wardenr
10-14-2009, 02:00 PM
To All:
With "Old Man Winter" expected to arrive this weekend, and with service long overdue, I dodged our "Monsoon" long enough to freshen up my trusty '86's cooling system yesterday afternoon.
I need my head examined...after I get my A$$ kicked...for installing GM Dex-Cool, when I assembled my (rebuilt) engine, some four (4) years ago. Toyota and Honda have specifically stated they don't want "Dex-Cool" used in any of their engines. However, I had two (2) gallons of the damn stuff laying around, so I used it. Thank God it didn't damage anything, not that I can perceive. Knock on wood!
(FredSVT: See me bending over, so you can KICK ME HARD, for being STUPID? :stupid:)
Started the engine, stuck the garden hose in the radiator, and let it flush for some 25 (twenty-five) minutes. Then, drained the block. (On the old "A" motors, the drain bolt is in the front, just below the exhaust manifold, to the right of the front motor mount. Takes a 17mm socket.) Then, I replaced the thermostat. On the earlier engines, the thermostats tend to be problematic. If it sticks, the thermosensors go crazy, sending a faulty signal to the ECM, causing erratic idling issues. They are also prone to corrode, causing the center pin to break. A failed thermostat is what blew the head gasket, warping the head, in the process. Result? $2,000+ mistake.
I'm utterly AMAZED with this car...and it's engine/cooling system...as I ran Prestone "Yellow" in it for countless years. NASTY stuff!
On the older MPFI (fuel-injected engines), the OEM thermostat "specs" at 82 degrees, Centigrade. This translates into 180 degrees, Farenheit (precisely, 179.6 degrees). BEST you stick with a stock thermostat, as a deviation (up or down, hotter or cooler) directly affects signals generated by Thermosensors "A" and "B," in conjunction with signals subsequently produced by the IAT and O2 sensors. Salient point: The thermostat, alone, directly affects overall engine performance.
Then, after thoroughly scrubbing the inside of the coolant reservoir, I refilled the entire system with genuine Honda Type 2 (Blue). I strongly advise against mixing any types/brands of coolant, given various differences in chemical formulation. Improper combinations of Ethylene Glycol (a double Alcohol), OAT (Organic Acid Technology) and HOAT (Hybrid Organic Acid Technology), etc., are an effective way to destroy radiators, heater cores, water pumps, head gaskets, and other related components.
With "Old Man Winter" expected to arrive this weekend, and with service long overdue, I dodged our "Monsoon" long enough to freshen up my trusty '86's cooling system yesterday afternoon.
I need my head examined...after I get my A$$ kicked...for installing GM Dex-Cool, when I assembled my (rebuilt) engine, some four (4) years ago. Toyota and Honda have specifically stated they don't want "Dex-Cool" used in any of their engines. However, I had two (2) gallons of the damn stuff laying around, so I used it. Thank God it didn't damage anything, not that I can perceive. Knock on wood!
(FredSVT: See me bending over, so you can KICK ME HARD, for being STUPID? :stupid:)
Started the engine, stuck the garden hose in the radiator, and let it flush for some 25 (twenty-five) minutes. Then, drained the block. (On the old "A" motors, the drain bolt is in the front, just below the exhaust manifold, to the right of the front motor mount. Takes a 17mm socket.) Then, I replaced the thermostat. On the earlier engines, the thermostats tend to be problematic. If it sticks, the thermosensors go crazy, sending a faulty signal to the ECM, causing erratic idling issues. They are also prone to corrode, causing the center pin to break. A failed thermostat is what blew the head gasket, warping the head, in the process. Result? $2,000+ mistake.
I'm utterly AMAZED with this car...and it's engine/cooling system...as I ran Prestone "Yellow" in it for countless years. NASTY stuff!
On the older MPFI (fuel-injected engines), the OEM thermostat "specs" at 82 degrees, Centigrade. This translates into 180 degrees, Farenheit (precisely, 179.6 degrees). BEST you stick with a stock thermostat, as a deviation (up or down, hotter or cooler) directly affects signals generated by Thermosensors "A" and "B," in conjunction with signals subsequently produced by the IAT and O2 sensors. Salient point: The thermostat, alone, directly affects overall engine performance.
Then, after thoroughly scrubbing the inside of the coolant reservoir, I refilled the entire system with genuine Honda Type 2 (Blue). I strongly advise against mixing any types/brands of coolant, given various differences in chemical formulation. Improper combinations of Ethylene Glycol (a double Alcohol), OAT (Organic Acid Technology) and HOAT (Hybrid Organic Acid Technology), etc., are an effective way to destroy radiators, heater cores, water pumps, head gaskets, and other related components.