1988 Honda Accord 1988 Honda Accord 2 door. Overheating!

TOM134

MEMBER
1988 HONDA ACCORD
4 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
80,000 MILES

1988 honda accord 2 door. Overheating!

while comming back from a 100+ mile trip my engine light came on I noticed the water gauge was pegged! I stopped right away and poped the hood there was alot of pressure when I felt the hose so released it when removeing the rad. Cap I thought for sure it was the therostat I removed it and now overheats pretty quick no leaks but build a real lot of pressure, wouldnt that mean the water pump is good? The flow is strong from what I can see.
How can I test the fans to be sure they are running when they should, tonight the engine was way too hot but the fans didnt come on at all! Earlier today the same thing but after the car was off for 15 min one came on! That cant be right? Can it?
PLEASE ANY IDEAS ARE WELCOME, NO DOE FOR A SHOP!

6 Replies

BLUELIGHTNIN6

MECHANIC
16,542 POSTS

Fans should kick in as soon as the A/C is turned on. Let me know what the fans do.

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Friday, January 30th, 2009 AT 1:07 AM

TOM134

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Hello,
Today the one fan kicked in but way late! AND ONLY ONE OF THEM, THE OTHER DONT COME ON AT ALL! THE AIR COND. DOES NOT KICK IN THE FAN.
I WAS READING IN AN ONLINE MANUAL AND IT SAID (FOR SOME OTHER PROBLEM) sTART THE CAR GET TO OPERATING TEMP AND THE FAN KICKS ON! MINE DONT COME ON AT ALL WITH THE AIR ON OR NOT ALSO THE ONE THAT WORKS WHEN IT WANTS DOES SO WHEN ITS WAY TOO HOT, I CHECKED ALL THE FUSES AS I SAID BEFORE WHEN THIS STARTED I WASNT IN TRAFFIC, JUST CRUISING ALONG AT 55MPH AND NOTICED THE WATYER GUAGE PEGGED WITH NO, LOSS OF COOLENT!
THE MANUAL I FOUND ONLINE TELLS ME NOTHING EXCEPT TO RUN THE ENGINE TO OPERATING TEMP AND OR THE FAN KICKS IN!
PLERASE HELP THIS IS DRIVING ME NUTS
DO YOU THINK IT COULD BE A SENSOR AND THAT WOULDNT HAPPEN TO BE IN THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING? I STILL HAVE THAT OUT,
THANKS FOR ANY INFO,
TOM

P.S I ALSO SEEN THESE RELAY TYPE SWITCHES UNDER THE HOOD ON THE LEFT SIDE ONE WAS FOR THE POWER WINDOWS AND ONE FOR THE FAN, I TRIED TO SWITCH THEM TO SEE IF THE ONE FOR THE FAN WOULD WORK FOR THE PWR WINDOWS AND IT DID BUT ALSO SEEN THIS THING THAT LOOKS LIKE A FLASHER? SAYS ITS FOR THE FAN? ANY THOUGHT ON THIS?

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Friday, January 30th, 2009 AT 4:02 PM

BLUELIGHTNIN6

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The thermostat itself is what the cooling fans go by to turn on and off at the certain temp. I would say it may be the thermostat sticking. You can dip the thermostat in boiling water over a stove and, using a meter capable of high temperatures, measure the temperature that the thermostat is opening at. It should open around the 170F mark, or close to that. If it doesn't open or it is extremely slow to open then you need to replace it.

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Saturday, January 31st, 2009 AT 12:11 AM

TOM134

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I removed the thermostat the first time it overheated and did put it in boiling water and it seemed good (opened quick) thats when I thought it had to be the pump, Then I noticed the fans were not comming on, I did buy a new thermostat though I am going to put it in now to see if that will kick the fans on but I dont see no sensors on the thermostat housing there has to be another sensor that tells the fans when to come on and off as one fan don't come on at all the other comes on way too late if at all, I am hoping there is a sensor that screws in to something that can be replaced

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Saturday, January 31st, 2009 AT 6:18 AM

BLUELIGHTNIN6

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The coolant temp. Sensor or coolant temp. Sending unit would be the only sensors that has anything to do with the cooling system. They are both located on thermostat housing for the EFI engines or near the intake on carb. Engines.