October 23rd, 2016, 08:06 PM | #1 |
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Car trouble while flushing coolant
Thermostat went bad so I decided to flush the coolant while I was in there. It was pretty clean so I flushed it with distilled water only twice and it came out crystal clear. However, the second time I flushed it, as I was filling it, it foamed a bit. It looked like soapy suds. It did not do this with the first flush, or when I was filling it with coolant. I've heard that this is a symptom of head gasket failure, but it may have been air bubbles + old coolant? What do you folks think?
Also, its a 1997 Honda civic. Old coolant was a dark, opaque green, but it didn't have any oil in it ( at least it didnt seem to. Coolant + oil separates because they're polar and nonpolar, correct? Similar to oil and water) I'd love to hear your thoughts. |
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October 23rd, 2016, 08:18 PM | #2 |
The Corner Whisperer
Name: Chris (aka Reactor)
Location: Northern KY
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Try again... most likely improper coolant system burping (yes even on cages).
Google how to burp the coolant system on your cage. Some cars/trucks are incredibly hard to get all the air out of the system. Pro tip: Turn the heater on full blast and bring the vehicle up to operating temp before finishing the final burp. Stubborn vehicles need the engine revved a few times or the system opened in multiple places to force out of an hydrolock. :\ Be prepared to clean up spilled coolant. :\
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October 23rd, 2016, 08:41 PM | #3 |
Guy Who Enjoys Riding
Name: Jim
Location: North Carolina
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When you saw the foam, was the engine running? Foaming coolant is a symptom of head gasket failure, but happens when the engine is running.
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October 23rd, 2016, 08:56 PM | #4 | ||
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Quote:
Quote:
I have had success with k-seal/bars copper (same stuff) with issues bigger than this. I'll put some in for good measure. And by some, I mean some. I know it can clog stuff if you put a lot in and leave it there for a long time. If someone does have an opposing view, I'll gladly listen though. |
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October 23rd, 2016, 09:00 PM | #5 | |
The Corner Whisperer
Name: Chris (aka Reactor)
Location: Northern KY
Join Date: May 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2010 250 (track), 1992 250, 2006 R6 (street/track), 2008 R6 (track) Posts: Too much.
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Quote:
Sorry, I mean hydrolock by pressures affecting how the coolant system flows air in and out. For example, my 250 will not completely drain ALL coolant unless opened up at the cap as well as the drain bolt. 2 breaks in the overall system seal. What kinda car you got?
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October 23rd, 2016, 09:10 PM | #6 | |
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Quote:
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October 24th, 2016, 04:37 AM | #7 |
The Corner Whisperer
Name: Chris (aka Reactor)
Location: Northern KY
Join Date: May 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2010 250 (track), 1992 250, 2006 R6 (street/track), 2008 R6 (track) Posts: Too much.
MOTY 2015, MOTM - Nov '12, Nov '13
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Cool, iirc civic's have a coolant system bleeder valve to do the final burp with the car at full operating temp.
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October 24th, 2016, 07:02 PM | #8 |
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October 25th, 2016, 07:56 AM | #9 |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: Frugal
Location: Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW)
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Most cooling systems rely on pressurization from thermal expansion against the radiator cap as part of their strategy to prevent steam pockets and pump cavitation. It's possible that running the engine without the cap would allow the water pump to cavitate, and that cavitation would definitely produce foam.
A head gasket failure to the cooling system has two main symptoms: Coolant gets pushed out of the system through the overflow bottle because combustion pressure is far higher than cooling system pressure, and steam/sweet-smelling exhaust as coolant is sucked into the cylinder on the intake stroke. A quick check for that problem is to pull the plugs. A coolant leak into a cylinder will clean all the carbon off one plug so that it will be much, much cleaner than the other plugs. If you have an inspection camera you can look at the piston tops and the affected piston top will also be very clean compared to the others. If your local shop has an exhaust gas analyzer they can stick the probe into the airspace at the top of the overflow bottle and see if the machine picks up combustion byproducts like HC, CO, and NOx. If it does then that's a definite indicator of a head gasket problem. |
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