Civic-EG.com Forum 3.3.1

[teal_dx]

- Mon Dec 03, 2007 4:04 pm #32185 the temp gauge in my hatch would go up from time to time, usually it was on 30 min or longer trips that has hills. Yesterday was the 3rd time it happened, and it was only after 20 mins of driving. So I let it cool and poped off the radiator cap to check the coolant level.

Here's what I saw:





it looked like very fine grey sand was built up on the bottom of the cap, and around the top opening of the radiator.

I scraped as much out as I could:


and this pic I smeared some in my hand, it is not gritty, very smooth.


It was about 1 qt low on coolant.
The motor has about 4k miles on it now, D16z6 forged internals, ARP studs, OEM headgasket, waterpump, stock head. been running it N/A to break it in & been having a couple issues with the bearings... now this
I'm thinking it's a leaking headgasket and this stuff is some kind of carbon deposit that floated to the top of the radiator?

Do Not PM me your technical questions. Post them in the forum!
My 1992 SOHC Turbo Hatch
My Youtube Channel: 6th Gear Garage

- Mon Dec 03, 2007 5:49 pm #32195 stop leak???

AIM-TheApathyWithin
www.myspace.com/kevyisawesome

[teal_dx]

- Mon Dec 03, 2007 6:03 pm #32199 I bought the radiator a few years abo new from autozone. I have never put anything in besides coolant.

Do Not PM me your technical questions. Post them in the forum!
My 1992 SOHC Turbo Hatch
My Youtube Channel: 6th Gear Garage

- Mon Dec 03, 2007 8:02 pm #32203 i'm affraid its your headgasket... a buddy of my had the same grey stuff and his gasket wasn't good anymore..

but dont hang me if i'm wrong

- Mon Dec 03, 2007 9:31 pm #32209 brian man your fingers are freakish-ly long but yeah i had similar stuff in mine after the headgasket blew

- Mon Dec 03, 2007 10:06 pm #32217 lookes like a blown head gasket.

my build: http://civic-eg.com/viewtopic.php?t=1734

- Sun Dec 16, 2007 8:58 am #33937

lookes like a blown head gasket.

dont get me wrong, it most likely is the headgasket. BUT iv seen many ot her reasons why a radiator looks like that...

dont drive untuned!

[ohDirka]

- Sun Dec 16, 2007 4:41 pm #33965 I dont know what that stuff is...I got it in my radiator just after I changed head gaskets so I'm thinkin thats not it. is your overflow tank dirty?

Race cars are like boats I guess. Time to bust out another thousand.

[ChicagoMike]

- Sun Dec 16, 2007 5:08 pm #33969 I think you just need to flush the system. I had the same problem with mine, but I was running just water.....not coolant. Since I've flushed the system I've switched over to distilled water, and something called Water Wetter. Havent had a problem since.

Do a leak down test to make sure everythings okay inside the motor, that'll tell ya if your headgasket is fubar'd.

------> ALL MOTOR <------
♫ d(-.-)b TRANCE d(-.-)b ♫

- Sun Dec 16, 2007 8:13 pm #34026

I think you just need to flush the system. I had the same problem with mine, but I was running just water.....not coolant. Since I've flushed the system I've switched over to distilled water, and something called Water Wetter. Havent had a problem since.

Do a leak down test to make sure everythings okay inside the motor, that'll tell ya if your headgasket is fubar'd.

x2...

dont drive untuned!