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SOLVED 2004 ACURA TSX OVERHEATING


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austink
Novice

Jun 27, 2023, 6:46 AM

Post #1 of 10 (1108 views)
  post locked   SOLVED 2004 ACURA TSX OVERHEATING  

2004
ACURA
TSX
2.4L 4cyl
214,000 miles

I have a 2004 Acura TSX. Last year I had flushed the cooling system and repaired the AC system. I had replaced the compressor, condenser, and evaporator core. To get to the condenser, I had to partially disconnect the radiator and move it back to get to it. Since reconnecting and refilling the system, I had issues with overheating. The system was getting hot while idling. I troubleshooted this incorrectly to be the thermostat. I replaced the thermostat and the problem still persisted. I then went ahead and replaced the entire radiator. Still to no avail. After refilling and purging, the engine is still overheating.
I have checked the hoses coming into the heater core, and they are cool in relation to the radiator, even with the control valve opened up.

My question is I'm now to two items at hand: the water pump or the heater core.
Now after replacing the radiator, I have no heat at all in the cabin. Before, it was hit or miss.
Do you have any ideas? is this logic wrong?

When I last ran the vehicle, there was a bubbling feeling in the inlet of heater core at the engine side before the control valve ( the engine outlet).
I don't have a blown head gasket, as the oil is fine and no white smoke emissions. I also don't have any leaks that are making it to the ground.

I could use some help as I'd like to get this vehicle back on the road.

I'm inclined to believe it could be the water pump. As one thing of note is the overfill is not drawing fluid into the radiator. So there has to be a leak somewhere, right? That or no pressure buildup. But since I don't see any leaks, that makes me think the water pump has failed. I just don't see how it could fail since it is mechanically driven.


(This post was edited by austink on Jun 27, 2023, 4:15 PM)


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jun 27, 2023, 8:28 AM

Post #2 of 10 (1090 views)
  post locked   Re: 2004 ACURA TSX OVERHEATING  

You have air in the system.
Now the reason for that is questionable.


Quote
I don't have a blown head gasket, as the oil is fine and no white smoke emissions. I also don't have any leaks that are making it to the ground.


Those things DO NOT mean you don't have a blown head gasket. It could easily be leaking exhaust gasses into the cooling system or you may have just not gotten the air out when you opened the system. Even if that is the case, the subsequent overheating could have caused a head gasket problem now.

Hondas are very susceptible to head gasket problems with even slight overheating.



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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



austink
Novice

Jun 27, 2023, 8:49 AM

Post #3 of 10 (1086 views)
  post locked   Re: 2004 ACURA TSX OVERHEATING  

okay. I'll look at purging again. If it still doesn't fix it what should I be looking at? The head gasket? what should I look for?


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jun 27, 2023, 8:57 AM

Post #4 of 10 (1084 views)
  post locked   Re: 2004 ACURA TSX OVERHEATING  

The lack of heat points directly to air in the system.
Getting the air out can be difficult also. We use a vacuum fill tool and that only works if the system absolutely has no leaks.

It can be very difficult to confirm a blown head gasket when it's not totally obvious. The best sure way to test it is with an exhaust analyzer sniffing for hydrocarbons over an open radiator cap with the engine running and warm.

They sell test kits but they are usually inconclusive at best. They only work when it real bad.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



austink
Novice

Jun 27, 2023, 9:24 AM

Post #5 of 10 (1075 views)
  post locked   Re: 2004 ACURA TSX OVERHEATING  

I did another purge and got heat to the cabin. it was slow to do so. However, I'm stilling boiling at my radiator. so there has to be a leak somewhere right? if its still air in the system, then it's definitely tricky to get it out. should I continue purging with it boiling at the radiator or is there likely another issue? The only things I haven't changed yet are the heater core and the water pump. The engine didn't show as overheating when filling/purging, but I was getting steam out of the radiator cap. I have also replaced this part as well. Another thing to note is the fans were not turning when the radiator was boiling, but they do turn on when the ac is on.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jun 27, 2023, 9:28 AM

Post #6 of 10 (1070 views)
  post locked   Re: 2004 ACURA TSX OVERHEATING  

You can't leave the cap off. The system is designed to run under pressure which raises the boiling point. Water boils at 212 deg but the fans don't come on until over 220 deg.

Fill it up, put the cap on and run it till operating temp and then shut it down until dead cold and top it off. Repeat this until it doesn't take any more coolant with the engine dead cold.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



austink
Novice

Jun 27, 2023, 9:32 AM

Post #7 of 10 (1065 views)
  post locked   Re: 2004 ACURA TSX OVERHEATING  

okay. will do. thanks for the help thus far!


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Jun 27, 2023, 9:34 AM

Post #8 of 10 (1065 views)
  post locked   Re: 2004 ACURA TSX OVERHEATING  

You've allowed this a long time - enough already.
Could have begun with simple as a pressure cap might notice overflow tank too full doesn't mean engine is.

Any reason lack of pressure or vapor (plain air or exhaust gasses) don't transfer heat will boil - you felt that!

As HT said it hard to 100% condemn head gaskets or cracks don't leak all the time or ever but aren't working for air.

Agreed the test strip stuff inconclusive test everything you can to make the call feeling bubbles if you thought it was air/vapor free isn't a good sign.

Try to nail it while intact as sure as you can be,

Tom



austink
Novice

Jun 27, 2023, 4:14 PM

Post #9 of 10 (1039 views)
  post locked   Re: 2004 ACURA TSX OVERHEATING  

Spent all day purging it the way you said. Took it for a drive and NO ISSUES. Thanks tons! It was definitely air in the system. I can't thank you enough!


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jun 27, 2023, 4:16 PM

Post #10 of 10 (1035 views)
  post locked   Re: 2004 ACURA TSX OVERHEATING  

You're welcome.

I'll close this now as solved.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.







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