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GraniteLXI
09-18-2008, 04:27 AM
Hi guys, i figured i would finally get this up here.

Anyway, my 89 Accord LXi has been having issues with the temperature gauge slowly rising once in a while at stop signs...it did it all the time b4 i got my radiator fan switch relay changed, then it almost went away...but now its back doing it again. Here is what happens:

I go to stop at a stop sign or a stop light at an intersection and my heat gauge will slowly begin to rise like the motor is slowly picking up heat...but once i take off and start driving it will drop down rather quickly..but sometimes at bad intersections i have to crank my heater and that will get my temp back down.

At first i thought it was my rad fan switch sensor, but now im starting to wonder if my thermostat is shot and is being forced open again when i drive (engine rpm affects the water pump so i kinda guessed maybe the engine working would be forcing my thermostat open and dropping my heat)

With the heater i can actually easily keep my temp down to near 8-0-clock (normal operating temp i believe) but i just hate to see the day when my efforts of keeping the temp down fail because possibly the thermostat is fused shut and my engine, well, overheated... Anyway, let me know if you guys have experienced anything similar and any ideas on what else could be causing it.

Civic Accord Honda
09-18-2008, 05:28 AM
try replacing the thermostat there cheap and over time need to be replaced and very easy to change and if thats not it well atleast your have peace in mind that you wont have to worry about it going out anytime soon

nswst8
09-18-2008, 05:38 AM
1st thing to do asap is to get that thermostat changed now!

Now when was the water pump changed?

When was the system last flushed?

How does the radiator interior look?

Better get this taken care off before it blows your head gasket.

We need to know what you have done thus far.

Hazwan
09-18-2008, 06:01 AM
Do your fans running when the temp gauge rise? It could be as simple as bad fan switch, (moving car=more air pushed to the radiator) But yeah, good call with replacing the thermostat. They are cheap.

GraniteLXI
09-18-2008, 04:16 PM
My thermal fan switch is working (I replaced it a while back but i still get heat spikes) i dunno how long ago the water pump was changed or how the radiator looks. I think with my check after this one (2 weeks from next week) im going to get it in to get the thermostat changed and coolant flushed and see what happens)

russiankid
09-18-2008, 04:30 PM
If you ever overheated the engine or came close to it, the thermostat needs to be replaced. Thermostats are sensitive, theres a limit to how much heat they can handle. Replace the thermostat and bleed the system.

DBMaster
09-18-2008, 04:37 PM
I make changing the thermostat part of the timing belt job. It's an easy time to do it because you've drained some coolant anyway. I stick with OEM thermostats because I know they will last as least as long as the timing belt.

greentee76
09-18-2008, 04:40 PM
Do your fans running when the temp gauge rise?
You really didn't answer this question. Do the fans come on? You may have a new switch put something else in the system may have failed.
My temp gauge never goes past halfway, Yours may be different.

w261w261
09-18-2008, 04:54 PM
Are you sure that you don't have some air in your system? Try giving it a good bleed. How is the idle at stop lights?

GraniteLXI
09-18-2008, 05:05 PM
The radiator fans run almost constantly, they do work even when the temp gauge is rising. As far as heat goes it got about a centimeter away from the red zone, and my idle is good, high at times because of my bad iacv but still good. I guess all i an do is see what happens after replacing the thermostat and having the system bled and changed.

xxxfrankensteinxxx
09-18-2008, 05:38 PM
The radiator fans run almost constantly, they do work even when the temp gauge is rising. As far as heat goes it got about a centimeter away from the red zone, and my idle is good, high at times because of my bad iacv but still good. I guess all i an do is see what happens after replacing the thermostat and having the system bled and changed.

try grabbing the upper rad hose when car is cool, squeese it and open the bleed vavle and see if air or rad fluid comes out, keep squeezing it and tighten it when your done then release. also how is your reserve tank?

GraniteLXI
09-18-2008, 06:21 PM
I will keep that in mind next time i get a chance. Problem is its so hard to see the reserve tank on a 3gee, if i remember right its kinda a way down into the car near the radiator, its not like my civic where its nice and right out in the open.

nswst8
09-18-2008, 06:26 PM
It really sounds like the cooling system has been neglected. Do at least know if there is coolant in the system.

One thing that people do is to put tap water in their systems. Here down south that is a big no no. Because of the mineral content it developes scale and promotes rust and reduses the effectivness of the coolant.

The thermostat is no that difficult to change, are you not mechanically inclined.

xxxfrankensteinxxx
09-18-2008, 06:32 PM
thermostat is very easy to change, drain system, then 2 bolts, and its off, throw on gasket and rtv sealent, let sit, profit lol. you might wanna do a complete system flush and look at the inside of raditor for corrison or build up of gunk, when you check the overflow tank put a light behind it and it will show the level by looking at it from underneath

Ichiban
09-18-2008, 06:38 PM
Remember that green coolant has a service interval of one year. Long life (orange, red or pink) coolant is usually 5 years. I found out the hard way when my 10+ year old greyish green brown coolant turned to slush in -15 C Alberta weather.

Pico
09-18-2008, 06:40 PM
you can try this method to bleed the cooling system, I've done it this way on my Legend and Accord and it works great on getting the system bleed real well.


First, fill the overflow jug to the MAX line.

Then when the car is cold, pop the radiator cap off and fill it to the top.

Next, start the car and turn the heat on high.

Then, open the bleeder valve (12mm valve on top of the engine), and keep the coolant full.

When the fan kicks on the first time, close the bleeder valve. All the while, making sure the coolant is full in the radiator.

After each cycle of the radiator fan, open and close the bleeder valve within 3-4 seconds. Keep filling the radiator.

After about 4-5 times doing this, you should be good. Put the radiator cap back on and make sure your overflow jug is at the MAX line.

xxxfrankensteinxxx
09-18-2008, 06:40 PM
Remember that green coolant has a service interval of one year. Long life (orange, red or pink) coolant is usually 5 years. I found out the hard way when my 10+ year old greyish green brown coolant turned to slush in -15 C Alberta weather.

what about hondas new blue coolent thats silaca based i believe?

GraniteLXI
09-18-2008, 07:10 PM
Thanks for all your feedback, i really appreciate it.
Yes it has coolant, i check coolant on my cars every few days.
Yes the coolant is a nice shade of green, looks pretty good to me as far as color and it feels normal, its not gunky or anything.

As far as the internal quality of the radiator i have no clue how it looks.
There is absolutely zero tap water in there (I put in pre-mixed 50-50)....I live in Wisconsin, it gets -30*f average and thats what killed my last EF, guys i bought it from forgot they had water in it for summer and were selling it during winter.... but thats another story and a different old thread.

A20A1
09-18-2008, 10:21 PM
Does the coolant need constant refills? If so; Is your pump bleeding/weeping? Is the belt squeaking? Is there any spray/splatter under the hood just above the waterpump? Any oil in the coolant?

Have you replaced the thermostat like suggested?

GraniteLXI
09-19-2008, 04:26 AM
My coolant level stays constant and my water pump doesn't make any odd sounds or anything, the only fluid my car leaks is the main PS hose drips slowly over time.

I haven't changed the thermostat yet, next week when i get back from my friends house im going to pick up one and some PB blaster, hopefully i will be able to get the bolts out, last time i went to change the thermostat with my dad we had to stop because we didn't wana break a bolt off.

But yeah, my car holds all the main fluids perfectly, i haven't added a drop to my radiator since i got the car almost 3 years ago (I know, time for a coolant flush)

GraniteLXI
09-20-2008, 07:44 AM
Well, i made it here to Green bay with the car, was an hour drive...for the first time i had to turn my heater on while I was on the highway to keep the temp down...my thermostat has to be sticking.

Speaking of which i also picked up a new oem thermostat and some PB blaster, going to get it changed when i get home.

GraniteLXI
09-23-2008, 03:52 PM
All looks well! Today i got the thermostat changed, topped the radiator back off with some fresh coolant and drove it around a bit in town, i noticed not only did it have a much more stable temp but it also ran cooler in general!
The final test will be Friday when i take the car for an hour trip to a friends house, but i have a very good feeling my thermostat was the issue and its fixed now. (My old thermostat looked a bit corroded on the large piece that absorbs the heat to open the spring.)

Civic Accord Honda
09-23-2008, 04:18 PM
glad u got it fixed!!11!11

russiankid
09-23-2008, 04:28 PM
You didn't bleed the system? I can guarantee you that you have air in the system. Glad you found the issues, now just bleed the system be done with it.

GraniteLXI
09-23-2008, 04:58 PM
Yeah, the system needs to be bled, but I was told it is okay, with the color of the coolant i am going to get a flush in a few weeks anyway.

Rendon LX-i
09-23-2008, 06:25 PM
I had the same problem u had. I just bleed my system today and problem ended.

nswst8
09-23-2008, 06:31 PM
Yeah, the system needs to be bled, but I was told it is okay, with the color of the coolant i am going to get a flush in a few weeks anyway.

Open the drain cock at the bottom of the radiator, remove the radiator cap, drain half the radiator. Close the drain cock, open the bleeder valve, refill the radiator until the coolant starts coming out the bleeder. Close the bleeder valve and your done.