Just Bought 2Nd-Hand Honda Crv 2003 - My Thoughts/Your Thoughts?

[newbegin4]

Hi all. My wife and I almost bought a Nissan March but then found and bought a 2003 Honda CRV instead. We paid 648,00 baht in Udonthani City (I think we paid too much). 104,000 kms and appearance-wise in excellent shape and has all the options. It drives very well and is very comfortable. Nicest car I've ever owned.

However, 6,000 baht in fuel lasted only a week (ouch!). Being a new vehicle for us, I babied it around town (I'm a very cautious driver anyways). Just filled it up for the second time and calculated 8.23 km/liter. I was very disappointed, but that sounds about right from what I have since read of other Honda CRV reports on this forum.

What worries me most (please correct me if it is 'normal' and no worry) is that the engine compartment is very hot after a drive. I mean it feels like you are standing next to an oven. You can just feel the heat radiate off the car. The hood is hot to the touch and even the interior dash top feels hot. Clearly there is a lot of heat generated under the hood. The temperature gauge reading seems ok (only 35-40 percent of the dial). Is this normal for a CRV? I've never noticed this issue with any other car I've owned.

I'd appreciate any thoughts on the car in general, especially about the heating issue, thanks!

[Kwasaki]

Honda CRV is it a 2.0 L or a 2.4 L or the 2.2 diesel.

If you like car and paid your money forget what you paid.

2.0 L fuel economy :- 11 Litres / 100 km. city. 9.4 Litres / 100 km highway.

If yours calculates @ 8.23 litre.

Maybe your running rich which may explain running hot if that's the case.

I would check it out at Honda's first rather than somebody recommended.

Petrol engine here seem to run hotter than diesel to me.

Maybe throw the Thermostate away.

[transam]

If lean mixture it will run hotter. If rich your tail pipe will be sooty.

[katabeachbum]

Honda CRV is it a 2.0 L or a 2.4 L or the 2.2 diesel.

If you like car and paid your money forget what you paid.

2.0 L fuel economy :- 11 Litres / 100 km. city. 9.4 Litres / 100 km highway.

If yours calculates @ 8.23 litre.

Maybe your running rich which may explain running hot if that's the case.

I would check it out at Honda's first rather than somebody recommended.

Petrol engine here seem to run hotter than diesel to me.

Maybe throw the Thermostate away.

2003 came with 2,0 150hp petrol only in LOS. Used to have one. Highway trying to keep 140-160kmh, it made 6-7km/litres and with a 50 liters petrol tank range was less than 300km

sold it after 14 months and 40k km when Vigo was launched late 2004, more power and less fuel

If water temp is fine, everything should be fine, and injection measures air and fuel mix anyway

Just to be sure you could have Honda connect diagnosis and measure emission

[newbegin4]

Yes, we will take it into the Honda dealership to have it checked out. We also just noticed today that the A/C was acting strange. Warm when on and cold when off. Then later running normally. Perhaps a switch problem.

I'm particularly intrigued about the theory that the engine is running too rich. I hope that the Honda technicians know their trade well. I don't speak any Thai and it is difficult to communicate about technical/mechanical matters. Does anybody know the Thai phrase for an engine running too rich? I'd sure like to get to the bottom of the engine heat issue. Thanks!

[newbegin4]

Oh, I just caught a typo in my original post. That should be 2,000 baht in fuel in 1 week, not 6,000 (sorry).

[katabeachbum]

Yes, we will take it into the Honda dealership to have it checked out. We also just noticed today that the A/C was acting strange. Warm when on and cold when off. Then later running normally. Perhaps a switch problem.

I'm particularly intrigued about the theory that the engine is running too rich. I hope that the Honda technicians know their trade well. I don't speak any Thai and it is difficult to communicate about technical/mechanical matters. Does anybody know the Thai phrase for an engine running too rich? I'd sure like to get to the bottom of the engine heat issue. Thanks!

The Honda techs dont need to know anything. Simply connect computer and exhaust sensor and any errors (rich/lean/co2) will be displayed on screen. and if your engine was running rich, OBD would light up on your dash

BTW running lean makes engine hot, not running rich. Rich is to much fuel. Fuel cools combustion chamber, but increases emision, thus warning by OBD on your dash