Model: Acura Integra '91 LS Special,
1.8 L 4 cylinder.


The problem I am having is that my car is "overheating". The thermostat says that the car is in the red, but when I check the engine (just by hovering over it), it appears lukewarm or just a tad hotter than lukewarm. During the summer I also had the radiator replaced; since then, my fan hasn't turned on (I've read that there are radiators that don't need fans).

The revving problem is also a bit annoying. Whenever I'm idling, the RPMs go from 2000 to 1000 and then again to 2000 or some interval over and over without stopping. I've heard that this has something to do with the throttle body. But the revving is just annoying. I would really like to solve the cooling issue (whether or not it exists).
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The over heating sounds like a coolant temp sensor or your thermostat. When the car gets hot are you coolant hoses firm or squishy when you squeeze them? YOUNEEDA FAN. Not sure on your generation of teg but i think you have two side by side. the fan cools the radiator which in turn cools the coolant flowing through your engine block(VERY important.) As to the reving problem you are having, it's most likelya leaky or loose throttle body gasket. Cheap and east to fix. Get a Haines manual if you want to do it yourself. Let us know if you need any more help
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I just got a repair manual for the car. I will test the different components (radiator, fans, and sensors) to solve the cooling problem.

For the gasket:

1) How much do you think repairing/replacing the gasket would cost (reasonably)?

2) Do you think I could run without repairing/replacing it (in other words, if it effects anything besides gas mileage)?

Thanks for the quick reply.
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The gasket is cheap, under 20$ I think. It will take you a goodcouple hoursto replace it yourself. Should be less than 120$ at your local mechanic. pull off your air intake tube from the throttle body and cup your hand over the hole in the throttle body. This should bog the engine down ALOT. If it doesn't then air is coming in through the gasket. I recommend doing all therepairs yourself. Older Hondas are easy to wrench on.It was a 89 civic dx 4-doorthatinspired me to wrench on Honda/Acura. It broke, I read the book. fixed it, Ran it. over and over. Man did I learn alot. Let me know how the tests went. Buy a Multimeter if you don't have one.
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this is also a typical sign of a low fluid coolant system
you have a fast idle valve on yor engine that needs to be submerged in coolant.
if air gets to it, it thinks your running at 40 below so it cranks up your idle...rpm goes up and splashes coolant up onto it and it thinks your up to temp...so it slams shut the high idle...dropping your idle and coolant flow allowing the air to hit it again and the prossess repeats. (also a bad fast idle valve will do this.)$200.00part 30 seconds to install.

also your temp senders can work flakie when the coolant level is too low.

there are coolant systems out there that dont require a radiator fan ...yours is NOT 1 of them.

as a tech my guess is...
If the coolant system is full then you need.
you need a fast idle valve
you need a guage sender.
you need a themrostat.
and a double check that there are no exhaust guasses getting into the coolant system from a overheated warped head.