Hey Guys,

So a couple of weeks ago I noticed my car's ('01 Acura TL) temperature started going up to about 3/4 when idling at intersections, and then falling back down again when driving.

I read that similar cases were solved by replacing the thermostat - which is what I did this morning, but now no coolant seems to be able to get through it, instead it just bubbles out from under the clamp where the lower hose meets the thermostat housing. Needless to say it's still overheating when idling.

Everything seems properly installed and tightened, what could be the issue?

Has anyone else had this idle overheating issue?

The thermostat is Duralast brand from Autozone.

Any help is appreciated, thanks!

 

You NEED a honda genuine thermostat,,the TL is very picky on this part
also there is a dot to align so it sits in a specific position
BUT
the temp rise at lights is likely fan temp sensor A
do you notice the driver side fan running off and on a light ?
and after shutdown does it run more than a minute or two?
bad fan sensor

thermostat usually has fast rise of temp to redline as its not flowing at all
but air can fool the temp guage

system must be burped/bled of air after thermo install
air causes big problems

follow owner book procedure for your year www.owners.acura.com if you dont have one= free download there

if it bubbles out a clamp the clamp isnt tight!
new thermo gasket and cleaned surfaces,, with no scratches for thero housing?

how is rad cap--seal good- rubber pliable and no tears or deep grooves?
10 bucks covers that

and the res bottle, rubber hose inside its cap must fit tight on cap,
system wont work otherwise on coolant transfer when hot and cold to storage bottle

 

Thanks for all the suggestions.

So, in the process of trying to bleed the system, I discovered that the straw in the reserve coolant tank was disconnected from the barb fitting at the top.

I then followed the procedure in the manual - idling until radiator fan comes on twice while the cap is screwed on half-way, then closing the cap, running, opening the cap, running, closing the cap.

After all this, the reserve tank is now empty.

I guess at this point I need to go and have the coolant system flushed and refilled?


The fan has been running often when car is off, but I'm wondering if that's due to the low coolant levels that I had?

 

Also, would it be ok to temporarily top it off with distilled water so I can make it to a repair shop for a flush?

 

low coolant can make the fan run more
with it filled now--- does driver fan run more than a minute at shutdown?
like up to 15 minutes would be sensor

verify: heater was on full hot?
added coolant as needed while running during burp procedure?
topped off rad, and res bottle was at mid level when car was shut off?
and in the morning it was empty res bottle?
rad was full?

the bottles job is to store coolant that transfers with heat
that hose is critical to the system!!

find leak with pressure test, or visual.
suspect fan temp sensor

its ok to run distilled water

make sure its a shop that knows the TL= and its engine drain block plug

flushing the system is not required unless crud buildup from never changing coolant
basic drain and refill from rad and block drains is all it needs

 

indicated temp during burp procedure stayed 1-2 lines below half?

 

I tested the original thermostat, put it back, topped off the radiator with distilled water and bled as required, that fixed it.

Then got the coolant replaced at an Acura shop.

Fan problem has gone away, and everything runs cool once again.

Thanks a lot for your help, I appreciate it!

 

Which T-stat did you put back in ?
You stated that it was the original.....the one that was in before the Autozone "Duralast" brand thermostat you last used. If in any doubt, it's best to stick with the "OEM" 2 stage style t-stat which is engineered precisely for Honda/Acura cooling systems.

 

sounds like waterpump to me if your not getting any circulation.

 

Welcome to AZine, Tiffany Lee.