2002 Honda Civic Ex problem

[Raza]

Hey guys, obviously this isn't my car.  But here goes:

A week ago, my friend's Civic overheated, and he found a bunch of water all over the engine bay.  After that, he replaced the radiator, thinking that was the problem.  However, that didn't fix things.  Currently, coolant is coming out of the top of the overflow tank and the radiator is losing coolant.  If that doesn't make sense to you, I can't help, because those are his words. 

He's pretty well mechanically inclined, and he thinks it's a headgasket leak.  My guess is that he's probably right, but I was hoping for a second opinion that wasn't so dire. 

Any thoughts? 

[Cookie Monster]

Clogged/broken thermostat?

[Eye of the Tiger]

He doesn't sound very mechanically inclined to me. The first thing he should have checked was the radiator cap.

[Eye of the Tiger]

If he really think it's the headgasket, he should try testing it before he just tears the engine apart.

http://www.amazon.com/UVIEW-560000-Combustion-Leak-Tester/dp/B000NPDL76

[Raza]

He doesn't sound very mechanically inclined to me. The first thing he should have checked was the radiator cap.

Well, he's a year from an ME degree.  And I believe he checked the radiator cap before replacing the radiator. 

[Danish]

Clogged/broken thermostat?

Yeah, sounds like something is holding up the flow of coolant

[Eye of the Tiger]

Well, he's a year from an ME degree.  And I believe he checked the radiator cap before replacing the radiator. 

Well, ME's are stupid. That is the only logical explanation for why he replaced the radiator.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Yeah, sounds like something is holding up the flow of coolant

That is irrelevant. The thermostats open and close all the time.

[The Pirate]

Did he get the correct pressure cap for the system, and was the cooling system properly bled?

[Danish]

That is irrelevant. The thermostats open and close all the time.

I mean what if it is stuck in the closed position?

[The Pirate]

I agree, he should get it pressure tested - that will help with a conclusion (it will at least prove or disprove his headgasket thought).

[Eye of the Tiger]

I mean what if it is stuck in the closed position?

It would overheat very quickly.

[Danish]

[heroic last stand]

Raza didn't say anything about overheating!

[/heroic last stand]

[Eye of the Tiger]

[heroic last stand]

Raza didn't say anything about overheating!

[/heroic last stand]

Read all six or whatever pages of this:

http://www.woodyg.com/fairlane/finfo/coolingsystem1.html

Then get back to me if you have any questions

[Cookie Monster]

It would overheat very quickly.

"A week ago, my friend's Civic overheated,"

I win.

[Danish]

"A week ago, my friend's Civic overheated,"

I win.

Oh snap I read too fast!

[Cookie Monster]

Oh snap I read too fast!

pwnt

[Danish]

pwnt

wat

[Cookie Monster]

wat

n00b

[VTEC_Inside]

"Currently, coolant is coming out of the top of the overflow tank and the radiator is losing coolant."

Is this when the car is started cold? After it warms up?

At this time the headgasket would be the last thing I'd be thinking of. Its not impossible but that wouldn't usually manifest in an external coolant leak.

Based on that description it sounds like something has plugged or severely restricted coolant flow through the engine.

[Danish]

n00b

I like how Raza (who fills up the Garage with nonsense advice) gets his own thread hijacked with nonsense

[Cookie Monster]

I like how Raza (who fills up the Garage with nonsense advice) gets his own thread hijacked with nonsense

[GoCougs]

Could be a bad head gasket -  the loss comes from coolant dumping into the combustion chamber and getting burned, and coolant dumping into the overflow tank happens when the car overheats (which happens when the system can't hold pressure a la bad head gasket).

He should probably take it to a pro - replacing parts without a diagnosis is not a good idea.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Could be a bad head gasket -  the loss comes from coolant dumping into the combustion chamber and getting burned, and coolant dumping into the overflow tank happens when the car overheats (which happens when the system can't hold pressure a la bad head gasket).

He should probably take it to a pro - replacing parts without a diagnosis is not a good idea.

That is why I suggested a combustion leak test kit - but you could probably get a diagnosis for the same price.

[Soup DeVille]

I mean what if it is stuck in the closed position?

Water would spin around and around in the block and neever reach the radiator.

[S204STi]

I agree with the head gasket idea, but he needs to try bleeding his cooling system first and make sure he's not just overheating from a low coolant level situation.  Then he needs to make sure it isn't leaking from anywhere other than his overflow tank when it overheats.  At that point make sure all of the other lines are hot, to ensure good flow through the system.

Other than that I have no other ideas.

[Raza]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate the help.  I'll tell him what you guys are saying when he gets off work tomorrow.

[SVT32V]

"Currently, coolant is coming out of the top of the overflow tank and the radiator is losing coolant."

Is this when the car is started cold? After it warms up?

At this time the headgasket would be the last thing I'd be thinking of. Its not impossible but that wouldn't usually manifest in an external coolant leak.

Based on that description it sounds like something has plugged or severely restricted coolant flow through the engine.

Compression can leak into the cooling system with bad headgaskets and force coolant out of the overflow.

[VTEC_Inside]

Compression can leak into the cooling system with bad headgaskets and force coolant out of the overflow.

I am aware of that, but by the same token, coolant could also be pulled into the combustion chambers and manifest as a lingering white sweet smelling smoke out the tailpipe.

I think a compression and leakdown test is in order to try and rule out the headgasket. Then do the same for the cooling system.

[Raza]

It's after the car has been driven for a while, so I'm assuming on a warm engine; too warm, as he's overheating.