Help - 96 Accord LX running hot

96 Accord LX, 2.2L 4cyl engine, ~199,000 miles.

When the car is started, idles, & warms up, temperature gauge settles
at about 35-40% (between blue-line and red-line). As I drive at
normal local speeds ~45mph, temp stays between 35-50%. At highway
speeds (top gear, ~3200rpm), needle gradually moves upward, reaching
75-95%. The cooling fan does come on occasionally. Also, I am not
getting any heat out of the heater, even when turned all the way to
hot, though I could when I first experienced the problem, and that
immediately dropped the temp below 50%.

I have replaced the thermostat, and that didn't seem to do it.

Please make any suggestions as to how I might proceed.

Thanks!
Dave
Livonia, NY

 

Did you purge the air out of the bleed bolt?
It does sound like the radiator is clogged though.

 

has the water pump ever been changed? timing belt?

 

I wouldn't drive the car, even if the temperature gage is slightly off.
The temperature gage should always be on it's assigned position (after
the engine warms up), anything else is not acceptable and you risk
damaging your engine.

Hopefully, it's not a head gasket problem. I had the same symptoms with
my 84 CRX, which was caused from a cracked head gasket that was letting
air flow into the coolant. The excessive air in the cooling system will
block he coolant flow. I'm not sure about the 96 Accord, but I suppose
the newer cars are better designed to get rid of excess air in the
coolant. At 200,000miles, I'm assuming that the radiator, water pump,
thermostat and even the hoses are all new. If not, you have a starting
point. Also, I've been in situation where the replacement thermostat was
also defective.

Pars
98 Civic Hatch

 

Hi Pars,

I thought that I was loosing my mind here with my problem in
my 95 Integra. I had replaced my t-stat a year ago because the temp
gauge would go up when I was stopped but would go down when I was
moving. I replaced it with a new one but the issue still happened. I
couldn't figure out what was wrong, so I also replaced the sensor
going to the readout in the dash but I am still having the same issue.
This is good that someone else has had a new defective t-stat. I'm
going to go order another one and see if it help since they aren't too
expensive.

Thanks,
Nick

 

If you are showing overheat only when stopped its more likely that it's due
to the fan(s) not coming on. You need to check/replace the thermoswitch
and/or relay which controls the fans. On an Integra it should be on the
thermostat housing IIRC.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

 

Hi George,

Sorry forgot to mention that when idle it doesn't overheat but
goes up to just less than about the halfway mark, then the fans kick
on. So I think that there is still a faulty t-stat. What are your
thoughts?


Thanks,
Nick

 

(Dave Wolgast) spake unto the masses in

*Every* symptom suggests a clogged rad.

With the engine COOL, take off the rad cap and peek inside. Are the tubes
covered with whitish deposits? Oh, you CAN'T see the tubes because the
fluid is too murky? Oops. Bad maintenance.

Either you haven't been changing your fluid regularly or you're using
silicated coolant.

Drive the car until completely warm. Run your hand around the rad surface.
It should be uniformly hot all over, and both big hoses should be hot as
well.

If not, replace the rad. And start changing your coolant every second year,
with OEM if possible, and if not, with the non-silicate stuff and
_distilled_ water.

--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda FAQ
http://www3.telus.net/public/johnings/faq.html

How to find anything on the Internet or in Usenet Groups:
www.google.com
www.groups.google.com

 

In your previous post you said: "the temp gauge would go up when I was
stopped but would go down when I was moving". I took this to mean stopped
== engine idling and that the temp was going up above normal. If you're
saying that the gauge rises up to normal then you're running too cool when
the car moves?? Either way, I am unsure of what you're problem is.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

 

Hi George,

That's exactly it. The car at idle warms up to less than the
1/2 mark and stays there. When I take off and drive the temp drops
down to near the cool mark. I have already replaced the t-stat once
before but that didn't help and I was wondering if I should reorder
another one or if the problem is somewhere else.

Hope this is enough info....

Thanks,
Nick

 

Ah, OK. I see you talked of getting another thermostat - was the 1st
replacement a Honda one? Other than that I'd probably replace the radiator
cap, keep an eye on the reserve tank level and verify the gauge is really
indicating properly. Honda temp gauges are supposed to indicate the same
needle deflection for a range of temps from ~80C to ~105C.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

 

Hi George,

Yes the first replacement was a Honda thermostat. I had also
replaced the sensor that is in the front left side of the engine block
which I was told from the newsgroup was the one that displays to the
dash. I recently replaced my radiator (3 weeks ago) and the radiator
that I ordered had a new cap on it but I still have the same symptoms.
Do you think that I need to get a new t-stat....or replacement of the
sensor?

Thanks,
Nick

 

I believe, in a '96, there are two sensors next to each other on the
cylinder head under the distributor: the one with a single wire connection
is the gauge sensor; the other has two wires and is the TW sensor for the
ECU. Is the reservoir level behaving normally - around max when hot and
around 1/2way between min & max when cold? If everything is behaving right
I'd check the gauge sensor with an ohmmeter and then suspect the gauge
itself.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

 

Thanks for the tip. I'll check the voltage on the sensors. I just
replaced the radiator recently so I filled the reservior near the max
level. i'll check it when the car is hot to see if it rises and then
settles when it is cold. I'll let you know what I find out.

Thanks again,
Nick