Accord using fluid

I have a 1985 Honda Accord. It seems to be using small amounts of
radiator fluid and I can't find out why. It did overheat a few months
ago, but not all the way. No water is in the oil or anything. It uses
about a cup a week. If it were a cracked head gasket, wouldn't it be
getting worse by now? Wouldn't it be performing poorly? It seems to
run great. Any help would be greatly appreciated...

 

It could be a warped head and not be very obvious. But if the overheating
was mild that isn't my prime suspect.

My daughter's '93 Accord LX has a flat spot on the otherwise domed upper
radiator tank, and it has developed a crack right down the middle from one
end of the flat spot to the other. Other Honda owners have described the
same thing - I believe it comes from that flat area flexing during warm-up
and cool-down cycles. I cleaned it well and put a thin layer of steel filled
epoxy across it, but the crack came up through the epoxy, strengthening my
suspicion about flexing. I put a thicker layer on and it is holding.

Mike

 

I got a radiator from 1-800-radiator and it was MUCH better quality than
OEM.

G-Man

 

Let's hope none of the contributors in <alt.autos.honda> fail to meet your
standards for ethnicity and/or orientation, "IBen":

"Let it be know that I'm PROUD to proclaim my HATRED for QUEERS, CHILD
KILLERS and NIGGERS of ALL colours. I can't think of three more worthy
enemies. You got that...? I'm PROUD to hate faggots, abortionists and
negroes. They ALL are a POX upon the ass of humanity. I can't wait to see
them (and their supporters like YOU) ROAST in hell!"~ Schitzophrenic bigot
"IBen/Jon Young", feeling his Kristian love, in Message-ID:
<>

LC~ Just a heads up. Feed this troll and he'll move right in with some of
the most vile BS you'll ever come across. Google ain't his friend.

"I'm no Grand Wizard. Although I did meet him and speak to him on several
occasions back during my first days with his ... organization. See,
azzhole... they all wear business suites now-days. Makes it so much easier
to watch the other's backs."~ From: (IBen Getiner)
Date: 03 Aug 2004 09:04:12 GMT
Message-ID: <>

 

The first thing you should do is to visit a store (like Staples or Office
Depot) and buy some poster board. Tape some sheets of the poster board
together and place it under your car after you get home from work or a
long drive. It's my guess that if you have pin leak in one of the
hoses--you will find some radiator fluid on the poster board directly
under the leaking hose. If you don't find any radiator fluid on the poster
board after a week--you may have a cracked head gasket which is expensive
to fix. Have you checked the water pump?

 

Thanks for everyone's input. This has been going on for several
months, so if it were a leak, I think it would have gotten worse
already. If it is a cracked head gasket, wouldn't we be seeing some
other signs by now? What other problems show themselves with a cracked
head gasket? The car belongs to my son now, but some years ago when it
was mine, the head gasket cracked and it wasn't a week before white
smoke and poor performance followed (plus the green fluid on the dip
stick). Fourtunatly, the head wasn't warped and it just needed the
gasket (450.00 bucks).
Another thing that seems a little odd... The last time I had the oil
changed was about a month ago. It is now very dirty. Looks like carbon
deposits. It doesn't make sense how the oil could get that dirty so
soon. Any relationship to the fluid loss and possibly a cracked head
gasket?


Ben

 

Bad head gaskets can continue without getting worse if the failure isn't
leaking combustion gasses like a torch. Small leaks into the coolant or oil
passages may not get any worse. But I'm still not convinced enough it is a
bad head gasket to suggest pulling the head off.

I also don't think the dirty oil is related. I bet it was something
different about the oil change. You didn't specify synthetic or synthetic
blend after using regular dino oil for ages, I assume? Nothing wrong with
that, but that results in what you describe. Another oil change might be in
order, but check with the place that did it for their thoughts.

Another thought on tracking down the leak - some coolant dyes are
fluorescent. A look-see with a black light might turn something up. I've
really fought some tiny leaks like tha because they don't ever show up. They
drip on a hot surface and evaporate.

Finally, a real concern is that it might be the water pump shaft leaking.
The weep hole is not easy to see, being under the timing belt cover, but
that doesn't have any place to evaporate easily. If you see a drop of
antifreeze on the bottom edge of the timing belt cover but nowhere around
it, you should plan on water pump (and timing belt) replacement soon. The
water pump can seize and destroy the timing belt, and your engine with that.
Yuck.

Mike

 

Ben,
Mike had some great suggestions. In some cases, the head gasket has a very
small crack and in those cases--you won't see any major signs that you
have a cracked head gasket. However, if you have a large or major crake in
the head gasket--you will see lots of signs such as white smoke and really
dirty oil. I once has a very small crack in the head gasket and the only
sign was black oil--even a couple of days after I changed the oil. I seem
to recall that there is at least one company that will test your oil. If
anyone knows the phone number or address of the company--please post it so
that we can help Ben figure out if he has a cracked head gasket. Ben, you
might want to do a Google search on "head gaskets" "engine oil" and
related subjects. You may be able to find out the addresses or phone
numbers of companies that test oil.

 

A small leak of coolant into the combustion chamber can easily go
unnoticed. The combustion process itself will produce a few liters of
water per trip. The cup of coolant would not make much difference.

I think you can still get Bars Leak. I have used it for years and
never had any negative consequences. It scours the cooling system,
lubricates the water pump, and seals small leaks. It is worth a try.
There are other cooling system leak products, but Bars Leak is the
only one that works (in my opinion).

Elliot Richmond
Freelance Science Writer and Editor

 

I haven't used Bars Leak. I have used other products and know they make a
huge mess inside the cooling system, so don't use those! I can't believe I
used the one that said it contained cellulose - it looked like I dissolved a
newspaper in the radiator. I had to repair the heater core and we were to go
to Phoenix the next day to fly to Canada. I got too desperate. What a mess!
What a fool!

Mike