Replace The Thermostat As Part Of Regular Maintenance
TIP 4: Replace the thermostat as part of regular maintenance. In my opinion, what makes replacing the thermostat one of the most overlooked maintenance items on any Honda car (or mini-van) is the fact that it's out of sight, and thus out of mind (as the ole' saying goes).
How often should you change it? In my opinion, at least once every 30,000 miles or every three years (at the most!). Considering the importance of the thermostat in keeping the engine at the correct operating temperature and knowing that it's not gonna' last forever, this little item should not be overlooked in preventing the engine from overheating!
Now, in case you're wondering what happens when a thermostat fails, it fails in one of two ways:
- Thermostat fails by staying stuck open.
- Thermostat fails by staying stuck closed.
More likely than not, when the thermostat fails, it's gonna' stay stuck closed. If this happens, your Honda is gonna' overheat!
If The Vehicle Overheats On The Road
Most of the head gasket repair jobs that have been assigned to me (at work over the years) usually resulted from the customer noticing that his/her vehicle was overheating, but decided to drive it as far as it would go. A thousand dollars plus later, he/she realized that maybe it would've been better to pull over in a safe/public place and have a tow truck tow it to the shop.
I understand that sometimes it's no easy decision to pull over and have the car towed when it overheats. Factors like : Is it a safe area? The weather (rain, snow, cold, heat, etc.), how far you're from home, etc., can have a big influence.
But, once your Honda starts to overheat, every mile further down the road you drive it is possibly adding more money to the final repair price. Not only that, the engine will eventually just stop (stall). So it's better for you to decide to pull over in a safe, public and well lit place and wait for the tow truck, than to have the engine blow a head gasket and quit on you in the most inopportune time and place.
Maintenance Is Key To Preventing A Blown Head Gasket
The main thing to remember in an older high mileage Honda, is that keeping an eye out for coolant leaks and performing the necessary repairs and/or maintenance will help you prevent a blown head gasket.
Maintenance involves time, effort and the five letter dirty word: money. There's just no way around this. But considering just how expensive it is to have the head gaskets (and possibly the cylinder heads) replaced, the cost of preventive maintenance is far cheaper.
Remember, it is possible to prevent a blown head gasket on your Honda 2.2L, 2.3L Honda Accord (Odyssey, Prelude, Oasis, etc.) equipped car or mini-van if you:
- Check for coolant leaks and repair them as soon as you spot them (avoiding ‘stop-leak in a can’ fixes).
- Replace the thermostat as part of routine maintenance.
- Stop in a safe place and have it towed home (or to the shop) if your vehicle does overheat.
If this info saved the day, buy me a beer!
