URGENT!! temp gauge go to the MAX, PLS HELP!!!

[m2h]

Good morning everyone, yesterday when i pick up the car from the work shop, the car have a little problem, the fan dont work, so i get my car back to check and they couldnt find out, but when the air cond is turned on, the fan will work and because they are going to close, so they tell me to drive home with the air cond first and come back tmr. SO i do that, and its fine b4 highway. When i go to the high way, the temp suddenly rise so quick, and not in a minute, the temp gauge already pass the HOT, it goes to the max already, so i decided to stop the car and open the bonnet and let it cool down.. i wait for an hour and the temp still didnt move down, and its only about 10 mins to my home, so i take the risk to go home first. i get there and SEEMS nothing wrong, so i leave the car for a few hours. after dinner, i go back to my car and check, the temp was cooled. so i start the engine again, then the temp gauge start to rise crazy, not in a minute, the car didnt even move, didnt even rev it, it goes from cold to the max hot again........ so i have no idea whats the problem..... and i couldnt drive back to the workshop , what should i do? and i also want to know isnt when the temp goes too hot, the water in the radiator will steam out and leak? mine doesnt and seems normal, or is it not normal? is it just the temp gauge playing on me? need help urgently, thanks to every oz honda members !!!!!!

[madjace]

I am no expert but if the temp guage goes to red hot and the radiatir is cold then the sensor or guage must be rooted . ( is my logic ok here ) any way that would be my first guess.

[blackek]

im thinking maybe the sensor problem?!!? not 2 sure

[m2h]

Any ways to help me to check if the car is really over heated or not?? like what will happen when the car goes over heated?? not by looking the temp guage? it sucks.... i cant go anywhere, the guage will go the the MAX when the car just start and idle, all happen in a minute :thumbdwn:

my other guess, could it be the water pump not working? any ways to check that?
or blockage in the horse? again any ways to check?

i am so worrying .................................................. .....................
oh btw, my car is an integra vtir

[IRI]

Do you notice ant leaking anywhere? In or outside of the car? What is the coolant level?

[m2h]

From what i see, seems no leaking and the level in the tank is full, in the other (revisor?? spellling) tank is half way between low and max

[IRI]

When your car is on, is the radiator under pressure? with car on take off radiator cap (be careful), does it feel like its pressurised?
If no pressure probably the water pump....
This happened with my old car, but turned out to be the heater core and all the coolant leaked inside the car....

[m2h]

OK i just did a test, i start the car, stand infront of the engine watching it, and wait till the gauge rise to Hot and turn off, the radiator is normal, not very hot, the engine seems to be allright, nothing weird happen, but just the guage rise to hot........ why is this happening? is that mean its ok to drive back to teh workshop and let them fix?

[m2h]

Thanks IRI
OK, so i start the car first then take off the radiator cap? or do i take off the radiator cap first then start the car? how does it feels like when it is pressurised? i will feel it while i take off the cap?

[Weq]

Look inside the radiator. Do u see the coolant flowing? Are both the top and bottom hoses hot? Who is the stupid workshop who doesnt know how to jump the thermofan connector to make it stay on all the time?

Weather or not the sensor is rooted is hard to say.. they are usaully quite reliable..

[m2h]

um.......... i am not sure, i dont knwo how to look if its flowing or not........ but when i open the cap, the coolant stay there........ doesn't seems like flowing.. is it very noticable? or can i put my finger in and feel if its flowing?
oh and the hoses, the top one gets hot, but the bottom one doesnt

[Savant]

thermostat stuck closed?

[flipmods]

Yeh I would change the thermostat. I have had 3 civics play up i the past month, 1 was the thermostat and fan, 1 was the temperature switch and the other was just low in coolant.

Doesn't sound like the fan cause the car shouldn't overheat when initialy starting the car from cold it is most probably the thermostat.

[bumography]

hi
i have the same problem almost.

i've changed the thermo (not genuine honda) and its still CRAP, no good might have to change again.
Also, i've changed teh sensor. frmo honda was like 60-80 bucks! still the same problem
:(

[m2h]

is the thermostat able to be DIY? i am not a mechanic, i just need to run the car from my home back to the work shop

[bumography]

to change the thermostat
u'd need to drain your coolant
then put it in again
=D

[m2h]

in this case, is the car still drivable? or will i blow the engine?

[bumography]

hey i've been driving for over a 2 months with my temperature guage on max (but i can feel my baby wasnt hot! just the guage!)
hm.. (even on 37 degree day for cruise)
u can tell by opening the bonnet whether its too hot
i had a mechanical temperature guage installed but it broke off
i'm going to install another temperature guage because its scary sometimes having the temperature too high

if your temperature guage rises that fast, maybe you should check your ground connections, transmission.. engine?

I know this isnt relevant. but i have a mazda 626 1984 model. I drove with no coolent and teperature at MAX for about 30 minutes. smelled things burning yes.. but it was fine....... for the next few months until the gasket blew. resulting in rebuild =D

I say.. drive your car if believe in her.
lol

[ECU-MAN]

sounds like your guage/sender is at fault.

[gambate]

Who is the stupid workshop who doesnt know how to jump the thermofan connector to make it stay on all the time?
how? :o

[STOCK]

how? :o
two ways,
1. jump high current power source straight to the +ve side of the thermo fan wires

2. give the thermo fan relay a +ve trigger to close the circuit to activate the fan

But only do this as a last resort and only if you know what your doing ;) Best have a "good" mechanic check it out first before you do a bandaid fix and **** more things up if your only guessing.