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Overheating 2000cc petrol manual (2004 model)

accord player

accord player

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newcastle
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accord tourer exec
My Accord disgraced itself this weekend and is currently being recovered on a flat bed. Appreciate your suggestions as to root cause or knowledge of known weak spots in the cooling system.

Temp gauge rises to 3/4 only when climbing a hill. It was running fine at motorway speeds with 4 passengers plus luggage prior to this.

Pressure is building in the rad and pumping coolant into the rad reserve tank. Res tank then overflows out the cap - plus about 1litre of coolant is now in the res tank, not the rad, exacerbating the problem.

RAC dont know if its head gasket (explains the pressure and extreme coolant temp) but the fans are pulling cool air through the rad even at idle, which would suggets a blocked rad? Certainly the rad is the steel orginal and has significant fin damage - but it was working fine last week with the same fin damage!(Why didnt Honda use aluminium rads - its not a vintage car!)

Other sources could be water pump impeller?

Its not the thermostat as you can feel the hose warm when it opens from cold start

I will be pretty upset if its the head gasket - its a honda with 50K miles on it! So much for unbustable cars....
 
Hi Dave

sorry to hear that, TBH this is the first case i've heard of the 7th gen over heating. I would check simple things first and ensure things like the fan belt have not snapped etc. If it has then that would not drive the water pump but RAC would of seen that?
Blocked Rad is not common on these and for that miledge I wouldn't expect it. Do you have full service history to backup the miledge?

Check for leaks around hoses but if the car has begun to heat up on hills then maybe the water pump is to blame which again is a very uncommon problem. Without seeing the car I can't recommend anything else

Do keep us updated and good luck pal, I hiope it's something small and can be fixed easily
 
If the head gasket is leaking compression into the cooling system, then the radiator header tank will smell of exhaust fumes.

It could be the water pump impeller or a blocked rad, but it might still be the thermostat failing to open fully.
 
Thermostat i would also say but this is not common to go.
I would flush your coolant out with a hose to clean any rust deposits 1st as this might be blocking the rad.
Then add genuine Honda coolant and see if this make a difference.
 
Either Water pump or thermostat, replace both with Honda coolant if its still doing it then who knows!!
 
Use an original stat aswell, I've heard of blueprint stuff not opening until 90+
 
OK here's the latest. pulled the plugs and all the same colour so unlikely to be head gasket. Drained down the system and loads of silt came out. I don't think that coolant has ever been changed and this car has fhsh. That said fluid changes are always over looked when break time or home time is coming - seen that many times
when I worked at a vauxhall dealer. Flushed it and refilled. Now I can't replicate the problem so hopefully just a bit of neglect. only time will tell. FYI the air con condenser is in front of the rad so I have a grotty looking condenser which is working fine! Thanks for all your replies. Will post again if the old girl lets me down again
 
Sounds like a good result there pal. However don't forget the thermostat as it could have been damaged from all that dirty water. Might be worth just changing that as a precaution.
Do keep us updated.
 
The accord coolant is actually on a 10 year service change according to the service guide! I think due to this it would be beneficial for all to change their coolant a wee bit earlier. Plus honda no longer do the green coolant apparently, its all new blue stuff so even though they say its fine to top up green with blue, you'd be better to change all for the new blue stuff. I'd also agree and say a new thermostat wouldn't go a miss at this point either since you're flushing the entire system.

Had you're car temp started to rise as soon as you park up, but cool down as soon as you start moving again i'd have also pointed to the thermostat as being the problem
 
Not a happy bunny today

After a good flushing & fresh coolant 6 weeks ago, the old girl has run fine until today, but has cooked herself again, so my original problem is obviously not fixed.

Question is what to replace first?

I dont think its the water pump as you can see flow through the rad with the cap off. And why would a blocked rad cook at random - after a flush?

Based on feedback above - & lowest cost option, Im going with the thermostat first, although its a long shot, as the only way it could be the cause is if its only partially opening occasionally - enough for some flow but insufficient when it needs more?

Any comments appreciated as once you lose faith in a cars reliability, its time to move it on...
 
Well it seems the new thermostat has done the job. Running fine now. A lot cheaper bill than for a new rad too!

Im sure that the 10 year coolant change policy was the root cause here. The stat was sticking and had some signs of corrosion appearing. Anyway new coolant in now too, so all good!
 
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