
> Hi Honda Experts
>
> I had a coolant leak a few weeks ago with some hose that was not
> readily accessible. Took it to a Honda mechanic who replaced the
> hose.
>
> Ever since then, I cant seem to keep coolant in the engine.
>
> I would fill the coolant bottle to the max line when cold. I notice
> when the car gets hot, the level rises which I think is normal and the
> coolant is bubbling in the bottle. However after about a day of use,
> the coolant bottle is virtually empty when cold but the radiator is
> full.
>
> I have checked all over for any signs of coolant loss and the only
> thing I can see is coolant overflow on the top of the coolant bottle.
>
> My question is why is this overflowing when I only filled to the max
> line?? Could it be my coolant bottle is the problem??
>
> Thanks
>
> jasguild

jasguild@hotmail.com (jas kim) pontificated in
news:835954ae.0310060522.3d6c8189@posting.google.c om:

> Hi Honda Experts
>
> I had a coolant leak a few weeks ago with some hose that was not
> readily accessible. Took it to a Honda mechanic who replaced the
> hose.
>
> Ever since then, I cant seem to keep coolant in the engine.



Sounds like either a weak rad cap or the head gasket. Change the rad cap
first. If the problem persists, get a garage to do a pressure test to
confirm the head gasket leak.

--
TeGGeR®

> I had a coolant leak a few weeks ago with some hose that was not
> readily accessible.

youve possibly driven it to the point it overheated, and blew the head
gasket.

Does anyone knows what cap I should have on this car?? Discount Auto
Parts suggested a 16lbs. The old one that I had on was a 13 lbs.

In either case the new cap did not solve the problem.

Strangely enough, the engine is not overheating. Also I dont get the
impression the coolant is boiling. It just seems to be venting air;
sort of like blowing air through a straw in a glass of soda.

In fact, I only saw my empty coolant bottle by accident

As I mentioned earlier, I just had a hose changed in my cooling
system. Could it not be air is trapped in my system?? Secondly what
is the level I should full the coolant bottle; minimum or max? Also
there is no smell of coolant or steam from tail pipe or coolant
bottle. FINALLY NO BUBBLING when the engine is cold only when engine
is hot.


jasguild

"Tegger®" <teggeratistopdotcom@changetheobvious.invalid> wrote in message news:<Xns940CAD33AC62Bteggeratistop@66.11.168.195> ...
> jasguild@hotmail.com (jas kim) pontificated in
> news:835954ae.0310060522.3d6c8189@posting.google.c om:
>
> > Hi Honda Experts
> >
> > I had a coolant leak a few weeks ago with some hose that was not
> > readily accessible. Took it to a Honda mechanic who replaced the
> > hose.
> >
> > Ever since then, I cant seem to keep coolant in the engine.
>
>
>
> Sounds like either a weak rad cap or the head gasket. Change the rad cap
> first. If the problem persists, get a garage to do a pressure test to
> confirm the head gasket leak.

I suspect a bad head gasket. A small failure could cause this
phenomenon as the fissure or crack in the gasket will expand when the
engine is hot. Have it looked at. You could also pressure test the
cooling system. Either way, don;t play around.

On 6 Oct 2003 21:34:18 -0700, jasguild@hotmail.com (jas kim) wrote:

>Does anyone knows what cap I should have on this car?? Discount Auto
>Parts suggested a 16lbs. The old one that I had on was a 13 lbs.
>
>In either case the new cap did not solve the problem.
>
>Strangely enough, the engine is not overheating. Also I dont get the
>impression the coolant is boiling. It just seems to be venting air;
>sort of like blowing air through a straw in a glass of soda.
>
>In fact, I only saw my empty coolant bottle by accident
>
>As I mentioned earlier, I just had a hose changed in my cooling
>system. Could it not be air is trapped in my system?? Secondly what
>is the level I should full the coolant bottle; minimum or max? Also
>there is no smell of coolant or steam from tail pipe or coolant
>bottle. FINALLY NO BUBBLING when the engine is cold only when engine
>is hot.
>
>
>jasguild
>
>"Tegger®" <teggeratistopdotcom@changetheobvious.invalid> wrote in message news:<Xns940CAD33AC62Bteggeratistop@66.11.168.195> ...
>> jasguild@hotmail.com (jas kim) pontificated in
>> news:835954ae.0310060522.3d6c8189@posting.google.c om:
>>
>> > Hi Honda Experts
>> >
>> > I had a coolant leak a few weeks ago with some hose that was not
>> > readily accessible. Took it to a Honda mechanic who replaced the
>> > hose.
>> >
>> > Ever since then, I cant seem to keep coolant in the engine.
>>
>>
>>
>> Sounds like either a weak rad cap or the head gasket. Change the rad cap
>> first. If the problem persists, get a garage to do a pressure test to
>> confirm the head gasket leak.

jasguild@hotmail.com (jas kim) pontificated in
news:835954ae.0310062034.6bcb7090@posting.google.c om:

> Does anyone knows what cap I should have on this car?? Discount Auto
> Parts suggested a 16lbs. The old one that I had on was a 13 lbs.


Did the old one have 0.9 or 1.1 stamped into the metal?


>
> In either case the new cap did not solve the problem.


IF the gasket IS blown, the longer you leave it the worse and more
expensive it will get. The cylinder surface will begin to rust where the
leak is, or you will get gas cutting from combustion gases blowing by. Both
may effectively scrap the engine for cost reasons.

A pressure test will confirm or discount any alleged leakage. If you have
coolant leakage, a dye test will reveal that.

--
TeGGeR®

Took the car to a honda mechanic. He measured the compression and did
not find anything wrong. He observed it and found that top radiator
hose leaked when really hot.

My concern is why the bubbling in the coolant bottle.

jasguild


"SoCalMike" <mikein562athotmail@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:<mypgb.420533$2x.143324@rwcrnsc52.ops.asp.att .net>...
> > I had a coolant leak a few weeks ago with some hose that was not
> > readily accessible.
>
> youve possibly driven it to the point it overheated, and blew the head
> gasket.

On 10 Oct 2003 20:57:18 -0700, jasguild@hotmail.com (jas kim) wrote:

>Took the car to a honda mechanic. He measured the compression and did
>not find anything wrong. He observed it and found that top radiator
>hose leaked when really hot.
>
>My concern is why the bubbling in the coolant bottle.

If you had a leak in the top hose, it's possible that air was getting
sucked into the engine through the leak on cool-down... and back out
through the reservoir when hot. Keep an eye on it and make sure the
reservoir level goes up when hot and back down when cold.

>
>"SoCalMike" <mikein562athotmail@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:<mypgb.420533$2x.143324@rwcrnsc52.ops.asp.att .net>...
>> > I had a coolant leak a few weeks ago with some hose that was not
>> > readily accessible.
>>
>> youve possibly driven it to the point it overheated, and blew the head
>> gasket.

Rgds, George Macdonald

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