Mystery Cooling System Problem

[xplodn]

So I have a 99 Civic vp edition, with the standard, non-vtec, auto trans. and for the last almost 6 months ive been loosing coolant to an unknown location, not inside or anywhere outside the motor that i could find. And my temperature gauge is all over the place over heating all the way or half way or just normal sometimes. Almost as if it gets mad at me at times. I almost overheated all the way on me today. The radiator keeps spitting out tons of coolant into the overflow, but then never seems to suck it back in and ive finally got proof that its just spilling out of that ( thanks to black light dye). Ive replaced a tons of parts, The radiator, thermostat, hoses, radiator cap again, flushed the system, and even had the4 water pump done. Anyone with any advice or anything similar, please let me know. thanks.

[240slider]

The coolant system may need to be bleed.If you can find one buy a spill free funnel from (snap on or mac tools )fill it with coolant and start the car turn on the heat all the way on recirculate .and if big bubbles come out. leave on the funnel filled with coolant mid way .with the car on .running until the bubbles stop coming up.this will bleed the air out of the system.

[xplodn]

well im pretty sure that its free of air just because its sucked so much coolant in when i replaced it but ill give it a shot.

[jclark]

Sounds like you may have a blown head gasket.

[xplodn]

why do you say that, theres no water inside the engine at all.

[jclark]

It doesn't have to be leaking oil or antifreeze to be a blown headgasket.
The combustion gases may be bypassing the gasket
and pressurizeing your cooling system. It happens.
Sometimes there will be bubbles vissible with the cap off,
that's a tell-tale sign.
Some shops are equipped to test for this by pressurizing the cylinder
to see if there's any by-pass.

It can also suck coolant into the combustion chamber over time,
burning it, and you would not even notice except for it getting lower.
It's not uncommon at all.

[xplodn]

well thanks for the info, im gonna go ahead and pressure test the system, and then do a bleed down test on the cylinders. ill put a post up with what i find out.

[xplodn]

well i did a bleed down test for the cylinders, and found that 3 and 4 are loosing pressure pretty fast. I guess im looking at a new motor, its got 175,000 miles so it might be just worth it. any other ideas??

[jclark]

Well you have a few choices.
1. Rebuild it, that's the best way
2. Buy a good used engine from a junk yard. That's the cheapest way
and some will install it and have a warranty.
3. Buy a remanufactured engine. Maybe just a short block and have the
head machined at a machine shop.

All will work, and work for a long time.
It's all up to your capability and money.
Good luck.

[xplodn]

well today im going to go ahead and dig into it and see what i see, ive got a line on a motor, tranny and ecu with axles that has 50000 on it for $1000, so if i get down to it and see that its more than a head gasket, ill just drop the new one in there. If not, just put a new head gasket on there, i really only need it to go for a little while longer.

[jclark]

You can get a "engine kit" for about $300.00
That's all the bearings, gaskets and rings.
(Something to consider)

[xplodn]

well i pulled the cylinder head and theres blow by between 2 and 3 and blow by going to the water jackets from 3 and 4 not to mention that its warped 10/1000 on the bottom and 12/1000 on the top, so im getting it rebuilt and well see what that does.

[jclark]

Thanks for the info.
Sounds like it was pretty bad, I'm sure you'll get
it "straightened out"

[xplodn]

yeah, well 10/1000 is pretty bad, i guess thats partly cause im in az and its hard to keep a nice car cooled not to mention a car with a problem. I get it all back today so ill see what happens, i just need to make sure its goes back right so i dont blow it up.

[xplodn]

is there a process for getting everything to top dead center???