overheating issues?

[Civvy]

Just managed to start the B20engine yesterday for the first time (since taking it out of the donor car) it has no thermostat in it but is warming up rapidly and overheating! i would say the top of the rad is hot in under 5mins and the temp guage lifts inlike 30secs???? The engine was running fine(trouble free) before i took it out of the other car, heater was fine.
Fan isnt kicking in.
Valve cover is cool!
Bled the bleed screw.
Smaller pipes and manifold were untouched.
Maybe a blocked rad?

[k-roy]

That sounds like you definitly have a clog somewhere, probably the radiator. Pull it out and see if it flows freely from top to bottom. If its the radiator don't even mess with it, just replace it. If thats not it take off the water pump and see if its clogged or has missing teeth (rare). Have fun with the water pump if its the problem, its ran off the timing belt (B20 Only).

[Slipknotcraig133]

i had this same problem with my rex. The bottom of the radiator was clogged and my fan would turn on as well. so what i did was hooked a toggle switch up to my fan because i could never figure out what was wrong with mine and replaced the radiator and it was fine.

[Civvy]

I've got another rad. I just thought i'd use the one that came with the engine cos it was more shiney! I thought of swapping the rads 2moro! Seems unusual tho, it was fine on the other car! but, then i dont know how long that car had been stood.
Come to think of it when i was filling it up with water it was making like a farting noise (from inside) ..if u know what i mean? I'm sure my other rad didn't have that issue.

[Civvy]

Changed the rad, no good.
Beld ever pipe i've found barring the oil filter cooler one's.
The rad isnt getting hot at the bottom and the fan isnt working.
Headgasket????
i've even filled the rad on the floor, plugged the pipes and put it on the car...it's not the rad.
Help??

[Civvy]

I havent got my heater matrix connected and i havent got a thermostat in should i try puttin in a thermostat?

[A20A1]

Yes put in a thermostat...

[Civvy]

no joy! help...

['89AccordLX(Rus)]

If you are sure that every hose and pipe as well as the radiator are in good shape, it has got to be either blocked coolant passages in the block or lack of flow due to a restiction around the water pump.

[Oldblueaccord]

Have you done a headgasket? Maybe some of the passages are blocked by a wrong gasket. ALso is the water pump OK. The shaft could be broke internally. You should see water flow with the cap off the rad. while its running.

How about your timing wheres it at that can make it over heat.

Is the guage correct maybe its just shorted out?

Only thing else just to get it running correctly is run a garden hose into the rad. let it run while your running the car if it over heats then your really screwed.

[Civvy]

The engine was running perfect temp. b4 i swapped it in! I was driving the car! all i've done is swapped it in and topped up the water. could i have stretched the engine since we lift the engine out by the head??? ....and upset the gasket, the engine has only 97thou on it tho..

['89AccordLX(Rus)]

If you disturbed the gasket, you would end up with leaks, internal or external. What you are experiencing, however, is rapid overheating with apparently no loss in coolant. Since this is a B20, I am not entirely sure about testing the system for flow. On the A20A engines, if you opened the bleeder bolt with the engine off, and topped off the radiator you would have water running out of the bleeder bolt. This indicates that the coolant/water mix has traveled through the bottom hose, through the pipe at the back of the engine, around the pump, and through the block/head to the thermostat. Try this with your engine, just connect the lower radiator hose, open the bleeder (or take off your thermostat housing) and with the engine off pour water into the radiator. If eventually the radiator becomes full but water doesn't come out where the thermostat should be, you have either a blocked hose, blocked rear pipe, or another passage. Once that is done, you can start narrowing down the problem.

P.S.: I am assuming you have bled air out of the system...Otherwise you might just have a severe case of air lock in the system which may prevent coolant from reaching the pump at all.

[buds302]

if the gasket is screwed then you would know it. there would be a ton of white smoke comin out of the exhaust.but if there isnt any wite smoke then it could be goin to the oil pan. in that case check the oil. if it is a light tan color and looks like there is water in it then you got some bad seals and gaskets somewhere. oh one more thing. you cant put straight water in an engine. the engine runs hotter than water boils. thats why they made antifreeze. it takes the water and lowers its boiling point. if you are running straight water then thats prolly your problem.also check the guage wiring. you might not have it hooked up right and its tellin you different. also temperature sensors are very sensitive. if you scratch it then you need to replace it. they are made from very soft metal and will throw off the reading if disturbed.

[Civvy]

right, done it. still no good! I've tried everything i can think of. I'm guessing it's something in the block or head now, annoying thing is, but this is where i dont get it it's flowing water thru!! it's pumping round the whole lot but over heating? To me its either gasket or because i dont have a heater matrix connected...which wouldnt make sense sinse the control valve would shut the circulation b4 the matrix had i had one.

[carotman]

If you put a garden hose there where in the metal coolant pipe at the back of the engine, does water flows up to the thermostat housing without problem?

If yes, the problem shouldn't be a clogged block. Maybe a bad water pump

[Civvy]

Last resort it is then!!! Water pump. U know how bad that is gonna be!!!
not the headgasket then??

[bc86]

I had the same prob, replaced everything!! Relays, thermostat, water pump... The problem laid within the sensor at the bottom of the rad.. I replaced that, and havent had a problem yet...

[carotman]

It's not the sensor. If the rad is not getting hot at the bottom, the fan will not start since the sensor isn't seeing any hot water.

I had the same problem and it was caused by a bad thermostat. Since you're not running with one, the coolant should always flow through the rad and would take a loooooooong time to build up any head.

It could be the headgasket but in order to change it, you need to remove the timing belt... which is the required to verify the water pump.

When the engine runs, if you remove the radiator cap, do you see coolant bubbling out alot?. A blown headgasket can send air into the coolant through piston compression and would cause those bubbles.

[Civvy]

Not really carot! Wondering where i can get some of that stuff garages put in that turns a colour if there's gasses mixing with the water from the headgasket.
As u can imagine all i want to do is drive the buggar now after the massive job i've just finished on it, cant be bothered anymore, ha,ha

[BlueBead]

You are just not getting water circulation..... I'd have to say it sounds like a water pump since you've checked everything else. Try taking off the top rad hose with the thermostat open or taken out.. if it shoots water out you know your pump is ok. If it doesn't you gotta do the pump...
Best 'o luck!

[Civvy]

It's like this....I HAVE NO THERMOSTAT IN. The water is building up pressure when the engine is warm, but, that could be either cylinder pressure OR pump pressure, i dont know.

[Civvy]

Guys, guys......I fixed it < Tail between my legs. I hadnt finished the fusebox after my harness swap and found a ground not earthed. turned out the guages were maxing including the fuel guage (i thought i had a full tank, now i'm on empty).
Sorry to waste all your time guys, ure help was really apreciated however.
Civvy

[HondaBoy]

well at least it was something simple right. hopefully you wont have anymore problems with that engine there.

[bc86]

Good to hear man.. So wut wire was that?? I want a full tank when I go to sell my honda... :lol: