Persistent Overheating Problem

PandaReborn

New Member
Hey guys, I figured my overheating problem was unique enough to start my own thread, if not I apologize. I have a 97 Integra GS (believe me, saving up for a GS-R currently) but it's started overheating again, and what I mean by that is that every couple months or so it does this. Radiator has a good amount of coolant, definitely wasn't full anymore, but the reservoir is full, so I'm sure it's good on that. Replaced the Radiator in July of 2012, Thermostat in August of 2012, Water pump and timing belts done shortly after that, fixed one of the motor fans too (although not sure if they both turn on, I know the bigger one does for sure). Sometimes when it idles and I have the heater going, it stops blowing hot air into the car, sometimes not. I just drove for 8 hours the day before driving my buddy to Salinas to get a CRX, and yesterday it was overheating in the Taco Bell drive through, so I just blasted the heater, threw it into neutral and revved my engine to cool it down, and then shut it off. I'm trying to be specific enough to get a good answer, I understand I might just have gotten a bad thermostat, and believe me I'm going to test it today, but I want to make sure it's not something else. I'm very certain it's not my head gasket, it hasn't lost any power, haven't noticed any smoke, and this overheating problem isn't that bad. The last my car started overheating was about 4-5 months ago. I don't notice any leaking, no drops on the ground when I let it cool down, maybe save for one near where my catalytic converter is, which I haven't been able to locate the source. (I assume it's running down something along the bottom of car until it gets back there) but if anyone could tell me any other reasons why my car could over, that would be awesome. Thanks for reading! :D
 
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Muckman

Not a M0derator
Is your radiator ever low on coolant? Do you have to top it off? You've replaced everything else that could cause an over heating issue except the head gasket. Make sure the system is thoroughly bled from all trapped air. I suggest do this a couple times where the engine is fully cooled down between bleeding (like once per day). If it still overheats then it has to be the head gasket.
 

OneFastGSR

Member
Yeah as muckman said above, Make sure the lines is all bled and thermostat is good. If it's still overheating and when you fill it up with water. If you're losing water but it's not leaking anywhere. Than it's probably a headgasket leak. In which case you won't lose much power and it shouldn't smoke etc but if you can do a leakdown test you'll know for sure if it's that. I went through overheating trouble on mine awhile back and ended up replacing the water pump thermostat and headgasket. What caused my problem was I had a headgasket leak. Which eventually turned into a blown headgasket because it got bad enough.
 

94rs-gharp

New Member
Make sure you have the right temperature thermostat that can cause it to stick every once in a while try that! im also thinking you may need to bleed it as well
 


PandaReborn

New Member
thanks for all the information guys, I'm dreading it being a head gasket leak, at the moment it still drives fine but I figured with the many times it has overheated, it would be bound to at least have a problem like that. I hope a leakdown test isn't too expensive, I'll throw my thermostat into a pot of boiling water in a bit here.
 

Taco

New Member
so you are saying you might have seen a small drop of antifreeze under the car? or not?

if you are 100% sure you have no leaks then its got to be burning somehow (probably head gasket)

if it runs fine and only does this once or twice a year then just make sure you keep it topped off until you get your gsr
 

PandaReborn

New Member
I might have, yes, but I wasn't sure because it wasn't underneath the engine bay at all, it was farther back towards the catalytic converter. And it might have been oil, I didn't get a chance to investigate. But today I'm going to adjust my valves and do the leak down test. Can't check for the leak now as I parked on dirt last night (my girlfriend lives in a really old house on property) I'll check it after I adjust the valves and drive around. I saw this diagram on how to do a valve adjustment but it's for a B18A1, not B18B1. I know the range for my B1, all I forgot is the sequence. I'm sure it's 1, 4, 3, 2, it even says so in that diagram, and are the valve placements on the A1 the same as the B1? Basically, is all information in that diagram correct for my engine, except for the valve clearances? And also, why such a large range? .08mm - .12mm for the intake and .16mm - .20mm for exhaust? Is there an exact clearance that is optimal? I apologize for asking so many questions, but you know, us and our cars. haha :)

The diagram is in this thread: http://www.acuraworld.com/forums/f74/how-sould-teggy-behave-after-valve-adjustment-96496/
 


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Muckman

Not a M0derator
The sequence always follows the firing order which is 1-3-4-2.

Intake: 0.08 - 0.12mm (0.003 - 0.005")
Exhaust: 0.15 - 0.20mm (0.006 - 0.008")

You think .002" is a big range? Yes, the tighter end of the range is more performance oriented as it will add that much lift.
Too loose and you get noisy rockers. Too tight and it will contact at operating temp and lose valve seal + wear fast.
 

PandaReborn

New Member
I honestly wasn't thinking too hard this morning, I was still really tired. I just figured our vehicles are performance machines of exact precision. And I'm slightly lysdexic, I actually meant 1, 3, 4, 2. Thanks for the help! :)
 

PandaReborn

New Member
So doing the down leak test was a fail, at first I would get 20%, then 80, then 20, then 100, then 10.....and then I raised the psi too much and broke the percentage gauge....stupid tester. That's what you get for $45 at Harbor Freight though. A compression test gave me this reading, this was absolutely cold (left overnight) didn't get a warm test in because I was adjusting my valves all day, messed up the sequence the first time (did 1, 4, 3, 2 again >.<) but anyways,

1:140
3.120
4.140
2.120
 

ITR-JDMVTECoso

New Member
Check coolant hoses.. by the time the conections get loose and got to be a coolant leak somewhere. Try to check tightness of radiator bottom and top after that top radiator hose go to the head and under throttle cjack that hose too and check iacv coolant hoses.... check on top of tranny any coolant residue. Radiator got to be full tp the top . The bottle besides get coolant because car get hot and when you turn off the car vapor. Goes there. Best time to check coolant leak is after a while driving stop the car turn it off. And open the hood and chack all coolant hoses.
 

ITR-JDMVTECoso

New Member
By the way check heater hoses going inside the car . Those are located under intake manifold giving coolant to the heat system.. might be a leak there and check any coolant smell inside the car.... check floor carpet under dash is wet.... if you use coolant is the best way to check leak bacause the smell
 
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