Honda Car Forum

So, my 1994 Honda Civc VX had a problem of slowly overheating. After
analysis by my mechanic they really weren't sure what it was -
replaced thermostat, did some other stuff. No fix. So, I looked on
line and figured it might be the head gasket. They said they thought
that could be it, and the replaced it. The problem still exists.

What do I do about the money put into fixing something that wasn't the
problem, and is there any ideas out there about what the problem could
be?

Thanks.

John McConnell
Vermont

"John McConnell" <design@narwhaldesign.com> wrote in message
news:c60be9ea.0404080949.6165ae16@posting.google.c om...
> So, my 1994 Honda Civc VX had a problem of slowly overheating. After
> analysis by my mechanic they really weren't sure what it was -

which is a sign of a crappy mechanic.

> replaced thermostat, did some other stuff. No fix. So, I looked on
> line and figured it might be the head gasket. They said they thought
> that could be it, and the replaced it. The problem still exists.

are you losing coolant?
did they pressure test the system?

>
> What do I do about the money put into fixing something that wasn't the
> problem, and is there any ideas out there about what the problem could
> be?

you need a new mechanic. if they pressure tested it and it held pressure, id
suspect the water pump/radiator/thermostat.
>
> Thanks.
>
> John McConnell
> Vermont

John McConnell wrote:
> So, my 1994 Honda Civc VX had a problem of slowly overheating. After
> analysis by my mechanic they really weren't sure what it was -
> replaced thermostat, did some other stuff. No fix. So, I looked on
> line and figured it might be the head gasket. They said they thought
> that could be it, and the replaced it. The problem still exists.
>
> What do I do about the money put into fixing something that wasn't the
> problem, and is there any ideas out there about what the problem could
> be?
>
> Thanks.
>
> John McConnell
> Vermont
=====================

Experience is what the money paid for. Now you have more than you had
previously :-(

You need to determine (and explain to us) a few simple diagnoses:

1 Do your radiator fan(s) ever come on?

2 Do they come on when A/C is turned on and functioning?

3 Is your reservior tank half-full, according to the owner's manual? (if
not, don't even bother answering any of these questions)

4 Does the car overheat on the highway, or does the gauge only soar when
you get back into slow traffic / at traffic lights.

5 What's the mileage of the vehicle, and are the symptoms still EXACTLY
the way they were before the head gasket?

6 Are you losing coolant, and where does it leak from? How often do you
add it?

7 Are you the original owner, and was the water pump changed when the
last timing belt was done?

8 Have you ever added tap water to the system?

Reply to group.

'Curly'

> Experience is what the money paid for. Now you have more than you had
> previously :-(
>
> You need to determine (and explain to us) a few simple diagnoses:
>
> 1 Do your radiator fan(s) ever come on?

I have been checking that over the last couple days, and it doesn't
seem to come on.

>
> 2 Do they come on when A/C is turned on and functioning?

The A/C doesn't work.

>
> 3 Is your reservior tank half-full, according to the owner's manual? (if
> not, don't even bother answering any of these questions)

Yes.

>
> 4 Does the car overheat on the highway, or does the gauge only soar when
> you get back into slow traffic / at traffic lights.

The car overheats on the highway after a few minutes, and on warmer
days (I'm in Vermont) it has started to overheat in the city after
driving for 20 minutes or so. As it turns out, today I drove into
town, part city and part highway, and it didn't FULLY overheat. It
just edged up a little bit from the mid-point, but not much.

>
> 5 What's the mileage of the vehicle, and are the symptoms still EXACTLY
> the way they were before the head gasket?

Mileage is 129,000. Yes, it seems to be the same.
>
> 6 Are you losing coolant, and where does it leak from? How often do you
> add it?

Coolant doesn't seem to be leaking.

>
> 7 Are you the original owner, and was the water pump changed when the
> last timing belt was done?

I'm not the original owner, and while I've had the car the timing belt
was changed, but NOT the water pump. The mechanic checked the water
pump and said it wasn't the problem.
>
> 8 Have you ever added tap water to the system?

No, I haven't.
>
> Reply to group.

THANKS FOR THE HELP!
>
> 'Curly'

"mike" <mikein562athotmail@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:<zUgdc.93638$gA5.1182567@attbi_s03>...
> "John McConnell" <design@narwhaldesign.com> wrote in message
> news:c60be9ea.0404080949.6165ae16@posting.google.c om...
> > So, my 1994 Honda Civc VX had a problem of slowly overheating. After
> > analysis by my mechanic they really weren't sure what it was -
>
> which is a sign of a crappy mechanic.
>
> > replaced thermostat, did some other stuff. No fix. So, I looked on
> > line and figured it might be the head gasket. They said they thought
> > that could be it, and the replaced it. The problem still exists.
>
> are you losing coolant?
> did they pressure test the system?

They did pressure test the system and they said it was fine.

>
> >
> > What do I do about the money put into fixing something that wasn't the
> > problem, and is there any ideas out there about what the problem could
> > be?
>
> you need a new mechanic. if they pressure tested it and it held pressure, id
> suspect the water pump/radiator/thermostat.

They said they pressure tested it and then said it was fine. But the
did replace the thermostat, and said the radiator "looked good" and
the water pump "looked good".

Yea, I really am stuck. I have worked with them and felt good about
them for the past 3 or 4 years, but this seems to be a real (expensive
for me!) mistake in figuring out the problem.

> >
> > Thanks.
> >
> > John McConnell
> > Vermont

> Yea, I really am stuck. I have worked with them and felt good about
> them for the past 3 or 4 years, but this seems to be a real (expensive
> for me!) mistake in figuring out the problem.

if the fans dont seem to be coming on, id look into that.

John McConnell wrote:
>>Experience is what the money paid for. Now you have more than you had
>>previously :-(
>>
>>You need to determine (and explain to us) a few simple diagnoses:
>>
>>1 Do your radiator fan(s) ever come on?
>
>
> I have been checking that over the last couple days, and it doesn't
> seem to come on.
>
>
>>2 Do they come on when A/C is turned on and functioning?
>
>
> The A/C doesn't work.
>
>
>>3 Is your reservior tank half-full, according to the owner's manual? (if
>>not, don't even bother answering any of these questions)
>
>
> Yes.
>
>
>>4 Does the car overheat on the highway, or does the gauge only soar when
>>you get back into slow traffic / at traffic lights.
>
>
> The car overheats on the highway after a few minutes, and on warmer
> days (I'm in Vermont) it has started to overheat in the city after
> driving for 20 minutes or so. As it turns out, today I drove into
> town, part city and part highway, and it didn't FULLY overheat. It
> just edged up a little bit from the mid-point, but not much.
>
>
>>5 What's the mileage of the vehicle, and are the symptoms still EXACTLY
>>the way they were before the head gasket?
>
>
> Mileage is 129,000. Yes, it seems to be the same.
>
>>6 Are you losing coolant, and where does it leak from? How often do you
>>add it?
>
>
> Coolant doesn't seem to be leaking.
>
>
>>7 Are you the original owner, and was the water pump changed when the
>>last timing belt was done?
>
>
> I'm not the original owner, and while I've had the car the timing belt
> was changed, but NOT the water pump. The mechanic checked the water
> pump and said it wasn't the problem.
>
>>8 Have you ever added tap water to the system?
>
>
> No, I haven't.
>
>>Reply to group.
>
>
> THANKS FOR THE HELP!
>
>>'Curly'
>


+++++++++++++++++++++++++

John, you should repost a message that says "Rad fans not coming on __
Overheating" on BOTH of the newsgroups (alt.autos.honda is the other)
and explain the model, year & mileage of your honda.

I'm not the right person to ask but there's lots of people around here
who know the answer. It may be as simple as replacing one sensor (even
by yourself)

'Curly'