Honda city 2012 overheating problem

[pwuser152119181238]

Rust has also developed in radiator. The car is with me for last 3/4 yrs. I always changed fluids and other stuff at recommended time and from dealership. Previous owner also maintained it through dealer. I never put tap/distilled water in radiator. Always put Honda genuine type2 coolant that too from dealership. Don't know how did the rust develop in first place.
I'm considering replacing Radiator and water pump. Another advise if you can suggest?

PS: running of car is 8K/10K per year and that too in Islamabad. Don't know how did the rust develop.

[Xulfiqar]

Btw

This engine will overheat without thermostat. And rust can develop very quick if you didnt maintain atleast 40% coolant

[pwuser152119181238]

We will put thermostat back. We removed it just to see if it was blocking the fluid.
I never topped it with water. Just used Honda genuine coolant.

[pwuser152119181238]

@Xulfiqar
@rodgeranhx5170
@shakeel9045

sir the over heating problem has been solved (at least for now). The culprit was radiator. All most all the lines were chocked. I don't know from where did this much rust come. I have this car for last 3/4 yrs. I never noticed coolant loss nor any coolant color change whenever I removed the radiator cap. As said earlier, I never used water for topping up any coolant loss.
Well, for now we have put tap water to see if there is any leakage. After inspecting for 2/3 days, if coolant loss isn't observed, we shall fill it with coolant.
Can anyone please recommend me a good coolant? I personally, am interested in Havoline. But still need suggestion/recommendation.
And how much quantity do I need? (City MT 2012).

[Xulfiqar]

This is not rust but coolant gel, This happens when you mix two different types of coolant. E.g. Old green type with new type like honda or havoline etc.

This gel would also be trapped elsewhere in the system like your heater and also engine block lower areas.

Its a quite a chore to clean this. Assemble the car and run a 10% citric acid solution for 20 minutes and then let it cool completely (2 hours)

Diasssemble hoses and use garden hose to flush everything out (do not blast full hosepioe pressure into engine) when water runs clean, pour some distilled water into it and drain out)

Repeat at other places to make sure everything is clean

Pack it up, test for leaks and fill with coolant. (Use pressure rig at 16 psi to check if it holds pressure)

[pwuser152119181238]

But I never anything in it. Only time I added was pure tap water when it gave first sign of over heating and that too 7/8 days ago. At every oil change, the Honda guys used to top it up (I presume water).
Thank you for your advise, We shall do the flush job tomorrow.
Which coolant would you recommend?

[Xulfiqar]

My recommendation is always caltex/havoline concentrated

Buy half of required quantity and rest can be topped with RO water

E.g. if your car requires 6 litres buy 3 bottles coolant.

To add coolant to engibe, first measure your expansion tank at hot mark, then remove half that measurement from your total coolant concentrate, fill up rest of concentrate into engine and top off with RO water slowly till all air is out, top off expansion bottle to hot mark with RO water too.

Let idle for a few minutes, keep checking for air burp, check heater for hot air, once everything is ok, cap off system and job is done.

P.s. dont forget to install thermostat valve before adding coolant

[Xulfiqar]

Btw

Dont know who or where, but someone added the wrong coolant or literal muddy river water

[pwuser152119181238]

I also don't know. No one uses it other than me and never go to road side mechanic even for oil change. Honda guys used to fill up battery and radiator at oil change. God knows what has happened.

[pwuser152119181238]

We have already installed thermostat valve.

[Xulfiqar]

Top off battery?

Lol

Are we in the 1930s? Next time change the oil yourself, and stay away from idiots with tools

[pwuser152119181238]

I go to AMX Honda, I-9. Technicians over there use to check battery electrolyte level, radiator level, brake oil, clutch oil level and tyre pressure. They use to level things as per recommendation. By top off battery I meant leveling the electrolyte level by adding distilled water.

[Xulfiqar]

I can assure you i drive an 18 yr old car and it doesnt require these “levelling”

It also has oldschool battery too.

Usually dealerships selling such are selling manjann and its best to stay away, e.g. coolant doesnt require topup regularly, i can understand a cup of it once every year or so but every oil change?

Ill be highly suspicious of such

Same with brake fluid

It goes down as brake pads wear down, it will go to minimum level and light up warning lamp, usually at this time the brake pads are at zero life too.

Be wary of such places that keep topping up such.

Take care, be safe and be smart, learn to filter out good from bad.

[pwuser152119181238]

Thank you brother for such tips. Being novice, didn't know such things

[rajaahmed96]

Better to flush your cooling system properly and then add Honda Genuine Type 2 coolant, its blue coloured. Also replace thermostat valve and radiator cap with Honda genuine parts.

[pwuser152119181238]

Dear @Xulfiqar I went through the MSDS (material safety data sheet) of both Honda type 2 coolant (Honda recommended) and that of Havoline/Caltex concentrate.
There is a hell of difference in both products, chemically. While the Caltex has EG (Ethylene glycol) and Potassium 2-ethylhexanoate with no mention of inorganic salts, the Honda one is coming with EG+diethylene glycol. It also has some inorganic salts. It looks like hybrid one. The proprietary/trade secret component of both can't be compared due to lack of information.
Do you think caltex coolant is an equivalent replacement of Honda type 2?
I guess, since both have quite different chemistry, so would work differently. The manufacturer knows which components has been used in engine construction and would use/recommend rust/corrosion repellant accordingly.
Since, I'm novice, you just wanted to have a professional opinion on the subject.

[Xulfiqar]

Honda coolant is a hybrid oat coolant with with phosphated salts as barrier protection, just like mazda green and toyota red, nissan blue, subaru blue etc

Havoline is dexcool coolant which is oat and has no salts to act like barrier salts, meaning it doesnt make powdery coating when dried out and has least electrolytic potential, it relies on a constant coating of liquid coolant to keep protecting.

A great deal lot of manufacturers are going towards oat coolants or a global oat formula e.g. toyota pink or mazda fl22 (rx8 green as hell coolant) which has service life of 200,000 kms

I personally have used the pakistan sold caltex coolant and the highest mileage recorded before I left Pakistan was 90,000 kms on the same coolant I filled for a customer in his 1996 civic.

Do not mix havoline coolant with honda or toyota, to use havoline coolant you need to do a full flush.

[pwuser152119181238]

I purchased havoline coolant today. We have already performed flushing job. Today we would so flushing with citric acid and hope that all the remaining coolant would go off

[pwuser152119181238]

Dear @Xulfiqar
I was reading thread at pakwheels about radiator flush with citric acid. I came across a post in which one of owner having Mitsu. gallant car, got his gasket leaked. You pointed out that his car had already accumulated a lot of rust which when removed by the acid left the holes behind. After reading it, I'm scared now and need your advise

1. The condition of my radiator has been shown in previous post. It had a large amount of sludge/rust God knows from where it did come
2. Should I do acid flush of block and heater cores? I fear these might have got a lot of rust and may cause a headache for me.
   As per your experience, do you think my car's engine and cooling system might be rusty and compromised? (Car is 2012 model, fully maintained by Honda. Always used Honda coolant. Last replacement was done in 2017 by previous owner and I only added water in it for getting radiator cleaning job)

I have got 3 bottles of havoline-caltex coolant and would get it added on Sunday. I was looking to do acid job but now have become suspicious and would need your advise.
Regards

[rajaahmed96]

First flush cooling system then add coolant. Use less concentration of citric acid. Btw its not harsh then the acid used by radiator wala to clean radiator.