1990 Honda Civic low kms. overheated, added water, got it home, tried to start it, water sprayed out of the overflow. put in a new thermostat and added new anti freeze. Car won't start now....sounds like it is going to, but doesn't, and there is a strange clicking noise coming from under the steering wheel near the door panel/trunk release...can't seem to see what is making the noise. Any ideas?
I want you to take a couple of spark plugs out and examine them. If you find Anti-freeze on them then you may have a blown headgasket. A very common problem of driving a car until it overheats. I really do hope im wrong. Since it is an overhead valve engine with the cam shaft above...its a 1000.00 to 1500.00 dollar job to have it properly repaired. From here out im just going to explain why this happens...
When a car overheats - be it a faulty thermostat...low coolant...or a faulty water pump or improper coolant mixture ratio. The engine gets so hot that it actually makes the top of the engine change shape... it actually changes enough to damage the head gasket. The head gasket keeps the explosion inside the combustion chamber. Keeps the water in its coolant jacket. and keeps the oil inside its ports. When the Headgasket fails. Sometimes coolant gets into the oil (makes a milky residue form on the inside of the oil filler cap...or makes the engine oil look like chocolate milk.) or oil gets into the coolant (makes your coolant have an oil slick on top) It can also cause water to get into the combustion chamber and when the engine is running - blast the combustion back into the coolant (causes the coolant overflow to overflow or spray) or oil gets into the combustion chamber causing the plugs to get fouled (dirty). worse case...all the above happens. I hope this helps in figuring this problem out...i really do hope im wrong about a blown headgasket . As even i tremble in fear of it happening to my car. Good Luck!
Ok keep me posted as i am always watching these events as they develop. I'll be quite glad if im wrong and its a simple fix compare to another headgasket repair. 8-)
Bad thing is. if you replace a headgasket yesterday...and it overheats the next day. it is very possible to say "Bye Bye headgasket" again. 8-( Only takes one over - heat to kill em'. And you get lucky if it takes a hit and doesnt leak.
Clicking along with the light flickering? Hmmm. you could remove some suspected fuses one at a time and turn it on auxilary power until the clicking stops.(replacing it after its a -no- and moving on to the next one) Plus this could help pin-point where the real problem lies. Give it a try...can't hurt ! Again...keep me posted and i can help you some more.
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What about it being a relay switch? I read on the internet that it can crack if the engine overheats and cause the car to not start? I'm just wondering about the clicking sound when the key in in auxillary....even before the engine trys to turn over. Also, would the engine sound like it is going to start if the head gasket is blown? I'll have to try to look at the spark plugs...thanks for the help
PS, the head gasket was already done about a year ago.
it seems to be something in the fuse box, when I try to start the car I can hear some sounds like sparking or something from in the fuse box, and also when I turn on the auxillary power I have noticed the clicking noise is going along with the engine light flickering.
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