TMaxxTim

If you look back to threads a few weeks ago I blew my thermostat and then a headgasket. Replaced that, and now today my engine is spewing out steam from the overflow resivour and my coolant is low again. My engine temp was warm, but not too much over where it should be.

I don't see any clouds of smoke coming from the exhaust except occasionally on startup and it was colder out those nights so I figured it was just the temperature.

Now, if something wasn't sealed completely right or theres warping, could that cause a coolant loss in the engine? I know I just repaired a headgasket on my engine but this is the only thing I've really done engine-wise to my car, otherwise I'm just not experienced enough to diagnose engine problems in this car.

Any help or suggestions would be great, I'm not at home so I don't have any tools with me, but the car made it 230 miles in one trip here without problems and has been driven around for a week and a half now without problems too. Right now my only option is to fill the coolant and hope for the best on the way home. I may be contemplating a new car first, and then engine swaps later on if I can't find a fix for it.

Supra Dr

iTrader: (14)

quick reply/ thought: when the head & timing belt were off. was the water pump replaced?
also its policy w/ me to have the radiator sent out to be cleaned, tanked & repressure tested
whenever we replace a headgasket. just a little insurance against of a repeat HG because
the radiator's restricted.

morris

iTrader: (2)

If the new headgasket was installed incorrectly then it could be blown again.

also if the head was warped then that could also cause overheating or a coolant leak, this has actuallly happened to me, I had to have the block resurfaced.

slo86

check that all the coolant lines are clamped down.

95 Integra

Did you check the head for warping when it was off? Aluminum heads like to warp when overheated (ie blown headgasket). Its almost a sure beat it was warped if you blew the HG.

TMaxxTim

I don't have the tools to see if its severly warped or not, I assumed it wasn't since it stil ran fine home.

Yeah, i will go ahead and re-check all the coolant lines and check under the car for leaking coolant.

I don't know how I could have installed the headgasket wrong, there were two coolant lines, one in the front and one in the back, that fit right over the headgasket and hold it in place and you cannot install it wrong the way these are positioned (i know because it went on wrong the first time and nothing lined up), and I made sure it fit and lined up to where the old one was.

The waterpump was replaced (twice), once when I did it myself when it was leaking, and the second time when my dad told them to while having the timing belt replaced.

I think if this isnt' a simple coolant line leak, I'll be looking for an engine replacement, its not worth the time and effort to disassemble the engine to resurface the head, and I don't have the money to pay somebody else to dissassembel the engine and diagnose it.

morris

iTrader: (2)

I didnt mean wrong as in upside down, but if it isnt torqued properlhy or if you needed to put some type of sealant on the gasket and you didint etc.

95 Integra

Copper spray always help to get it sealed correctly. Given I never had a problem on my honda/acura stuff, but the nissan had issues (ie, I had to replace the head gasket again) so Ive started using it more often then not now.

TMaxxTim

That could very well be the problem, no sealant in the gasket. I was just following the repair manual instructions and it never mentioned using any gasket sealant.

At this point I'm at a loss on what to do, the car runs fine, it just eats coolant. I don't want to take apart the engine again because this is my only car and I don't have time to take it apart 8hrs each way and hope that its fixed. Because chances are its not going to be 100% even when I've tried that.

I'm just worried I'd go in there, put sealant on, clean it off better and it still would have problems.

BTW, I'm pretty sure I tightened it correctly. I have a torque wrench and followed the instructions word for word on tightening bolts inside the engine.

morris

iTrader: (2)

WEll hell then drive it till it stops, then worry about repairing or replaceing at that time.

TMaxxTim

I probably will, and I'll just try to start saving up for a new engine (maybe even something better than a GE, might as well if I'm in there).

Now I gotta lay out $10 every week or so for a bottle of coolant I guess....Sam's club here I come.

morris

iTrader: (2)

dude just run water, forget the antifreeze. YOu shouldnt have any issues with straight water, I've been doing it for some time in my HOnda.

mrshabo

water with water wetter here

TMaxxTim

Are you guys serious you've been running water? I thought that would heat up waayyy too fast. Should I just have some distilled water in my trunk to refill it now instead of filling it back up with the 50/50 coolant and water?


I refilled the coolant today, took about a quarter of the bottle to refill the first time, then I drove 2min to kroger and back, it overheated a tad, and I topped it off with coolant. I let it idle for about 5min and it didn't overheat at all. I'm going to wait until tonight when its cool out before I take it out again and I'm going to just cruise for a little bit and make sure all is OK.

morris

iTrader: (2)

Yup straight water.....

When it gets very or totally empty you willsometimes get air pockets in teh system, so when you fill it up it isnt alway really full so once it gets to ciruclate and the air gets displaced you add more water or coolant to really fill it.