Civic EG

Posted: **Mon Dec 03, 2007 4:04 pm**

the temp gauge in my hatch would go up from time to time, usually it was on 30 min or longer trips that has hills. Yesterday was the 3rd time it happened, and it was only after 20 mins of driving. So I let it cool and poped off the radiator cap to check the coolant level.

Here's what I saw:

it looked like very fine grey sand was built up on the bottom of the cap, and around the top opening of the radiator.

I scraped as much out as I could:

and this pic I smeared some in my hand, it is not gritty, very smooth.

It was about 1 qt low on coolant.
The motor has about 4k miles on it now, D16z6 forged internals, ARP studs, OEM headgasket, waterpump, stock head. been running it N/A to break it in & been having a couple issues with the bearings... now this

I'm thinking it's a leaking headgasket and this stuff is some kind of carbon deposit that floated to the top of the radiator?

Posted: **Mon Dec 03, 2007 5:49 pm**

stop leak???

Posted: **Mon Dec 03, 2007 6:03 pm**

I bought the radiator a few years abo new from autozone. I have never put anything in besides coolant.

Posted: **Mon Dec 03, 2007 8:02 pm**

i'm affraid its your headgasket... a buddy of my had the same grey stuff and his gasket wasn't good anymore..

but dont hang me if i'm wrong

Posted: **Mon Dec 03, 2007 9:31 pm**

brian man your fingers are freakish-ly long :lol:

but yeah i had similar stuff in mine after the headgasket blew

Posted: **Mon Dec 03, 2007 10:06 pm**

lookes like a blown head gasket.

Posted: **Sun Dec 16, 2007 8:58 am**

ee8 wrote:lookes like a blown head gasket.

dont get me wrong, it most likely is the headgasket. BUT iv seen many ot her reasons why a radiator looks like that...

Posted: **Sun Dec 16, 2007 4:41 pm**

I dont know what that stuff is...I got it in my radiator just after I changed head gaskets so I'm thinkin thats not it. is your overflow tank dirty?

Posted: **Sun Dec 16, 2007 5:08 pm**

I think you just need to flush the system. I had the same problem with mine, but I was running just water.....not coolant. Since I've flushed the system I've switched over to distilled water, and something called Water Wetter. Havent had a problem since.

Do a leak down test to make sure everythings okay inside the motor, that'll tell ya if your headgasket is fubar'd. :lol:

Posted: **Sun Dec 16, 2007 8:13 pm**

ChicagoMike wrote:I think you just need to flush the system. I had the same problem with mine, but I was running just water.....not coolant. Since I've flushed the system I've switched over to distilled water, and something called Water Wetter. Havent had a problem since.

Do a leak down test to make sure everythings okay inside the motor, that'll tell ya if your headgasket is fubar'd.

x2...

Civic EG

grey sediment in my radiator, low coolant (pics)

grey sediment in my radiator, low coolant (pics)