Approximately 180,000 miles - the connection "spout" at the top of the radiator (where the return hose from the engine attaches) broke off - what's reasonable to expect to have to pay to repair \ replace the radiator (parts and installation)? Thanks.
if it's plastic tank, it's hard/impossible to repair. but parts to replace are <=$150. http://catalog.eautopartscatalog.com/ibusiness/JSP.v.1.01/wizard.jsp?header=http://www.alleurasianautoparts.com/header.txt&footer=http://www.alleurasianautoparts.com/footer.txt&partner=ipb&clientid=alleurasianautoparts.com&baseurl=http://www.alleurasianautoparts.com/&cookieid=1Z815YY4K1ZR0MU4IE&year=1994&make=HO&model=ACC-DX4-003&category=All&part=Radiator&appTransmissionType=Automatic
Google the archives. Most Hondas this age are on their second radiator. In a rare instance where OEM is not necessarily best, an aftermarket radiator should be fine. One can buy them online for $100-$200, or maybe better. Installation seems to run around $100-$200 as well. In short, figure $400 or so. This is an item for whose labor you can shop around on the phone. Look for a lot more responses to your query. My 91 Civic is on its second radiator.
You can't fix that. The rad must be replaced. A quality aftermarket rad is about $200. Installation might run a couple of hours labor plus coolant and incidental parts, so maybe $250 plus tax for labor. Phone around in your area and get quotes. Use only genuine Honda premix coolant.
My kid tells me that it may have gotten a bit hot before he shut it off - can a mechanic tell if there's been other damage besides the radiator (warped head, etc.) without a lot of effort and without tearing everything apart first? Replacing the radiator is OK - macining the head and a new head gasket is mor than this car is worth, I think. Any suggestions welcome. Thanks!
Uh oh. "A "bit" hot? Not good. Like what kinda "hot"? The gauge needle was rising when he shut it off? The gauge needle got into the red? Like he saw steam coming out from under the hood? Like it was clanking loudly and ground itself to a halt? Big differences here. Sort of. A pressure test (not a compression test!) will tell if the head gasket seal has been damaged. Unfortunately that's only true if the seal has already failed. If it's been compromised but is still holding, nobody can tell until it finally blows its top. It's not the head you need to worry about. Straightening or skimming that is only about $60 once it's off the car. If the *block face* is warped or corroded, the engine is scrap, economically speaking. Severe overheating will often scrap an engine.
you can do a coolant pressure test to see if the head gasket is leaking. or you can put in the new radiator and see what happens. if the gasket is gone, look into the economics of replacing the motor vs. having the head and gasket done - it's a lot of hours and prep. quicker to replace the motor, and the motor only costs a few hundred bucks jdm import. do the math from there. google this group for head gasket replacement stories and figure out if that's what you want to pay for. [personally, unless i had a rare motor, i wouldn't bother rebuilding again - i'd just replace the whole thing.]
I used this place when I needed a new radiator for my '98 CRV. It was actually a brand new Honda radiator. I know this because you could still read "Honda" on the top and bottom of it...although it had been scraped-down by someone. The prices are great and the shipping was really fast...two days in my case. http://stores.ebay.com/RADIATOR-WAREHOUSE_W0QQsspagenameZl2QQtZkm
