Honda Car Forum

I recently had the head machined and the head gasket replaced due to a
blown gasket on my 1990 honda civic wagon. after this everything was
fine, except for a hose that was not attached properly; the hose popped
off and coolant sprayed everywhere, then the engine temperature went
into the red. I noticed this immediately and then found the detached
hose and reaffixed it properly and filled the coolant and radiator
completely.

I'm finding now that I loose about 600mL of coolant every 400km or so;
after about 1200km the lost coolant is enough so that the engine
temperature will go up if the RPMs stay over 3000 for a sustained
period of time (like on the highway).

I have a suspicion that coolant is evaporating somewhere or somehow;
what happens is that when the coolant becomes low the temperature goes
up when it reaches the air "bubble" and then it goes back down when the
bubble passes. I'm thinking that it might be more coolant evaporating
everytime the coolant to air ratio changes. that is to say after 400km
I'm out 600mL, after 800km i'm out 1500mL of coolant.

Am I way off the mark here? Any ideas what might be causing this and
how to remedy it?

<theo.chan@gmail.com> wrote in message news:1129701150.902492.158250@z14g2000cwz.googlegr oups.com...

> I recently had the head machined and the head gasket replaced due to a
> blown gasket on my 1990 honda civic wagon. after this everything was
> fine, except for a hose that was not attached properly; the hose popped
> off and coolant sprayed everywhere, then the engine temperature went
> into the red. I noticed this immediately and then found the detached
> hose and reaffixed it properly and filled the coolant and radiator
> completely.
> I'm finding now that I loose about 600mL of coolant every 400km or so;
> after about 1200km the lost coolant is enough so that the engine
> temperature will go up if the RPMs stay over 3000 for a sustained
> period of time (like on the highway).
> I have a suspicion that coolant is evaporating somewhere or somehow;
> what happens is that when the coolant becomes low the temperature goes
> up when it reaches the air "bubble" and then it goes back down when the
> bubble passes. I'm thinking that it might be more coolant evaporating
> everytime the coolant to air ratio changes. that is to say after 400km
> I'm out 600mL, after 800km i'm out 1500mL of coolant.
> Am I way off the mark here? Any ideas what might be causing this and
> how to remedy it?

If the coolant loss is from the reservoir then you might see it the
moment you shut it off. If the loss is from a pin prick hole on one of the
tubes under the intake, then look for white residue. When a coolant is
loss by a good amount, you have to bleed it.

theo.chan@gmail.com wrote in
news:1129701150.902492.158250@z14g2000cwz.googlegr oups.com:

> I recently had the head machined and the head gasket replaced due to a
> blown gasket on my 1990 honda civic wagon. after this everything was
> fine, except for a hose that was not attached properly; the hose popped
> off and coolant sprayed everywhere, then the engine temperature went
> into the red. I noticed this immediately and then found the detached
> hose and reaffixed it properly and filled the coolant and radiator
> completely.
>
> I'm finding now that I loose about 600mL of coolant every 400km or so;
> after about 1200km the lost coolant is enough so that the engine
> temperature will go up if the RPMs stay over 3000 for a sustained
> period of time (like on the highway).



Are you seeing any drips on the driveway? Any white smoke out the tailpipe?

Have you checked all the hose ends, and the radiator itself for signs of
leakage?

How is the expansion tank level? Does it ever go up and not come back down?

Is the rad cap aftermarket OEM or aftermarket? When was it replaced last?


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TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/