So before I go to the dealership and lose a crap load of money, I want to ask Acurazine about my problem. Hopefully I can get it fixed here.

I'll try to make it short...

So about a year ago, my coolant reservoir cap broke and leaked coolant everywhere. My car started to overheat and the temp gauge went up around to 3/4, maybe even more. I had to get an immediate temporary fix so I put maybe 1/5 of Prestone 50/50 coolant I bought from Autozone. At the time I didn't know I had to pour coolant into the radiator, me being a dumbass noob, I put it in the reservoir. Oddly, the car did not overheat after I did that. Then I immediately bought a new radiator cap and I didn't have any problems.

So about two months ago, I went to the canyons in Los Angeles and my car started overheating again on a super hot day. I checked the car, and me being a dumbass again, I forgot to put 2 connecters to the cooling fans because I was installing my pre cat deletes. So with the help of couple friends, I was able to somehow connect both of those connectors. And still that day, I had overheating problems with the car. The temp gauge would go up to the 3/4 area again.

So I decided to flush the radiator and put Honda type 2 coolant in there, hoping that would fix the problem.

Then recently went to the same place in the canyons but with family this time and it started to overheat again! Luckily we were staying at one place instead of cruising like I did the last time I went to the canyons so the car wasnt overheating for a long period of time.

So this happens only when I go to the canyons, not in daily driving. Daily driving is perfectly fine, sitting right below the flag looking thing.

I'm going to Vegas for my birthday soon with my boss and I decided to drive since his truck probably gets 15mpg or less. I do not want this to happen on my 21st Vegas trip, that would really suck. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated before I head to the stealership.

 

Well for 1 - don't go to the dealership.


2: how many miles are on the car? has the water pump been done?

3: have you considered just taking to a regular shop and having a full coolant flush done and testing it out?

oh and 4: don't go to the dealer lol

 

Did you burp the coolant system to get the air out?

 

1. I'm gonna try not to.

2. Currently 120,xxx. Oh and water pump has been done with the timing belt at 110,000 miles.

3. Don't know if I could trust a regular shop to do a full coolant flush. I also heard it's bad to use those machines for our cars.

4. Trying not to.. we'll see.

Can you explain more of "burping?"

I just flushed all the coolant that was in my radiator.

 

it does for your cooling system what bleeding does for you brakes, gets the air out so there's no cavitating in the cooling caused by the air.



on #3: "our cars" - get that outta your head right now. We are nothing special with our Acuras. Our engine is the small block Chevy to Honda, meaning in one form or another it's in everything. The machine they use at an Acura dealer is the same damn machine/process a Pep Boys or Midas or whatever uses in their shop and they charge half as much for the same work.

Sorry to rant but with a fresh water pump/coolant in there and with a working reservior and fans, I see no reason to even consider going to the dealer.

Who did the Timing belt/Water pump?

 

"Burping" = "bleeding" the cooling system, to pull air out of it.
On the 3G TL, it's simple-- loosen the radiator cap completely, then run the car and warm it up until the fans come on a couple of times. Check the coolant level and add as necessary (to top of neck). Then tighten the radiator cap, run it and check for leaks. Also check the overflow tank coolant level and add as necessary.

See the 3G TL Service Department thread: https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-2004-2008-93/bleeding-coolant-system-antifreeze-thermostat-replacement-3g-garage-076-a-597680/.

 

Hmm well I did check the fans today and they only come on when I turn on the ac. I drive for a while and don't even hear the fans go on. I used to hear them go on automatically after I turn off my engine. Is there any particular sequence for the fans?

Local mechanic did the timing belt/water pump.

Like I said in my other quote, my fans don't turn on, only except when I turn on my ac. How long do I have to wait for the fans to turn on?

"Then tighten the radiator cap, run it and check for leaks." Run it as in run the car?

 

Not long. 5 mins or so. If the car is just sitting at idle in the garage/driveway, the fan should kick on about the time the temp guage gets to the middle or a couple minutes later.

If they don't, and you're sure all the connections are correct, could it be a bad thermostat?

 

My grandparents had a similar issue with their Buick Century, the car's temperature would rise and nothing at all from the main fan. While I was looking it over I found the A/C fan would come on with the A/C, the normal one showed no response. (2 fan setup) After I saw the A/C fan worked I took a wire and jumped the other straight to the battery and it came on just fine.

I then went to the relay center and found that with the car running and A/C off with the temperature about 3/4 which should have the fans running the cooling fan relay was getting power but not allowing it to be delivered to the fan. I replaced the relay and all was well.

Just a thought for you, it really sounds like something is either disconnected or you have a bad relay.

Do you have a CEL? A bad coolant temperature sensor can play hell with signaling the car that it's hot and needs to cool down. At least such is the case with late 90's Volvos. Usually if the sensor is causing that problem it will throw a code though.

 

Yeah they don't come on after 5 mins, not one. I will double check but if I remember correctly I connected the two wire properly.

How can I know if a thermostat is going bad? I mean it's not like it happens during normal driving, just when the car is pushed hard like @ canyons.

I'm sorry im a noob when it comes to technical words, whats relay? English is my second language anyway I can only install stuff using pics and logic, bad with words and such.

And no I don't have a CEL.

 

The easiest way to make sure a thermostat isn't stuck closed which would cause overheating is to feel the upper and lower radiator hoses while the car's at operating temperature. If they're both hot then I wouldn't worry.

This just sounds like a fan issue, look in your owners manual and find out where the cooling fan relay is, should be under the hood in a fuse box somewhere. It should be just a generic relay, they're pretty cheap and available at any auto parts store.

Before you replace that though I'd jump the fan that isn't working when it's supposed to, to the battery. If that allows the fan to come on then I'd certainly suspect the relay.

 

btw I dont think it's typical for the fans to turn on after you shut the car off unless its extremely hot. It's not something that happens under normal conditions.

My G2 integra never did that until the radiator was leaking and needed to be replaced and the car was overheating. My TL has never done that, nor have any of the other hondas my family owns.

 

Thanks, I'll check the thermostat first. Then the fan.

If the thermostat is stuck, can that really cause and engine to overheat or does it just read the temperature false.

Yeah it didnt even turn on after the second time I went to the canyons. Might be a fan related issue like oh6mt said.

 

Without a doubt, yes. If your thermostat is stuck closed then the coolant cannot circulate and ends up sitting still gathering more and more heat, rising in temperature.

 

Thanks bro, will def check into the thermo. Will update soon as I do.

 

was it GMR?

 

I have a feeling it's a bad radiator.

 

No problem, let us know how ya make out.

 

Yeah..

Hope not..

Thats gonna be lots of damage for me, esp before vegas.

 

Update:

Went to local mechanic shop and were real cool. They said the radiator cap broke..fmtfl. It seemed fine to me but I guess the bottom hanging part was broken off. Just bought a new one from the dealership and well see how it goes. Gonna go for a test run at the same canyon and see if it overheats again.

Will update afterwards.

 

Most of us have gone through a busted res cap. It's not the issue. Have you had your thermostat replaced yet? If not, do it. Also, I lost a lot of coolant through my heater control valve. Check it..

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?p=13259159

 

Thanks for the info but when my coolant leaked it was from the top of the reservoir, don't think it leaked from the heater control valve.

I was also thinking about replacing my thermostat, but I checked both hoses (from radiator to engine) after a long drive and they Both were really hot. Correct me if I'm wrong, but if the thermostat was stuck, only the top hose would be hot, not the bottom.

On a side note, I did replace the Reservoir cap* a while back, it was included in my first post. The problem This time was my actual radiator cap broke, which was causing the overheating due to not being fully sealed..well hopefully that was the problem, will test out car after oil change.

 

^and how do you lose coolant through the heater control valve anyway?