Hello,
The compression on all cylinders are good, but I'm burning antifreeze. Does anybody know if their could be any other problem besides the head gasket? Does anybody have a service manual in PDF format???
CA
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How can you tell you're burning antifreeze? Is there any oil in the coolant yet? Any bubbles? Are we talking 400,000 Km?
'Curly'
The good ol' shadetree test: with a cold engine, remove the radiator cap and pinch the overflow tubing closed. Start the engine and place the palm of your hand over the radiator opening. If you feel steadily rising pressure or (more ominous) pulsations against your palm the head has to come off to fix it... warped or cracked head or bad head gasket. Fortunately, if the car hasn't seriously overheated you would probably be looking at the gasket failing. The cracked head is the least common.
Mike
Here's one problem that many techs overlook. Quite often Honda designed coolant passages into the intake manifold to keep it warm. Sometimes these develop a pin hole leak into the intake runner such that it draws antifreeze into the combustion chamber. This symptom is difficult to diagnose as it tends to mimic a failing head gasket or head, i.e., there's abundant white acrid smoke in the exhaust but there's no coolant in the oil. Sometimes the leak into the intake runner is worse depending on engine temperature. In any case, you'll want to carefully check all of the intake runners to make sure that you don't see any white streaks of dried antifreeze running towards the cylinders. If you do find this indicator, then you'll need to replace that part of the intake manifold.
Eric
Interesting! Can the intake manifold gasket do the same, or is the passage apart from the gasket?
Mike
Eric, could you also address the new related thread "Coolant coming from oil bolt" please? The OP is in a bind and I think you can advise him which way to jump.
Thanks!
Mike
The Hondas I've worked on don't pass coolant through the intake manifold gasket.
Eric
Good to know. Thanks!
Mike
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