Hey all.
I just installed a new thermostat in my 85 1.5 civic after running without one for some time. It is running a little hot still and smoking really bad and it has never smoked before. Any suggestions to why the thermostat has caused this?
Thanks!

what color smoke?

Sounds like your head gasket was about to croak and all it took was the added pressure of the thermostat to send it plummeting over the edge.

if it's your head gasket, you can pull your dip stick and inspect the oil. oil + anti-freeze = cloudy, looks like chocolate milk.

sounds like a head gasket if you have smoke and overheating. :frown:

Yea thats what I was afraid you guys would say. Its definately oil burning. I am going to take the thermostat back out and see if a miracle happens, but if its blown is it a hard fix removing the head? I was putting the car up for sale and thats why I reinstalled the thermostat. Looks like I screwed myself.

Well I took it back out and ran it and no more smoke, but just a very tiny puff at the exhaust so I pray it didnt weaken when I had the thermostat in there. Thanks for the quick answers guys!

i have had a lot of experience with bad head gaskets as my old motor had a warped head. little piece of advice, from the time you see the beginning stages you have about 6 weeks of daily driving until your car becomes completely undriveable...

a friend and I just picked up a 78 civic wagon. when we test drove it it ran pretty good. when we came back the next day and drove it to the insurance place it ran fine. after we got it home there was some white smoke at start up. it got worse from there. so we spent yesterday replacing the head gasket, we also did the timing belt 'cause it haden't been replaced in at least 100k miles, it already had cracks forming. you might as well replace the gasket, it's hard to seel a car with a blown head gasket.