Overheating Causes

[XCRN]

My sister's CD5 cracked the radiator 2 nights ago and from what I was told it happened in stop and go traffic and the gauge went to the red and then smoke came out. I know this happens before similar circumstances I think (I have no idea how the car is driven) about 2 months ago but a new radiator cap and coolant worked until now. My guess is the fan never came on. So my theory is stuck thermostat right now. I read on HT that the AC needs to be working for the passenger fan to turn on (highly doubt it but that is all I could find).

What are other cases of over heating that might cause the radiator to crack and what are the chances of a head gasket job needed after the second time in a span of 2 months?

I doubt this makes a difference but its a 96 and has an F23A.

[sonikaccord]

Over pressurized system and thermal stresses (expanding and contracting from heating and cooling, respectively)
Overheating may cause the head to warp, I would replace it anyway if it's that extreme.

[XCRN]

Problem with head replacement is there is no money for it. If after I replace the radiator and thermostat and get the fans working, and it happens again, might just sell the car.

When the car was mine 1.5 years ago, I never had any signs of overheating, except the overflow tank had a boiling noise after I drove it for some amount of time.

[illinois_erik]

the boiling is from too much antifreeze. 50/50 is what you need.
the radiator probably cracked due to age and having plastic tanks. some of the accord radiators ive pulled, you barely tap them and the tank crumbles away from the aluminum. so if your mix was not right the antifreeze mix would have a lower boiling point and thats not good (experience) get you one of those testers that looks like it has smarties -candy in the turkey baster looking thing.

now if your heads warped you can get a thousandth or 2 shaved off and get a head gasket thats thicker to bring everything back into spec. over heating these motors is not a good thing, so hopefully the head is ok.
after this episode id get an all aluminum radiator and install an aftermarket water temp gauge because the stock one is nothing more then a hot/cold indicator and youll be screwed long before the gauge pegs out. at least with an AM gauge you have numbers and the resolutions higher so if the temps start to spike youll see it way before the car lets you know.

[XCRN]

Not my money going into it, I only make the suggestion, but I will see if she is willing to get the gauge. I hope the head is fine, straight forward job, but I need to take my time and I am at school from 10 AM to 8 PM so time is something I do not really have.

[EsperHamid]

1 - check the hoses first, those negligible items tend to hide a leak pretty well

2 - try to disable the heater core by looping the hose from the engine head (next to the lower radiator hose) to the pipe under the IM just to isolate all possibilities

test by process of elimination, true it will take more time but it is a money saver money/time tradeoff

the problem is with the valve train hammering that makes the engine bay noisy even when properly adjusted, thus making it harder to locate any leak be it vacuum or cooling.

I also remove the P/S belt to eliminate noise, also try to have as much as you can of rubber vacuum plugs and close most vacuum pipes on the IM/plenum when you want to chase a leak problem.

Good Luck

[Accord problems]

Is there a brown silky substance on the rad cap or in the rad it self ?

[XCRN]

AccordProbems, not sure, I forgot to check when I was taking out the radiator and I am out of town for the weekend.
Esperhamid, thanks I will get on that when I can if there is no sign of the "Milkshake of Death" as I like to put it.

[XCRN]

No milk shake of death under the valve cover.

[XCRN]

New radiator and thermostat is in, before I started the car, I jumped the fan on the almost dead battery (got to jump it). Can I also jump the fans from the green plug on the thermostat housing to see if the plug-down is still working?