ok, so here we go again. story time:

driving in the downtown area tonite, and there was a lot of traffic. it's a 'loop' thing that people drive around to show off, blah blah. anyways, i wasn't paying attention to the gauges much since we were going so slow the whole time anyways. so i decide to run to a gas station to see if my buddy was there. i pull into a spot and didn't see him, so go to back out. as i take off i smell the sweet smell of pancake syrup....also known as coolant. 'is it me' i wonder. nah, couldn't be. i've had a new radiator installed, the engine checked, and a coolant flush. oh, tu-shae (no where near right spelling......not good at french) says the acura.

so i look down and see the temp guage far above the H. this is bad. so i pull over, and turn the car off. i open the hood and hear a hissing/sputtering. hot air and steam are coming out of the resev. lid. i back up for fear of some type of explosion. the hood rod nearly burned me as i set it. so this is a fine mess.

my guess is that my thermostat has now gone to crap, and that was the way to bring it out. the car stays at right temp on highways and what not. so i let the car sit there a bit until temp got down bout half way. i start it and it starts all rough and idles rough. not good. i'm not sure how long it was that hot, but it couldn't have been too long. i didn't smell anything until i pulled out of the gas station.

ok....after long, boring story.....2 questions. 1.) what, if any, permanent type damage or last damage should i be on the lookout for (ie plugs, wires, etc. burnt out)? 2.) where is the thermostat located so i can try to change it out tomorrow if a local shop has one (i hope these are not special for this engine, too)?

the car seemed to be running 'normal', with smooth idle and what not as i pulled it into my garage. this is really worrying me and wearing me out all at once. i'm not sure how much more of this one i can take. thanks for help/info that anyone gives.

 

Hey Man

I wouldnt worry too much about it.

Ive done that too my car twice already, once for the radiator being all messed up and once for the thermostat. The car as long as you did not run it on H for too long I think you should be OK. These cars can take a beating (as Ive put my car through many)

 

you might want to also check the radiator fans and fuse.

Seeing as you were driving slow, if the fans didn't kick on, then you would overheat your engine like you did.

 

well the fan was on, cuz it stayed on after i turned the car off. it stayed on til i started it....several minutes, coolin the engine down. then i ran the a/c for a bit as well to make sure that fan stayed on as well.

 

Check the level of coolant in your car. If it is low you might have a head gasket leak. I had a similar problem but it didn't totally overheat in December. It turned out to be a head gasket. That was an expensive piece of fun.

 

hmm your car was fine while the car was consistently running...sounds like a thermostat problem, check it out cheap and easy to fix. If that doesn't solve it check the fan and its fuses. Might also wanna check if all the hoses and what not are all on good and tight. Another piece of advice also is to NEVER shut the car off when you are running super hot....blast the heater and try keeping the revs around 2 grand to let the motor cool itself. if you jus shut it off then you will stop the circulation of coolant through the block that may lead to a blown gasket or cracked bock. Blast the Heater keep the revs semi high and let it gradually cool back down. Now if your temp meter doesn't start moving toward the C in like at very most 2 minutes then you are beyond help, jus shut the car off and tow that bad boy home

 

but don't check the resevouir (SP) check the radiator itself when temperatures get high like that... let the car cool... open the radiator cap and with some coolant or water (even though water isn't recommended ONLY USE IN EMERGENCY) Fill the radiator... it might not be getting the fluid in there... The resevouir (SP) is just that... just a resevouir... if the radiator has to much it'll dump into there... if it has to little... it'll look for some in there...

 

thanks for the advice guys. yeah, i should have kept it running, but i kind of paniced. my buddy has a hobby stock and he revs his engine and what not when it gets hot, to get air into the engine...should have thought of that.

when i change the thermo i'll take pics and stuff. maybe it needs a sticky...but maybe not. from what i see it should be simple. but who knows with the 2.5? heh. update soon i hope.

 

ok, time for update. first off, had to get the thermo at NAPA (didn't like it), which of course was dollars more than anyplace else. but no one else in my city had one in stock but them. *sigh*

so anyways. i got it changed and what not. i took pics as well so i could make a sticky if you guys want. if so, i'll do a bit of a write up tonite, with the pictures and all that. lemme know.

so i let it run until it got to 'normal' temp, and waited to see if there were any leaks of any kind and what not. there weren't that i could see, so i decided to give it a test drive. i ended up just putting all new fluid in since the stuff i took out was dark and nasty. maybe that's bad, maybe it's normal....unsure. so i backed out of the driveway and as i came to a stop, the rpms started to flutter. but i put it in gear and drove on. i didn't drive it far....maybe a total of a 1/2 mile or so. i kept the whole air/venting off at first. when i would stop, the rpms would flutter a bit. so i just sat there for a minute, but it didn't stall. so then i turned the air on (auto at 77) to see what that did. the rpms went up a bit, and when i would come to a stop, they didn't flutter. so i drove on some more and turned the a/c off. here is what i came up with:

idle without a/c: would start at around 550, then stay at about 600-650
idle with a/c: would stay around 700-750

does anyone know the rpms that it SHOULD be with the air on/off? i'm wondering if something may have happened to a component during the hot session last night. anyways, i pulled it back into the garage and let it run while i checked again for leaks. no leaks that i saw, and it was still at 'normal' temp, so i just left it at that.

sorry for the long post, but i'm not sure if i'm just paranoid now and i notice the rpms more, or if they've been that way i just didn't pay attention. thanks for the help in advance guys

 

Alright, bud. I checked the Acura's service manual and found that:

In no load condition--no headlights, no A/C, no rear defroster, no blower fan, and no radiator fan, idle speed should be at 700rpm + or - 50rpm in either Park or Neutral position

Idle the engine for one minute with headlights on (lowbeam), your reading should be at 770rpm + or - 50rpm.

Turn the headlights off, then turn on the heater fan switch on HI and turn the A/C on and check the engine speed. The reading should be at 770rpm + or - 50rpm

I hope this helps.

 

i'll have to try that. i forgot that i did have in drive, so there was still a load on the engine, so the rpms would/should be a bit lower. i have yet to drive it since last update...so i'll have to do it tomorrow.

ps - thanks tons for lookin that up for me

 

Hey dubcnea,
A write up on the thermostat will be highly appreciated.
Thanks!

 

ok, i'll do it tonite

 

the Acura dealership lied to me and told me my engine needed replaced, and that I was negligent so the warranty wouldn't cover it. I saved up and replaced the motor (4k on used motor for only $1000!) The old motor was sold on ebay by the shop thaI had replace it because it was fine. Ha ha, very funny. You should do a compression check to see if you have hot spots.

 

wow, that sux! well, i'm not too worried about it right now. the car is running decent enough and is getting surprisingly good mpg. the car may not be in my possession much longer anyways :/ but that is yet to come.

 

HEY DUB, Sorry to hear about that issue. But it may not be the thermostat after all. Remember all my questions about my 2.5?? Same exact problems. Started heating, then idle would flutter ever since. I went to the Acura dealer and changed the thermostat as well as the spark plugs. The next day, car fired up better than before, and ran cool all day..No sputtering at all, idle was good. I thought i was in the clear. Well, that was only for 1 day.
Now I am back with the same issues:
idle is fluttering below normal idle speed, temp gauge heats up above half( although it hasnt gotten bad like before).
another weird thing, after i had the check engine light on. Now it will come on, for like 5 minutes, GO OFF. sTAYS off for like couple hours, back on.. wierd
I dont know what to change next.

I hope somone will help us fix these issues, as they are identical.

 

wow....boooo. you'd think the manufacturer of these cars could help you work out a kink such as this. if there was major, or even minor, engine damage due to that heat, there is no way in telling how much life it took off the engine, or that of the car. yes....i hope this can be figured out.....very soon.

 

DUDE, stick your head near the head gaskets (after your car has heated to normal running temp) Listen for a fizzing sound. I think i heard one from my head gaskets. Maybe mine needs a new head gasket. For sure the heads are not blown because the oil is straight, and no water is coming out of the exhaust.

 

i'll try to do that tomorrow when i'm out and about. i did make sure that i filled the resev. for the radiator to the max allowed...just in case.

 

HEY DUB, whats the latest with your car. Mine is acting weird, but not that bad. I have to fill the radiator with like 1 cup of water daily. I dont have any idea where its going. Weird thing, ids its niot overheating. The temp gauge goes up then back below half way, and stays there most of the time.

 

mine only gets weird sometimes, and at odd times. but i'm going to replace the thermo again tomorrow and see if that works. make sure that as much water as you add....that you put SOME coolant in there, too.

 

WEll i think i screwed myself. Ive only been adding water. You think thats why its losing water? I'll put antifreeze in today.

 

are you serious? JUST water? Wow, I'd never do that.

 

the ONLY times you ever put only water in is when:

a. you're flushing the system and are going to add the mix right after you flush it
b. you're in a dier situation and that's all you have is water

other than that...a 50/50 mix is suggested! that may not be why you're losing the water, but that could be why your overheating some.

so does anyone have a BIG piece of wood? for what i'm about to say, i'll wanna knock on it for a week straight.

today i did 3 things:

1. rotated tires
2. installed a NEW thermostat AGAIN
3. changed the oil (5w30 Quakerstate 75000+ stuff)

for some reason while i was letting it run....after it hit normal temp...it sounded like it was purrin like a kitten. almost like it was relieved...like i did something good. uh, is that dumb? anyways....it was just idling so quietly....was odd.

so then i let it go the normal temp, blah blah blah. seemed ok so i took it for a drive. took the old thermo back and got money back ( ), and then made sure all my tires were the same PSI. one was real low...like 20 psi. i put them all to just above 32. then took it out on the interstate and back home with the air on. and it ran @ normal temp the whole time. when i parked it, the fan didn't even come on. i think something was the miss with the old thermo. the one i took back didn't even have that little loose piece of metal on it like the stock one does (if anyone's seen the stock one, you may know what i'm talkin about). the new one i got from O'Reillys did.

and so far the shaking of the steering wheel is mostly gone. maybe a super tiny hint of one, but that could be a crap road, too. maybe the rotation did it..maybe the regulation of PSI did it. unsure, but i gotta keep it this way. i'm gonna look for pins and such in the tire later today. anyways....that's my story. if i think of more interesting babble, i'll post more.

 

well i knocked on the wrong piece of wood. the shake is gone (for now), but the temp guage got stupid again today. i'm thinking that during the 'superheat', that a sensor or some such got screwed up. cuz it dips and jumps then goes back to normal. plus, my fan never stayed on after the car was off til after the overheat. maybe that sensor thinks the engine is hotter than it is so the fan comes on?? anyways....any thoughts??

 

You are getting air in your coolant lines somehow. that is why the temp gauge moves around. It gets hot, you get an air pocket in your rad hose and the eventually the water pump forces coolant through the system again and the temp gauge goes back. Need to have the entire cooling system tested. I am sorry to tell you that you'll probably need a new head gasket. Might not be cheap, but lot cheaper than new motor and will get your car runnin right again.

 

what if i were to let the car run to normal temp, then open that bleeder valve.....would that get rid of some of the air?

or how bout just a coolant flush? i did all the changing of thermos and fluid myself.

 

The shop manual says to loosen the bleeder bolt and fill the coolant at the radiator opening until the coolant comes out of the bleeder bolt in stream then start the engine with the radiator cap off. Let the engine run until the radiator fan turns on at least twice (basically warm it up). Fill as needed.

 

Check the connectors to the fans, check the fuses (condenser and cooling fan fuses....under hood), check resistance for the temp sensor and other cooling related sensors and check them against specs. But dude, I was like... its cool, the car still runs....then ......... the motor went. It's all fun and games until you take it to a dealership (be prepared to be screwed...real good.)

 

when the car cools down, i'll try this. also... i'm assuming you close the bleeder after it comes out in streams. question tho....won't more air get into the engine if it sucks in the fluid and you have to fill it while the cap is off? won't that also let air into the lines?

 

Yes. I forgot to mention that. When there's a stream, tighten the bleeder bolt. That's the whole reason for you to leave the radiator cap off. Watch the engine to suck the fluid in and fill it up. The fluid should be filled at all times.

 

k, i'll try it. i hope it works. it's been doin good so far and it's like 93 here today. so...updates soon i hope.....could take awhile for the car to cool down.

 

My car has been running good. And the temp outside has been 95-105 the past week here in southern cali. Shakes a bit. I might change the spark plug wires. Hey dub, im waiting for some loot so i can buy those wires. But if somone else wants them, its cool.
Gonna change my oil, should i do it myself. I always change my own oil, but never had a "luxury car" till now.

For the coolant, i want to get an even mixture, 50 water/50 antifreeze. Where is the drain plug located?? Couldnt find it. Also about how much,in measurements, water then coolant. Is it necessary to pour antifreeze then water?

 

the plugs are still here. i haven't put them out there yet, so lemme know.

you can change it yourself. just make sure you double check the manual for the proper amount. the 2.5 takes 4.5 quarts of oil with a filter change. the filter is on the driver's side of the engine, towards the front just a tad and under the top of the motor. if you look at the engine, that will make more sense, heh.

the drain plug, if you look under the front of the car, is just above the 'cutout' on that plastic piece. it could be hard to turn, so you may have to fight it a bit. and when it comes to 50/50.....dump half of the coolant into a bucket, then fill the bucket up the rest of the way with water. don't dump coolant, then water into the radiator. it's best to mix it up first. then put the contents of bucket into empty bottle, and fill with water. you're now ready with a full bottle of 50/50 mix.

 

i flushed my radiator, filled 50/50 antifreeze but still need to add like a cup a day. which hoses or seals should I check for leaks? Could it be something else?

 

do you see any puddles after you've parked for awhile? if not, then you're not leaking, you're burning. is that a sign of head gasket issues? i'm not too sure since i've yet to deal with one (thank God). so i'm not sure what else you can check. :/ did you bleed that thermostat housing?

 

I DONT think its the head gaskets because my oil is straight and no water is mixing with it. im guessing i have a small hole on one of the hoses. There are no puddles at all. Its a small amount..like 1 cup a day.

 

oh yeah. when i bleed the thermostat, i let the air bubbles out. How long are you supposed to bleed it for? I keeped filling the radiator while a tiny strem came out until all the bubbles were out. even after 30-60 seconds of watching a stream of antifreeze/water, it didnt look like a flowing stream. might be just me. How long do you bleed the thermostat?

 

It STILL may be head gasket. That is the common symptom with the head gaskets on our cars. My oil was FINE but was loosing coolant It seeps between teh coolant passage and the cylinder, so it doesn't mix with the oil.

 

you just bleed it til there is a steady stream. and it may take doing this more than once. so far, for me, once is all it has seemed to take.....but it just depends on how much air is in there. i hope that it's not your head gasket.