Getting back home from Chicago and either I blew a headgasket or the heater core went. I've got overheating issues in the CRX. I figured I would get my Golf out... and It refuses to start for whatever reason.

well where is the coolant leaking from?

I can't find coolant leaking anywhere. No coolant in the oil either... but it's overheating and those are my guesses despite that.

Thermostat would be my first guess from the info you've given.

Look at the simplest thing first. Is the thermostat stuck closed?

It's typically a very very cheap replacement to do on your own. Usually only 2 bolts.

The fan is another possibility. Does it go on? If you have AC, turn it on and see if the fan turns on. If not, let the car idle until it gets up to operating temp and see if the fan goes on.

It's about 5 degrees here, if it was overheating while he was moving, it's not the fan.

Sounds like what happened to my wife's old Intrepid before we let it disappear.

Fan is working. Thermostat completely slipped my mind since I recently had the coolant flushed. I hope its not similar to the Golf where you have to drain the coolant and remove the power steering pump to get to it.

Fan is working. Thermostat completely slipped my mind since I recently had the coolant flushed. I hope its not similar to the Golf where you have to drain the coolant and remove the power steering pump to get to it.

You probably have to drain at least some coolant, but I think on Hondas it's an easy switch once you get the hoses off.

Agreed with everyone else here, check the Theremostat.

Thermostat is usually a $10/10 minute job. Unless you're working on a 96 Sebring, then you have to yank half the engine apart.

or it's a Honda from the 80's or 90's with the 2L engine, and you have to take the intake off to get to the hose mount.

Haven't had any progress, but I've been more worried with finding vehicles to borrow for work. Atleast with the Golf, it seems like the battery just bit the dust and is causing its electrical issues.

Get an $80 battery.

This is why I like being able to have interchangeable batteries.

And a Hotshot in the trunk. Thats works as a spare battery in a pinch.

Agreed with everyone else here, check the Theremostat.

+1

So wudya find the problem was?

Finally, my days off have aligned with sunshine.

New thermostat is in, but its not fixed yet. I'm hoping there's just trapped air from opening it up. In that case, I'll need to put it through a few warming/cooling cycles before I know. I definitely have differing temps between the upper radiator hose and the lower radiator hose.

Otherwise, the Golf is done... Finished... Over... Kaput. I'm not putting any more money into it at this point and currently, It's not drivable from a safety standpoint. The power steering pump died, the rear struts are blown, the fuel pump needs replaced, a wheel bearing just went out, and it needs a full tune up. I already have more in this car than I ever should have put into it... nearly twice blue book value, and I really don't feel like adding to a lost cause. If I can't get the CRX going by tomorrow, I'm going to have to speed up my car search and just settle for something... anything.

Get a Prizm, cheap, reliable, manuals are easy to find.

I refuse to purchase another cheap car without something else on hand.Essentially, I'll just be less picky in what I buy. I might consider an automatic!

Get a Prizm, cheap, reliable, manuals are easy to find.

+1

I refuse to purchase another cheap car without something else on hand.Essentially, I'll just be less picky in what I buy. I might consider an automatic!

I dunno, if you're having difficulty financing and difficulty getting around in what you have, then I think a good place to start is a car you can buy without a loan, and one that will reliably get you around. A Prizm (or Corolla but they're more expensive) fits the bill perfectly.

Don't do that Cubie, YJ might get jealous. We don't want him to think we don't think he is worthy of the white Accord anymore.

BV, have you considered an early 90's Grand Am or possibly a Mazda Milennia?

Maybe it's not a favorite suggestion but what about a pickup truck/SUV from the late 1990s- bulletproof powertrain at least if not an ideal type of vehicle for you.

I dunno, if you're having difficulty financing and difficulty getting around in what you have, then I think a good place to start is a car you can buy without a loan, and one that will reliably get you around. A Prizm (or Corolla but they're more expensive) fits the bill perfectly.

I'll make financing work one or the other... I just might not go through my credit union in doing so.

*white accord picture*

I've looked at coupes with the V6 and a stick, I could probably live with one. Though, that would also mean I'd have two, TWO, white Honda's in the drive-way, which may turn me into a Honda-humper. Beware!

So I've figure out the problem... I feel less intelligent for it, as well. Radiator leak. Coolant wasn't flowing because there wasn't any coolant to flow. I'm not entirely sure when and where the leak developed. Apparently, what threw me off was the full coolant reservoir, which must be nothing more than an overflow? Regardless, tried adding coolant directly to the radiator and, sure enough, it started leaking back out around the bottom left corner. This isn't quite the easy fix I was hoping for.

So I've figure out the problem... I feel less intelligent for it, as well. Radiator leak. Coolant wasn't flowing because there wasn't any coolant to flow. I'm not entirely sure when and where the leak developed. Apparently, what threw me off was the full coolant reservoir, which must be nothing more than an overflow? Regardless, tried adding coolant directly to the radiator and, sure enough, it started leaking back out around the bottom left corner. This isn't quite the easy fix I was hoping for.

Radiator swap should be fairly easy. I did it on the Toronado in about 2 hours and I have transmission cooler lines that hook up to mine.

That the coolant reservoir fooled you is an indicator that your radiator cap could be bad... or it could be that due to the leak the radiator couldn't build up enough negative pressure to draw excess coolant back into the system and instead just sucked air through whatever hole you have in the unit. Radiator caps are cheap. Get a new one when you replace the radiator itself.

While you have everything apart, if the lower radiator hose is easy to access, just replace it while you're under there. You have no idea how long it's been there.

Also, I decided to get out the ol' rattle can and touch up the paint.

May I suggest http://www.rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=31

Get some before photos, and don't forget the clear coat!