Dear friends,
3 years back I bought honda civic 96 exi. It was my first experience so there were many precautions that i didn't take at the time of purchasing. I had to spend alot on the front and rear suspension.
Unfortunately the oil gauge stick was not original and smaller in size and i had no idea about it. I kept on pouring oil and the stick would show low oil. Cutting long story short i got the engine overhauled. Another mistake i made was that i wasn't at the mechanic at the time of overhaul. According to bill that he handed over to me rings, seals, valves, timing belt were changed. The mechanic used ZIC A+ which i have been using since then and the oil level remained at its normal level, which i think is the sign that mechanic did a good job as this grade oil never dropped its level.
Couple of months back the radiator pipe blew and so did gasket. This time i tried a different mechanic. When the engine block was opened (i don't exactly know the parts name) and the part where water circulates had wooden pieces in it fixed with some glue i think magic. I dont know why the previous owner did this but anyways new gasket was installed and radiator was serviced. But after that the temp gauge would rise till half and then slow at about 75%. Yesterday i was on my way to airport to drop my family and the temp rose to top. I had to catch the flight so drove till i found a safe place to park there i locked the car and took a cab. Now i think i'm left with no option but to again open the engine block and get everything done. I'm planning to go to "Rashid auto workshop, Tipu road rawalpindi" (recommended by a friend).
The questions are : Should I go for overhaul again or should i change the assembly ( i am on a tight budget). And if I'm left with no choice but to swap, what things should I keep in mind? How would I know if the other assembly or engine had never been repaired or overhauled and will be trouble free? Is there any good mechanic who is expert in honda? How much would all this cost me approx?
Waiting for you valuable suggestions...