The Thermostat in my 1992 Honda Acty after about 5 minutes of driving is pinned at max. It just started doing this today. I was hoping that someone has an idea as to why this is because I am not mechanically minded at all. thanks -matt
First of all stop driving it. You will need to check that there is enought coolant in the radiator, check the water pump, the thermostat and check the hoses before you fault the gauge or sending unit. -Greg
I know that this sounds stupid but where would you check to make sure that the Radiator has enough fluid? thanks -matt
I kind of thought that question might be comming. I'm not educated enough on Hondas to tell you where. I assume under the seat or where ever the radiator is located. I assume some of the other member can tell you. -Greg
The engine is over the rear axel, the rad fill cap is under the glove box. Is there any fluid under the truck where it sat? Could be a hole in the lines to and from the rad and engine, look above the spare tire. There are bleeders in the lines that could be leaking. Post back with findings.
There is no fluid under the truck at all. I topped up the rad and it only took about 250ml of fluid to do that. Does anyone know what the resevoir beside the battery is for?
That resevoir is for coolant. It is the overflow bottle. Fill it up to the normal level and run your truck. If the system needs coolant it will suck it from there. Post back with results.
filled the resevoir and ran the truck for a few minuets. The temperature gauge went up and then back to normal levels. What I think happened is that there was ice in the system because it is -37 in Saskatoon right now.
I would put a coolant change on the top of the "To Do List". Getting a cracked block out of the -37 wouldn't be a good thing FYI Just looked at the ratio of anti freeze/ coolant from the Peak website. 50/50% only works to - 37C so if you are at 50/50 then you are right at the edge. 60% anti freeze/ 40% water gets you to -52C which should give you some breathing room. BTW don't try straight Anti Freeze - not recommended or go past 60/40 split unless you can verify the manufactor oks it.
I prefer forums with only members from the United States. That way I could say today...."yeah, woke up this morning here in Michigan and it was -8 f, and I hear instant death occurs at -10 f". -37 c converts to -35 f, right? You Canadians are some tough dudes to deal with temps like that and not book a one way ticket to Jamaica -Andy
At -40 they are both the same. Freakin cold BTW if I am answering a question from down south [that's you Andy] I would reply in dergrees F. My rule of thumb is answer in the system [degress, pressure,etc] that the person asking the question is used to.
I know this an old thread but curious does anyone know should both radiator and reserve be filled up with the 60/40 mix at all times? Just confused on the overflow if it's full ( the reserve tank by the battery ). Thanks
Oh, and I live in the tropics - is it a bad idea to only use water instead of mixing with anti freeze??
Thanks for the reply Fred -didn't think of that but makes sense. Thank goodness for this forum will add immediately.
yep, coolant helps to prevent metallic corrosion and erosion. If you live in the tropics, and have temperature problems, you could try water wetter. They claim: Reduces or eliminates bubbles or vapor barrier that form on hot metal surfaces to reduce coolant temperatures by up to 20° Superior heat transfer properties compared to glycol-based antifreeze Compatible with new or used antifreeze (including DEX-COOLTM and long-life versions) to improve the heat transfer of ethylene and propylene glycol systems Improves heat transfer and reduces cylinder head temperature http://www.redlineoil.com/Products.aspx?pcid=10 How is the water quality you are using there in the tropics? "Water that is free of dissolved minerals is required for use in coolant since minerals contribute to scale formation, which impedes efficient functioning of the coolant system, leading to a failure. All global coolant specifications and standards have quality requirements for the water appropriate for use in a coolant product. Municipal or well water can contain appreciable amounts of dissolved minerals and fine particulate and is not recommended to dilute coolant concentrate for this reason. De-ionized water has been specifically processed to remove dissolved minerals and particulate making it ideally suited for use in coolants." http://www.coolantexperts.com/faq
Wow spot on, your making my day way easier! I've been sure to use pure rainwater harvested from our rood system rather than the ground water which is minerally---- but thanks for the tips about the 'water wetter', funny as it sounds. Don't know if I can get it here but will look especially if it's less than antifreeze.
well, if your engine does not get hot, then no need for special stuff like water wetter. I live in Japan and we have here in humid summer raining season +/- 35 degree C. and my Acty does not have a problem with normal coolant. Also do not mix too much antifreeze with the water, there is a certain point where too much is not good. Glycol does not carry as much heat from the engine to the radiator as pure water. Stick to the mix of 50:50 or 60 water: 40 glycol what is mentioned on the concentrate. As for water, rain water should be soft and o.k., I assume, unless it contains salts from the surrounding sea, here something copied: How much water should I mix with my antifreeze? A mixture of one part engine coolant concentrate one part with distilled water will result in a mixture with a freeze point of –34°F and a boiling point of 265°F (with 15 PSI pressure cap). Do not use concentrate engine coolant without adding water; it does not circulate well and can lead to overheating. In extremely cold climates using a 60% ethylene glycol mixture will give freeze protection to -55 °F. Additional glycol will not further lower the freeze point. Do not add water to pre-dilute engine coolants. Distilled water? Can’t I just use tap water? Tap water contains contaminants that can lead to scaling, corrosion, and cracking of radiator tubes. The following recommended limits are found in Appendix X1. of ASTM D 3306: Chlorides: 25 ppm Sulfate: 50 ppm Hardness: 20 ppm pH: 5.5-8.5 units Iron: 1 ppm Nearly all tap water supplies greatly exceed these limitations. Pre-dilute coolants are formulated with deionized water and avoid this problem. Never use water softened by salt exchange; the salt introduced into the water is very destructive. A great deal of work and expense goes into the formulation of quality antifreeze/engine coolant. Reputable companies use high quality glycols, deionized or distilled water, and inhibitors that are certified to be low in contaminants (like chlorides) to blend and make premium quality finished products. Unfortunately, these efforts are wasted when poor quality tap water is used to blend coolant. Hardness: Calcium and Magnesium. At high temperatures these for scale, and they strip the silicate from the coolant. Heat transfer rates can be reduced dramatically. Chloride and Sulfate. These ions contribute to corrosion and cracking, even when present at very low levels. Think in terms of adding road salt to your car. Mixing errors. Improper dilution of the coolant concentrate is a common problem, resulting in overheating and corrosion. from here http://www.noranews.org/?page=AntifreezeInfo
Ok thanks great advice. Btw, so I read back threads all the way to '08 and found someone recommended using red "Dextrol" (?) rather than the green antifreeze stuff. .(..Sorry I thought I'd copied the link but it disappeared! So can't repost, Darn mobile phone.) Any thoughts on red vs. Green?
http://honda-tech.com/honda-crx-ef-civic-1988-1991-3/anyone-using-dexcool-380734/ http://honda-tech.com/honda-civic-d...ne-honda-factory-coolant-fact-fiction-137920/ do a coolant flush to get out all the rust we have seen on your thermostat https://minitrucktalk.com/threads/coolant-flush.5452/
In process of draining. Got front screw off to drain (by radiator) but the back drain by oil filter seems stuck - wonder can I flush with just having only opened and drained one side of the system, or..........??
Is the thermostat in or out now? Because if it is still installed, it is closed now. You can try the following, run the engine at operating temperature that the thermostat opens, then find a place where you can drain slowly with still running engine and at the same time fill the drained volume with a garden hose into the reservoir that the engine always has enough fluid. A kind of flushing. But be careful, operating temp coolant is HOT. Shops have flushing systems, here one which claims you can do backflush, might be easier http://www.ebay.com/itm/Prestone-An...Fill-Kit-59060-1-2-5-8-3-4-HOSE-/161378516800 Also see Google ''Youtube DIY Auto coolant flush''
