94 Accord overheating

[flyvpnavy]

I have a 94 Accord that seems to be doing what some others have experienced.

With a cold engine my temp gauge will read normal (between 1/4 and 1/2) in about 1 minute. Eventually while idiling it will start to rise above 1/2. I can turn on the heat and it drops. Once the needle even dropped instantly from about 3/4 to below 1/2. Living in south Florida I usually have the A/C on all the time. Once I start driving the temp gauge drops to normal. I never see gauge rise while driving, unless driving slowly on I-95 in 20 mph traffic. I've heard it run after I stop the car and at other times it doesn't run after stopping. I've checked and both fans run when I hit the A/C. I'm not sure if its the thermostat or the fan relay. Any thoughts? I've replaced a thermostat in my wifes 92 Accord several years ago so I know that is easy to do, how about replacing the fan relays?

Thanks

[phantastic1]

if both fans do work when a/c is turned on...i doubt the relay is a problem since power is apparent when a/c is turned on. if you want to checked the relay...disconnect the relay and run direct power (+ to one contact & - to the other) to the continuous side w/ 12v and listen for a click. no click means bad relay. it could also be the engine coolant temp sensor. don't know if you done this already...but also check lvl of coolant.

[flyvpnavy]

Both fans do work. This morning before I started the engine I checked by switching key on and turning on the A/C, both fans came on (visually checked that both were spinning).

Two questions:
1. How hard is the temp sensor to change?
2. Without a users manual with the car, and only having bought the car a month ago I'm not sure what the level of coolant should be. If I open the radiator cap should I be able to see the coolant or should it be below whatever the metal is I see when I open the cap?

Thanks!!

[AccordCodger]

2. Coolant all the way to the top. You shouldn't be able to see the core.

[lorunner]

Sounds like a stuck open thermostat. Being in hot weather and the car is idling it will start to overhead. Once you start moving the wind through the radiator cools it down.

[flyvpnavy]

Would that also cause the cooling fan to not cut on when it starts to overheat? The only time my fan kicks on is when the A/C turns on.

[AccordCodger]

Sounds like a stuck open thermostat. Being in hot weather and the car is idling it will start to overhead. Once you start moving the wind through the radiator cools it down.

That's not correct, lorunner. A stuck open thermostat will just make it SLOWER to warm up from cold.

If the colling fan doesn't come on, sure enough - it'll overheat (eventually). Since both fans DO come on when you turn the a/c on, I'd suspect one of the temp sensors, as you originally suspected, flyvpnavy.