d111679c

My heater hasn't worked (unless on moving) for weeks, a little after car is warmed up. And my temperature gage sky rockets after the engine warms up when I'm driving. I've been told that it could be the thermostat. The coolant is emptying into the reservoir. I have not allowed the car to redline; the thermostat has been replaced; new radiator; line bled; new fan switch. I was told there is a hair line head gasket leak but no water or coolant in the oil. STick is at normal level with normal color.

Could the thermostat or the radiator be bad! Help I'm going nuts! It took me three times at the dealer for them to say there was a leaky gasket! I just don't trust them and of course the want 2800.00 to fix it!

sam o nela

Hate to say it, but you might have a blown head gasket. Very common occurrence with the C32a as you can see over at the Acura Legend forum.

My mom's 96 TL had the same thing....

TLin401

Did you have coolant leaking before you had the radiator and the other times replaced? If so how long did you wait after you noticed it to have your radiator replaced? I waited about 2 weeks after I noticed it due to money issues at the time and the mechanic that replaced my radiator told me that I brought my car in just in time because if he didn't fix it now that my head gasket was going to blow soon.

Ken1997TL

Coolant is not flowing for some sort of reason. Could be a leak, could be an air pocket or a bad radiator. Maybe even a bad heater core. It could be anything from a simple fix to something costing you a thousand bucks.

Have a trusted mechanic take a look.

sam o nela

If it has already been confirmed that the gasket is seeping or leaking, the coolant reservoir over flowing is most likely due to exhaust gasses entering the cooling system and pressurizing it to the point that the coolant is let back into the reservoir via the radiator cap and is replaced with air...there is a very simple test to detect exhaust gas in the cooling system and if the dealership needed three different occasions to figure it out I wouldnt go there on general principle.

I dont know what your location is, but search around for a Japanese Car specialist (specifically Honda specialist) because if they have been around a while then they will probably be no stranger to this particular job...I'd say a good price (where I'm from in Southern California where everything is expensive and overpriced) is $1200-$1500 for the basic headgasket job and no more than $2200 for a full on head gasket, head planing, valve seal replacement, timing belt and water pump-whole nine yards deal.

Shop around for somebody qualified and consider getting all the stuff I listed done as well if you plan to keep the car long term...

Good luck!

IBFStyles

Where do you live? I have a friend that rebuilds heads for 500 bucks. And legit too.

sam o nela

And I dont want to get OT, but I joined back in 04 and never activated my account and I no longer have the original email account I registered with...and since I'm not activated I dont have permission to Private Message a mod or administrator...so would someone in Admin mind shooting me an email or something with instructions on how I can get my account verified??

Thanks!...feel free to delete this post if needed too...sorry.

[/OT]