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Car Forum / Honda Cars / January 2008How much is Honda brand antifreeze?
I've been reading around the web that only Honda brand coolant should be used for the Honda. Tonight, for the first time, I noticed my 1995 Civic EX's temperature gauge three quarters of the way to the hot setting, whereas it's usually one quarter past cool. I'm going to check the reservoir and the radiator today, but before I buy Prestone, I thought about heading over to the Honda dealer for the Honda brand. How much does it usually cost in comparison to Prestone? The car has less than 30k miles and never has had a coolant flush. In the event that it's nearly dry, is plain distilled water ok to add? If so, wouldn't that mean subsequently flushing the radiator so that the water would be replaced by the antifreeze/water 50/50 mix? Do not add Prestone. You risk an early water pump failure with it. OEM is something like twice as much. Your owner's manual will tell you the 95 Civic is due for a coolant flush every every 2 years or 45k miles, whichever comes first. Re adding distilled water in a pinch: The more you have to add, the greater the risk of improper cooling or breaking something. The lower temperatures are when you add distilled water, the greater the risk. I am doubtful adding coolant will remedy the problem. Is the thermostat original? Maybe time for a replacement if adding coolant does not remedy the problem. Every overheating incident brings your engine's head gasket closer to failure in the future. I would not drive until the correct amount of coolant is in place and/or other checks are done. > I've been reading around the web that only Honda brand > coolant should be used [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > so that the water > would be replaced by the antifreeze/water 50/50 mix? "Elle" <honda.lioness@nospam.earthlink.net> wrote in news:13ok846bb8ic375 @corp.supernews.com: > Do not add Prestone. You risk an early water pump failure > with it. > > OEM is something like twice as much. How much of the antifreeze/water mixture will fill up the radiator and the reservoir after a complete coolant flush? I'm thinking of buying the Honda coolant from the dealer (unless there are online places that sell it) and giving it to my mechanic for a radiator flush. Is it sold in gallon jugs, and what is the general price? > I'm thinking of buying the Honda coolant from the dealer (unless there are > online places that sell it) and giving it to my mechanic for a radiator > flush. Is it sold in gallon jugs, and what is the general price? Honda coolant is sold in gallon jugs, but it's premixed already (no need to add water). At my dealer it's about $13 a gallon. Dave >> I'm thinking of buying the Honda coolant from the dealer (unless there >> are [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Dave Do you know what is the ratio in that premix.??? DaveD > > Honda coolant is sold in gallon jugs, but it's premixed already (no need > > to add water). At my dealer it's about $13 a gallon. > > > Dave > > Do you know what is the ratio in that premix.??? 50/50 > "Elle" <honda.lioness@nospam.earthlink.net> wrote > @corp.supernews.com: [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > radiator and the > reservoir after a complete coolant flush? A simple drain and fill (meaning you leave some of the old coolant in the engine block, but you put new coolant in the reservoir) will require about one US gallon of either OEM pre mixed coolant. The exact figure depends on whether your 93 Civic EX is (1) Canadian or US; (2) auto or manual. See your owner's manual, under "Capacities" in the index, or go to https://techinfo.honda.com/rjanisis/logon.asp for a free online owner's manual. Note: I think there is a typo on the capacities page (page 186). Footnote 1 should say "Excluding" not "Including." That's "Including" is what's in my 91 Civic's manual, and only this makes sense. > I'm thinking of buying the Honda coolant from the dealer > (unless there are > online places that sell it) and giving it to my mechanic > for a radiator > flush. Is it sold in gallon jugs, and what is the general > price? The other posts have recent price quotes. Buying it online generally cannot be done, since shipping of fluids to your home directly is restricted or flat-out prohibited. I actually have used the orange Havoline anti-freeze in my 91 Civic since 2002, and all is well. It's said on the packaging to be good for aluminum yada engines. Some here say OEM is the only way to go. A few of us have been experimenting with the Havoline and are happy. Experimenting with Prestone or anything else is a no-no, AFAIC. <courseincivics@jfdsjlsjz> wrote > > I've been reading around the web that only Honda brand > > coolant should be used [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > > - Show quoted text - you don't have to go completely crazy, though. like plain water is better than leaving it dry, temporarily. the antifreezes that sell themselves as being compatible with hondas are probably reasonably ok, as they wouldn't want to face class action suits. and if you do dilute it with water a bit, it's not going to destroy the engine. me, i try to stick with the honda stuff as much as possible, but the last time it cracked a hose, it was friday pm of course, so i had to fix it on saturday which meant a generic hose from poop boys, and a quart or so of whatever coolant they sold that advertised as honda compatible to refill it; i figure that it won't destroy the engine if i leave it in till the next coolant change. which, with the thermostat trouble, won't be too long. of course, it could be the coolant destoryed the thermostat in a couple of months.... <courseincivics@jfdsjlsjz> wrote > > I've been reading around the web that only Honda brand > > coolant should be used [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > > - Show quoted text - yeah though, like the other guys said, if it's overheating it's more likely more than just needs coolant. even if it does need coolant. the radiators on theese guys are tiny and it doesn't take a lot of clog to make them need replacement. which isn't a big deal. but if you leave it and it continues overheating, it will spring a head gasket leak. hopefully that's not what's happening yet. there are many causes of engine overheating. cooling system - low coolant level, check both radiator and the reservoir. - air in the cooling system. bubbles come out of the bleeding taps if air is trapped in the system. - fauty radiator fan: does it come on? - stuck closed thermostat: does the upper hose ever get hot? - faulty radiator cap: does the overflow tube get hot easily? - faulty water pump: leave the cap off, does the coolant flow when engine is running? - blocked passages: same as above drivetrain - chambers detonation: (incorrect timing, incorrect spark plugs heat range, mixture too lean) is there any audible pinging or rattling under load? - transmission overheating: (automatic trans) does the trans up/down shift properly? does the torque converter lockup work? if you live in the south, it's OK to fill it up with distilled water (works for aluminum blocks & heads). i would prefer anti-freeze because of its higher boiling point. In my Honda used PEAK LongLife premixed 50/50, silicate-free, amber color, and added a bottle of HyperLube super coolant as a surfactant, anti-foaming agent. They are cheap and available at most parts stores oh and dont overlook the radiator cap, one with a weakened spring will lower the coolant boiling point. It's bad, cause when the coolant is boiling, it's telling the egnine that "that's it, i can't take it no more!!!". replaced with OEM only!!! cheers > I've been reading around the web that only Honda brand coolant should be used > for the Honda. Tonight, for the first time, I noticed my 1995 Civic EX's [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > so, wouldn't that mean subsequently flushing the radiator so that the water > would be replaced by the antifreeze/water 50/50 mix? > there are many causes of engine overheating. > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > - transmission overheating: (automatic trans) does the trans up/down > shift properly? does the torque converter lockup work? Great advice (although, except for the radiator cap, each possibility sounds like I might be waving bye bye to a few hundred dollars!) > if you live in the south, it's OK to fill it up with distilled water > (works for aluminum blocks & heads). i would prefer anti-freeze > because of its higher boiling point. In my Honda used PEAK LongLife > premixed 50/50, silicate-free, amber color, and added a bottle of > HyperLube super coolant as a surfactant, anti-foaming agent. They are > cheap and available at most parts stores Is amber also the color of the factory installed coolant, which I'm assuming is still the same as the current Honda brand? Do you add the bottle of Hyperlube to the reservoir or the radiator? > oh and dont overlook the radiator cap, one with a weakened spring will > lower the coolant boiling point. It's bad, cause when the coolant is > boiling, it's telling the egnine that "that's it, i can't take it no > more!!!". replaced with OEM only!!! Are there any online sites that sell actual Honda brand parts (like a radiator cap)? > Great advice (although, except for the radiator cap, each possibility > sounds like I might be waving bye bye to a few hundred dollars!) when all else is good, but the gauge tends to climb towards the H mark, then the radiator cap is the top suspect. in this case, i would also check the temp gauge sender (next to the temp sensor) to make sure it's working right and doesn't send garbage to the gauge! > Is amber also the color of the factory installed coolant, which I'm > assuming is still the same as the current Honda brand? i have no idea. some folks say it's green in color, some say blue. i'm only sure it contains organic rust inhibitor instead of silicate, which tends to form gel and has adverse effects the on water pump seal, as mentioned by other folks here My local Honda dealer now offers a coolant system service for $49 that includes drain & refill (not flush) with Honda coolant, radiator cap inspection, temp gauge operation inspection and water pump noise and leaks checking. That sounds reasonable, yes? But the problem is that they will probably try to talk you into replacing all of those parts and while you're at it, why not the timing belt too.. haha. If you can find similar deals, just make sure that what's got to be done is neccessary.. > Do you add the bottle of Hyperlube to the reservoir or the radiator? last June, i read an article about a roundup of various brands of additives. Hyper-Lube Super Coolant is among the top, tested on a Civic you can google for "cooling system additives" , it appears on turbomagazine.com i drained the coolant by the amount of the bottle and added it to the radiator. > Are there any online sites that sell actual Honda brand parts (like a > radiator cap)? Honda dealers should have them, but often not in stock, they have to order. You can order them yourself from a few sites that sell OEM honda parts http://www.hondapartscheap.com is one of those bi241@scn.org wrote in news:faae314b-8e6a-47eb-a372-214a2939d339 @f10g2000hsf.googlegroups.com: > My local Honda dealer now offers a coolant system service for $49 that > includes drain & refill (not flush) with Honda coolant, radiator cap [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > find similar deals, just make sure that what's got to be done is > neccessary.. I was about to add (before I read your last two sentences above)that the checkup price sounds reasonable, but once they start checking, they love to start talking about replacing parts. > i drained the coolant by the amount of the bottle and added it to the > radiator. Do you slide under the car to do it, or do you have a lift in a home garage? You can order them yourself from a few sites that sell OEM > honda parts > > http://www.hondapartscheap.com is one of those Thanks! > I've been reading around the web that only Honda brand coolant should be used > for the Honda. Tonight, for the first time, I noticed my 1995 Civic EX's [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > so, wouldn't that mean subsequently flushing the radiator so that the water > would be replaced by the antifreeze/water 50/50 mix? If you need coolant, you have a worse problem: There is a leak someplace, like the water pump. While you're replacing the water pump, you might as well replace the timing belt if it is due. If there isn't a coolant leak, you need to diagnose the problem causing the overheating, like a bad water pump or thermostat. Jeff honda premix is $4 more per gallon than STP or Prestone premix, and as mentioned earlier, you'll want to stick with Honda. t >I've been reading around the web that only Honda brand coolant should be used >for the Honda. Tonight, for the first time, I noticed my 1995 Civic EX's [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] >so, wouldn't that mean subsequently flushing the radiator so that the water >would be replaced by the antifreeze/water 50/50 mix? > I've been reading around the web that only Honda brand coolant should be > used [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > so, wouldn't that mean subsequently flushing the radiator so that the > water would be replaced by the antifreeze/water 50/50 mix? Did they drain the engine block water jacket? Most don't, because that drain bolt is a bear to break loose! |
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