stumped on girlfriend's car..

[79cutlasssalon442]

My girlfriend has a 2000 honda accord with the VTEC 4 cylinder. I have yet to look at it but she said it overheats. And it started when her, let's say, mechanically disadvantaged father put a heater core in. Is there a way he could have switched the hoses and it's making it overheat? She changed the thermostat and radiator by herself and she did that all right and how it was supposed to be. Someone told her the water pump but shouldnt they leak if they go bad? Atleast that's how a sbc's goes bad.. if anyone has any ideas, im going over after school to check it out. And hopefully find something. And her brother told her there wasnt pressure in the top hose but im not sure yet. Will post more after i look it over.

 

[Dr. Rudy]

Could have an air pocket in from that work on the cooling system, make sure the system is bled properly.

 

[79cutlasssalon442]

Could have an air pocket in from that work on the cooling system, make sure the system is bled properly.

How would we go about making sure it's bled out properly? She says she thinks the fans are coming on so i dont think that's the problem..

 

[tetomas]

Is the thermostat in backwards? The fan sensors are on the engine side of the stat so the fans would work if the stat did not open, but if it does not open no heat removal. Feel the top hose to see if it is hot, too hot to hold your hand on for more than a few seconds, if not the coolant is not circulating. Since the stat was changed and then the trouble started thats where I would start.

 

[jetsetw31]

Hi. Make sure the fans are coming on. Ask her if the car over heats in traffic or on the highway. If it does it in traffic and not on the highway, the fans are not coming on or not correctly. If it does it on the highway then there is may be not enough coolant in there. May be a flow issue if doing it on the highway. Like stated before.
T

 

[79cutlasssalon442]

As of right now it's parked in her driveway. She said it overheats after idling for a few minutes or so. I'll check it out tomorrow. She said she looked up a video and the stat is in right but i'll check. Thanks

 

[marcar1993]

I usually drill a 1/8" hole in the t stat to prevent a pocket of air behind it, this trapped air can cause it not to open. Do check around for a procedure for bleeding the cooling system, most newer cars require it any time you open the system.

 

[-83MONTESS-]

Just because the water pump doesnt leak doesnt mean its not bad even with small blocks. I have seen a Ford waterpump corroded so bad that the impeller was totally gone and sitting at the bottom of the pump in chunks. Dont rule that out.

 

[rustyroger]

It's possible the water pump impeller has sheared from its shaft. Does the heater push out hot Air?, if it overheats after a very short while and doesn't produce any heat then the coolant isn't circulating.
Before you start taking things apart run back through what was done before it started overheating, you might find a simple error that can easily be put right.

Roger.

 

[jetsetw31]

It is essential to find out when exactly when it overheats. Without that info you'll be chasing your tail. Do this before you start the car. Walk up to it and look for leaks by tracing all the hoses. Also, check the level in the coolant tank and the radiator. Then start it up and see when she heats up and how long be fore the fans come on.
The fans not coming on is a common problem in Hondas. A flow problem is uncommon. Looking at the parts that have been changed like stated earlier, will be the way to go if the flow is screwed up.
The Honda water pump does have the "when the seal leaks the bearing is bad" feature. The water pump is run off the timing belt so, it's basically a timing belt change. Not and easy task for basic mechanics, there are quite a few tricks you must be aware of.
T