1997 honda civic hardstart

Jeffrey D. wrote:
> I had the overheating a year ago. I don't have any clue actually if
> the flashing of the oil pressure and battery lights are symptoms of
> overheating now but according to the technician who helped tow the
> car, it was due to overheating. Here's the big BUT: the temperature
> gauge DID not rose to the maximum indicating that i really have the
> problem of overheating.

it won't if the coolant level has dropped to far - insufficient coolant
level, no reading!

> The car's engine just turned off after
> flashing the two lights - oil pressure and battery lights...What is
> this indication? Overheating or O2 sensor failure?
>
> I have difficulty understanding if this is overheating since I have
> still lots of water remaining in the radiator (about 3 liters left and
> 1 liter was gone due to the small leaks). Probably the engine turned
> off because there's just too much air pressure already in the cooling
> system? How about head gasket failure?

hondas are very intolerant of low coolant levels. it's got to be filled
to the top. all the time. check regularly. if you start losing
coolant at any time, you got to fix the leak. gets expensive if
ignored, as you've shown.


>
> When the two lights are on, what happened is that the brakes and gas
> pedals are disabled making it difficult to stop the car using its own
> brake. I have to use the parking or hand brake to stop the car.
>

that could be because there is too much blow-back reducing the manifold
vacuum and thus the brake assist. got to stop trying to drive this
thing until you get it fixed.

On Jan 15, 11:05 pm, jim beam > wrote:
> Jeffrey D. wrote:
> > I had the overheating a year ago. I don't have any clue actually if
> > the flashing of the oil pressure and battery lights are symptoms of
> > overheating now but according to the technician who helped tow the
> > car, it was due to overheating. Here's the big BUT: the temperature
> > gauge DID not rose to the maximum indicating that i really have the
> > problem of overheating.
>
> it won't if the coolant level has dropped to far - insufficient coolant
> level, no reading!


Objection!!! First off, pressurized coolant steam is hotter than
heated coolant. Secondly, the heat of vaporization released upon the
condensation of steam on the gauge sender's probe causes it to be
heated much more than does the same quantity of heated said liquid.

It's fundamental physics, baby!!


> hondas are very intolerant of low coolant levels. it's got to be filled
> to the top.

Correct!! That's why Honda's coolant temperature sensor and coolant
temp gauge sender are located at the highest point of the cooling
system. Are yours at the radiator's drain bolt? haha...

Now, do you really think they are at the top so that when the coolant
level starts to drop the gauge sender will stop reading? Cause, look
ma! there's nothing to read!!

And exactly where the gauge is at should the sender stops reading?

wrote:
> On Jan 15, 11:05 pm, jim beam > wrote:
>> Jeffrey D. wrote:
>>> I had the overheating a year ago. I don't have any clue actually if
>>> the flashing of the oil pressure and battery lights are symptoms of
>>> overheating now but according to the technician who helped tow the
>>> car, it was due to overheating. Here's the big BUT: the temperature
>>> gauge DID not rose to the maximum indicating that i really have the
>>> problem of overheating.
>> it won't if the coolant level has dropped to far - insufficient coolant
>> level, no reading!
>
>
> Objection!!! First off, pressurized coolant steam is hotter than
> heated coolant. Secondly, the heat of vaporization released upon the
> condensation of steam on the gauge sender's probe causes it to be
> heated much more than does the same quantity of heated said liquid.
>
> It's fundamental physics, baby!!

yeah? well get your fundamental physics around the fact that the
thermal conductivity of the metal sheath around the sensor exceeds that
of a non-flowing gas, but /not/ that of flowing liquid with a specific
heat capacity > 2 J g^−1 K^−1.


>
>
>> hondas are very intolerant of low coolant levels. it's got to be filled
>> to the top.
>
> Correct!! That's why Honda's coolant temperature sensor and coolant
> temp gauge sender are located at the highest point of the cooling
> system. Are yours at the radiator's drain bolt? haha...
>
> Now, do you really think they are at the top so that when the coolant
> level starts to drop the gauge sender will stop reading? Cause, look
> ma! there's nothing to read!!
>
> And exactly where the gauge is at should the sender stops reading?

er, heat rises buddy. both liquids and gases. you want to know how hot
the hot stuff is? you put the sensor at the top.

On Jan 16, 12:14 am, jim beam > wrote:

> heat capacity > 2 J g^-1 K^-1.
>

You're definitely confused, my friend. This formula applies for black-
body spectrum calculation and it's got nothing to do with
thermodynamics

wrote:
> On Jan 16, 12:14 am, jim beam > wrote:
>
>> heat capacity > 2 J g^-1 K^-1.
>>
>
> You're definitely confused, my friend. This formula applies for black-
> body spectrum calculation and it's got nothing to do with
> thermodynamics
>

1. that's not a formula, that's a specific heat capacity.
2. black body spectrum is for radiation, not conduction.
3. heat capacity is really not thermodynamics.

nothing personal because it's not your fault, but you evidence how our
education system stinks. no wonder we have to import engineers from
chindia.

Guys,

To fix my current problem, it turns out from my calculations I will be
spending less if I have to buy surplus cylinder parts, cam shafts
including rocker arms (at USD340) than buying the whole engine (at
least USD1100 to more than USD2000 JDM parts). I saw from another post
here that the base would cost at USD800. What do you mean by the way
with the base?

The labor cost for overhauling the engine here is just about USD190
(total). I am not sure if this is a cheap labor cost for overhauling
engines...

Would you recommend the surplus parts which are cheaper???

I just like to keep this car running in short distances and have
planned already to buy a new one for longer trips.

cheers!
JD

Jeffrey D. wrote:
> Guys,
>
> To fix my current problem, it turns out from my calculations I will be
> spending less if I have to buy surplus cylinder parts, cam shafts
> including rocker arms (at USD340) than buying the whole engine (at
> least USD1100 to more than USD2000 JDM parts). I saw from another post
> here that the base would cost at USD800. What do you mean by the way
> with the base?
>
> The labor cost for overhauling the engine here is just about USD190
> (total). I am not sure if this is a cheap labor cost for overhauling
> engines...

but you'd still have the reliability problem. and if labor is so cheap,
fitting the new engine will be even cheaper.


>
> Would you recommend the surplus parts which are cheaper???
>
> I just like to keep this car running in short distances and have
> planned already to buy a new one for longer trips.
>
> cheers!
> JD

google for "jdm honda engine" and you'll find a bunch of people selling
low mileage used japanese engines for $400-$500usd, [for the basic ones.
the performance engines cost more]. that is the whole motor, no need
to disassemble, no missing parts, with warranty.

On Jan 16, 8:43 am, jim beam > wrote:
> wrote:
> > On Jan 16, 12:14 am, jim beam > wrote:
>
> >> heat capacity > 2 J g^-1 K^-1.
>
> > You're definitely confused, my friend. This formula applies for black-
> > body spectrum calculation and it's got nothing to do with
> > thermodynamics
>
> 1. that's not a formula, that's a specific heat capacity.
> 2. black body spectrum is for radiation, not conduction.
> 3. heat capacity is really not thermodynamics.
>
> nothing personal because it's not your fault, but you evidence how our
> education system stinks. no wonder we have to import engineers from
> chindia.


bwahaha..you didn't get it!!

Thanks guys for the input. I appreciate them all!

Peace to you all and God bless!

JD