2003 Honda Civic - mystery overheating

WMFGIMPY

MEMBER
2003 HONDA CIVIC
4 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
180,000 MILES

Car overheating. Replaced water pump/timing belt. Still overheating. Replaced radiator. Now overheating intermittently, once last week. Overheats past red zone. As long as I can get up to speed temperature goes back to normal. Took back to shop. They are scratching heads. Thinking maybe the car really isn't getting that hot, they replace dsensor. Yesterday no issues (outside temp 70-80 degrees). This morning after driving over an hr. Car once again started to try and overheat. It only got up to 3/4 of the way to HOT. I looked under hood and both fans were on. Just to be on the safe side I put on inside heater and made sure car continued to travel at speed. There is no indication at this time of a cracked head gasket. Out of ideas as to what is causing.

2 Replies

F4I_GUY

MECHANIC
3,302 POSTS

Has the thermostat been replaced? Radiator cap?

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Tuesday, June 9th, 2009 AT 4:51 PM

WMFGIMPY

MEMBER
2 POSTS

Checked invoices:

12/18/08
replaced timing belt & water pump

4/30
replaced radiator, antifreeze
replaced thermostat-s, seal-s

6/4
replaced coolant sensor

6/10 drive to work. Car running 1 hr. Start travellyin in stop & go traffic. At 20 mph temp started creaping, got to 3/4 way to hot & I turned on inside heat full blast, oce to 40 mph temp decrease to normal. Finally got to work. Turned off inside fan, put in park and sat for 2-3 minutes. Then temp slowly creaping to hot. I checked under hood & small fan working but big fan was not. Went back inside car, temp to Hot and turned on inside fan, then checked under hood & big fan working. Should the big fan be working all the time?