PLEASE HELP!!!

[Night Rida]

OK guys,
My engine started to overheat when parked or in neautral and I left it on, the engine temp gauge started to rise up untill the coolant started to bubble!!!
Anyway took it to the shop and they replaced the fan temp switch(aftermarket part) I think it is called that. Anyway it works fine now,, but when I'm in park like on a HOT day and the car is on, the temp gauge will go a little pass the halfway mark just below 3/4 of the gauge and then the fans come on and then drops it back down to the right level.
My question is does or has this happened to any of you guys???
Should the fans come on before the temp bar rises up past the half way mark at all??? Or is it fine? Do yall think getting a Honda brand fan switch will fix this? Will it hurt the enigne in anyway at all if the temp rises just a little above the halfway mark and then comes back down?????
Please help me as I am being tempted to buy the Honda brand part.
Thanks, Jay
NIght RIda

[anchovies]

i've the same problem after changing the temperatur sending unit...
the fan only kicks in 3/4 at the gauge
looks fine to me (but always bother me)

[jteuton]

sounds like a difference in fan temp. switches. the aftermarket one lets the coolant get a little hotter than the honda switches. I would go with a honda one...jteuton

[smufguy]

yeah, probably its the setup of the fan switch (relay right?). see if u can pull one out from a junk (just sneak one out, two for assurance ). put em on and see how it goes. IF it still does that, then something else is wrong besides this current change. usually the fan comes on like aaround half-way down the guage for me. right where its supposed to operate. is your thermostat in good shape?

[Night Rida]

yup,
Thanks for all the help fellas! I got it fixed, the radiator cap was bad and the switch was replaced with another one from goodyear since I had it warranted there. It kicks on just fine now and runs perfect and just had a transmission flush done from Honda 2 days ago and man it shifts so sweet!!!
Well thanks for all the help guys!!
Jay
Night Rida:badass:

[rocky2]

Night Rida, what kind of fliud did the dealer use?

[Night Rida]

Hey man,
They used a BG 44K machine which pumps out all the old tranny fluid and replaces it with new, its alot of fluid, like 12 liters or something. Anyway mine was black as hell and once replaced it was a red new color! The fluid they used was Honda trany fluid and its called GH 2 or something like Genuine Honda Transmission Fluid. The BG 44K service rocks man!
Jay
Night Rida:badass:

:flame:

[smufguy]

i thought the honda owners maual wanted us to use Dextron II. did they change the fluids???

[Night Rida]

hey man,
Yah the user manuel does say that Dextron 2 if I remember correctly but that's realy old I think, they have newer stuff by now, Im gonna check with my dealer again to confirm what they use and let yall know tommorow.
Thanks, Jay
Night Rida:badass:

[smufguy]

Thanks man. how about the fluids for our 5 speed? did they change too? but the powersteering is the same though. gotta get the one that is specified for honda vehicles.

[CARBurn]

I know the members on this post just helped Nightrida solved his problem with his radiator and I am wondering if U could help me pinpoint something that has been occurring on mine. I just did an engine swap with an 86 carb motor, and my temp gauge rises also to near 3/4 mark. With the original motor the needle only came up to the half way mark and that was it. This has been occuring for the past two days since I have driven the car.
I just changed the thermostat with a heavy duty one called Super stant (I think that is what it's called )
I just did a flush and fill and just need some advice on what I should look at first. I'm going to check the cooling system tomorrow and I am looking for any advice U can give in what could be causing the needle to rise like it is.

[Night Rida]

Hey man,
Mine stil does it at park or idle when I leave it running, it jumps 3/4 way up and then comes back down after fans kick on! When I get my coolant flush I am going to replace that GOD DAMN AFTERMARKET COOLANT TEMP SENSOR with a Honda brand one!
I want my fans to kick on at half way BEFORE THE TEMP RISES past half way mark! OK to help you with yours, try replacing the coolant temp sensor. Is it the original one or did you change it? Maybe cus of engine swap you might need one from that year engine perhaps? If it will fit. I am pretty positive it has something to do with that sensor man. Hop this helps out!
Jay
Night Rida:badass:
:flame:

[YK86]

Carburn-Try swapping out your original temp. sensor (mounted near the thermostat housing) with the one in your engine if you stil have the old one.

Night Rida-Different switches come on at different times/temp so I'm sure your problem will be solved when you put a Honda switch in.

[CARBurn]

Thanks YK86 and Night Rida, You were right the temp sensor was the culprit. I didn't decide the change it till today, after the other night my car ran hot and busted a hose. I changed the cap thinking maybe after 200, 000 miles the original cap must not be relieving pressure like it should. But the temp gauge would still go past the half way mark before the fans would come on.
So today, I took the temp sensor out of my 87 motor and swapped it into the 86 motor, and voila the temp gauge stays below half mark and the fans come on.

I just don't get how the temp sensor in my 86 motor didn't behave like the temp sensor in the 87 motor, to make the fans come on. I would think honda made all the cars in our generation to have the fans come on at the same time, but oh well, at least she is acting like herself again.

[A20A1]

The temp before and after the radiator will differ... so if the guages coolant sensor is before the radiator then the temp will be higer.

Also if there is restriction in the flow or deposits along the fans thermal switch... you won't get good heat conduction... so the temp of the coolant will get hotter then normal.