1996 Honda Civic engine overheating

DAVBAR

MEMBER
1996 HONDA CIVIC
4 CYL
FWD
MANUAL
80,000 MILES

My engine overheats intermittantly. The thermostat has been replaced and tested, coolant has been flushed from top to bottom and from bottom to top. When thr car overheats the top radiator hose is hot but the radiator and bottom radiator hose are both cold. The expansion tank always seems to fill up and additionally when the radiator cap is removed the water is white and soapy. The engine oil looks good with no white at all. Please help!

3 Replies

BRUCE HUNT

MECHANIC
3,753 POSTS

Does the oil level drop at all? Have you had a pressure check done on the cooling system? You may have a crack in the cooling system. The top of the radiator might be cracked and not allowing the system to pressurize properly.

There is also that possibility of a slight crack in the block. The oil pressure is always higher than the coolant pressure (or should be) and I would determine if there is oil in the coolant first. That is a telltale sign of a block issue. Not oil in the the coolant you may have an issue with the head.

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Tuesday, March 25th, 2008 AT 8:38 AM

DAVBAR

MEMBER
3 POSTS

There doesn't seem to be any oil loss. Haven't had a pressure check done yet. Will be doing that next. The thing that is confusing me is the fact that it is intermittant. For instance I flushed out the radiator last weekend then drove 400 miles in one day and the car was good. Then this week I left the house and 100 miles later the temperture started to rise again. Could the radiator just be faulty? :Mrgreen:

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Wednesday, March 26th, 2008 AT 5:21 AM

BRUCE HUNT