AZ Nomad wrote:
> On Fri, 21 Jul 2006 20:14:15 -0700, jim beam > wrote:
>
>
>> Gary Kaucher wrote:
>>> "jim beam" > wrote in message
>>> t...
>>>> Gary Kaucher wrote:
>>>>> 1994 Honda Accord EX, 4 door
>>>>> 4 cylinder, Automatic Transmission
>>>>>
>>>>> I just recently replaced the Radiator fan motor, and now both my AC fan
>>>>> and Radiator fan seem to be capable of turning on and off. However,
>>>>> I don't think that they are turning on soon enough. With the recent hot
>>>>> weather here in PA, if I idle the car with the AC off, I've noticed that
>>>>> the temperature gauge needle will rise to just under the red zone (hot),
>>>>> and then both fans (AC and Radiator) will come on, cool things a
>>>>> little, turn off and then cycle on and off as they should, but at a
>>>>> generally
>>>>> higher temperature than I remember in the past. The radiator cap is
>>> rated at
>>>>> 13 psi. Is this the correct rating for the above vehicle? I am wondering
>>> if
>>>>> it
>>>>> may have been accidentally replaced last summer.
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>>
>>>>> Gary
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>> before worrying about the cap pressure, consider the following:
>>>>
>>>> when was the thermostat last replaced?
>>>>
>>>> in what condition is the radiator? is it clogged/sludged? filled with
>>>> bugs?
>>>>
>>>> what level is the coolant? are you losing any? any bubbles in it?
>>>> [check inside the radiator, not just look at the expansion bottle.]
>>>
>>> The thermostat was replaced last summer. When I looked into the
>>> radiator recently I did not see anything particulary unsightly, but I
>>> suspect that it may have been six years and 50K since the antifreeze
>>> has been changed.
>
>> hard to change the thermostat without changing the coolant.
>
> Only if you do the job with the car upside down.
>
ok, let's be pedantic because you know i'm like that. the elevation of
the thermostat relative to the engine block is about 2/3rds the height
of the whole. and of that, the head carries a significant quantity of
the coolant. for the engine, i therefore estimate you'll lose roughly
1/2 its fill of coolant. for the radiator, i estimate roughly 1/3rd.
hoses, maybe another 1/3rd. that makes roughly 40% of the coolant
changes with a thermostat. that's a higher percentage than you can
change on the automatic transmission.