Radiator building pressure when cold... CIVIC 06 VTi

[billa69]

oh my bad ...lol
I did study physics in my olevels but you know spending some time with these mechanics really brings your IQ to their level
anyhow is magnitude right ...55 to 60 ?

[billa69]

Excellent advise by Xulfiqar bhai. You need to get rid of the mechanic!!!

On a separate note, change all rubber hoses and inspect the metal one underneath the engine before you go about the change.

Put the thermostat back in and engage the radiator fan switch as well. The engine should be running at operating temperature. If there is air in the system from the head and you want to delay the treatment, remove the pin from the thermostat valve, which will allow air to move about until you fix the issue with the head.

Remember that there is an order and torque with which the head bolts need to be tightened. Use a torque wrench.

thankyou so much for the input , can you further please specify which pin are you talking about

[billa69]

I just did a boiling water test with my Tstat valve and it was opening and closing perfectly, but when it was in the car the car was throwing water out of the radiator as the temperate reached half with the radiator cap open and when I removed it the water is stable but I guess its after removing it that the pressure is being built it the radiator as I didnt notice it happening before

[Angeldust]

Head gasket leak issue.Try to tight head bolts to specific torque as Honda suggest(Nm=Newton meter).

[smartdevil_striker]

Seems like Bolts of Head are loose... get them tighten, i was facing same prob!!

[billa69]

Today I took my car to a Honda 2s dealership for a checkup and the guy there was the most honest mechanic I've ever met...lol
he took a transparent mineral water bottle, filled it half with water and placed in on the top of the radiator neck upside down is such a way that it was air tightened and the top of the water bottle was inside the radiators neck, now he asked me to start the car ,what we observed was that there were just very few bubbles which we could now see clearly in the bottle rising from the radiator and moving up the bottle till the surface of the water ,just one or two bubbles use to come after a delay of 4-5 seconds each and stopped coming altogether like after 45-60seconds,he kept observing it for 2-3 minutes but no bubble appeared and when I switched of the engine again 1 or 2 bubbles were seen in the bottle ,he repeated it again and the results were same therefore he concluded the gasket is okay not that weak, its a very minor fault and it shouldn't bother me much and told me not to get the engine head open again and again,he just asked me to check for the head bolts
but the problem now is those bubbles create too pressure in the radiator and when I open the radiator cap the water erupts like a volcano even when the car is dead cold and left for over night, what I think is if I didnt let the air pressure to escape from the radiator every day it would result in blown hose pipe in future plz tell me is this theory of mine correct ,

other thing is that pressure made up in the radiator causes water to erupt resulting in a loss of water and I think the radiator only requires refilling for that water lost only and it doesnt reduce water on its own

lastly can this pressure which is built up inside the radiator also cause the car to heatup?? if its built up in excess

[billa69]

and that uncle at the honda dealership also told me if in case I opt to replace the headgasket he told me not to get the engine head faced as it would result in severe heatups in future and suggested me to get a carbon/fiber/soft what ever it is called gasket not the metal one

[billa69]

the more mechanics I meet he more confused I get :S

[Angeldust]

You see small air bubble on idle but when you are driving bubbles comes more and more often.After that you have air in your coling system(heating issue) and high pressure(can blow hose pipe or upper plastic top of radiator).Try to tight again the head bolts,if donts work replace bolts and gasket with new.Metal gasket is standard from manufacturer and fiber is standard for that uncle mechanic.Who you trust?

[billa69]

lol , that uncle mechanic was an employee at the authorised Honda dealership and the Honda guys themselves are saying to go for the fiber one
secondly what Im thinking is if the head is faced and the block doesn't needs facing and is straight that only the metal gasket would fit perfectly and if I don't face head it sounds reasonable to go for the fiber one instead as even a 0.1mm difference in the head would cause the compression to leak if the metal gasket is used while but still Im confused :S

[-Sammy-]

do you fill the water resorvoir next to the radiator completely full? if you do then thats the mistake i think , a good amount of distance must be kept away for the pressure to create to suck the water to the radiator, try it there is a mark present on the bottle stating "full" if there isnt just fill up above half and add a bit more and then check, also try driving without ac for a day and check whether there is any pressure built the next day in the radiator or not.. and i too would never suggest facing and also try replacing radiator cap and then try, i hope your problem gets solved soon

[Angeldust]

do you fill the water resorvoir next to the radiator completely full? if you do then thats the mistake i think , a good amount of distance must be kept away for the pressure to create to suck the water to the radiator, try it there is a mark present on the bottle stating "full" if there isnt just fill up above half and add a bit more and then check, also try driving without ac for a day and check whether there is any pressure built the next day in the radiator or not.. and i too would never suggest facing and also try replacing radiator cap and then try, i hope your problem gets solved soon

When you fill the bottle with water to the max(in the midle of the bottle) engine must be HOT in normal temp.When engine is cold water is going again to radiator(the cap has two valve) and the level is reduced to min.And if you have leaked head gasket you have high pressure in the system,water expand to the bottle but can't go again back due to pressure inside.

[Angeldust]

@Billa Head gasket have different size to compensate the head facing.This mechanic can't seal the engine with used bolt maybe and is suggest you for fiber gasket.Please tight the bolts again.

[prince101]

here is the pic of bleeding bolt (Red circle )

[prince101]

Did you find any solution of your problem ??

[billa69]

nop bro not yet as I don't face any sort of heating issue, its just the pressure being building up in the radiator nothing severe alhumdulillah , will go for the gasket change after eid iA, Im sure head gasket is the culprit
do let me know which gasket you're going for ,the metal one or the fibre one

[fahadwizz]

nop bro not yet as I don't face any sort of heating issue, its just the pressure being building up in the radiator nothing severe alhumdulillah , will go for the gasket change after eid iA, Im sure head gasket is the culprit
do let me know which gasket you're going for ,the metal one or the fibre one

Please check your water pump. Open the rad cap start the car and give a little throttle. You should see the water travelling from on side to another .

You can look up my old thread. Last year i had similar problems and trust me 6/7 mechanics i showed my car to suggested head gasket replacement while it was always the pump. Replaced it and the whole pressure problem was solved but the system was still reducing water. So i replaced the radiator even though it wasnt leaking or anything but i just replaced it and guess what.. No more reduction in water level. I now top up every three months which is also very very little.

You should really listen to Xulfiqar. Trust me 99% of the mechanics don't know what they are talking about. Its not the matter of being honest, its just that they are not qualified enough.

[Angeldust]

nop bro not yet as I don't face any sort of heating issue, its just the pressure being building up in the radiator nothing severe alhumdulillah , will go for the gasket change after eid iA, Im sure head gasket is the culprit do let me know which gasket you're going for ,the metal one or the fibre one

Tight the bolts again,its 5 min work.Your upper water hose is going to blow for sure(my experience).

[billa69]

Please check your water pump. Open the rad cap start the car and give a little throttle. You should see the water travelling from on side to another .

You can look up my old thread. Last year i had similar problems and trust me 6/7 mechanics i showed my car to suggested head gasket replacement while it was always the pump. Replaced it and the whole pressure problem was solved but the system was still reducing water. So i replaced the radiator even though it wasnt leaking or anything but i just replaced it and guess what.. No more reduction in water level. I now top up every three months which is also very very little.

You should really listen to Xulfiqar. Trust me 99% of the mechanics don't know what they are talking about. Its not the matter of being honest, its just that they are not qualified enough.

thanks for your concern and sharing your experience brother but waterpump is working absolutely fine , my father had doubt on the waterpump aswell and he checked it thoroughly its working fine bro , I can see the water moving inside the radiator and the formation of foam like substance in the rad after a while which proves its working fine

[billa69]

Tight the bolts again,its 5 min work.Your upper water hose is going to blow for sure(my experience).

can you specify on what magnitude/torque should I tighten the head bolts again and is there some sort of sequence/pattern we have to follow while tightening them