Slows2k

You don't have any other cooling mods do you?

AusS2000

I have the Hondata Intake Manifold Insulator. As Aus Ss don't have a rear bleed point there is some suggestion that the Insulator makes it hard to bleed properly.

Slows2k

I just installed another Hondata gasket, bleeding all the air out is even more of a challenge with one.

Coolant temp will rise after shutting the engine off, due to the pump not moving coolant anymore.

So even with the fans running, how hot is it getting? 97C = 206F, which is hotter than normal, but if air is in the system the thermostat may not be getting hot enough to open.

I'd pull the thermostat out, heat it in water to get it open then put a aspirin (or anything that will dissolve) then reinstall it. This will let you get the block filled and make getting all the air out easier.

fatjoe10

^ I've heard some ppl drilling a tiny hole on the thermostat to let the air escape, but the aspirin trick sounds beast! I'll try it in a few days when I do my corolla thermostat. I heard those cars are a pain to bleed (1990).

slalom44

Another suggestion: When the engine is cold, remove the radiator cap and check to make sure the radiator is full. If you have a pressure leak between your radiator and your resrvoir (or a bad radiator cap), your radiator won't fill back up after the engine cools down. That would cause your temps to climb.

AusS2000

I've replaced the radiator cap and checked the overflow hose and that is all functioning properly. I've also had the entire cooling system pressure tested.

AusS2000

It was steadily climbing during the bleeding process but I'd shut off before 100C.

The real problem is that every time you do a change like pull the thermostat or water pump you have to repeat the bleed process. So you spend a day bleeding it 5 times and then it still overheats. Maybe you didn't bleed it enough? Or maybe there is another problem. So you interrupt the cooling system again and you're back to square one with bleeding and still don't know what caused the problem.

Very frustrating.

I think I'll try the aspirin trick.

Slows2k

The last Hondata gasket I installed I had to run the car for 3-5 minutes, heater valve open, radiator cap off, and the car elevated to make the radiator the highest point in the system. The temp would climb to 205-210 and the thermostat still wouldn't open. I had a funnel in the radiator cap full of coolant as well. It took about 3-4 warm up cycles to get the thermostat to open and let all the air out.

The front bleed screw is useless with the Hondata gasket, and it took 2 tries and squeezing the lower radiator hoses to try and push the air pockets back out through the radiator, and to get coolant from the real bleed point. Sucks that RHD cars don't have this.

AusS2000

Ok, good to know. This is the method my buddy Steve prefers. I'd been trying the car level, bleed valve open method. And this is exactly the situation I am experiencing.

chris_barry

If the hondata gasket blocks off the bleeder in the head you could try drilling a tiny hole in the gasket to assist with the bleeding process.

As a longshot, have you been frigging around with your fan electrics or motors? I've seen cases where people get the polarity wrong and the fan tries to blow air back into the radiator. Surprisingly its enough to stop incoming air while driving and results in very quick overheats.