Engine misfire and overheating
 

A couple of perplexing issues with the CL...car has 264k on it. It's been a real trooper. But recently 2 things started happening that I can't figure out...

1. The car is overheating sometimes. One of the electric cooling fans isn't working, but I don't think that's the reason, and here's why. I can drive the car for about a week or so and it will never overheat. But then I'll see the temp gauge start to climb. Then I see that it needs coolant, so I'll add some. No more overheating, until next week. The coolant doesn't seem to be going into the oil, or out of the exhaust.

Additionally, I can drive it down the highway for about an hour before it starts to run hot again. Same fix: add coolant, good for another hour on the highway, or another week, whichever comes first. I don't see any coolant leaks, either. Any ideas?

2. The car has very recently developed a misfire, but only immediately after start-up. I believe this is closed-loop, right? It will run on 2 cylinders for a few minutes, and then bit by bit, starts running perfectly fine again, but the check engine light is blinking by this time. I checked the codes and it showed the predictable misfire codes, and then a 740 (torque converter) also. Trans seems to be it's usual crappy self, but I don't understand the temporary misfire. Any clues here?

Darrin

And for clarification.. yes, it's an Acura CL with the 2.3L. I couldn't get any of the Acura snobs to offer any help. I hate that when 78 people read your post and you get 0 replies.... grrrr....

Would appreciate help if you have any to offer. A strange thing is happening with the car... for a few days it would barely even start and sounded like an old John Deere tractor for the first few minutes... but now, at least today, it's starting almost normal and running way better. Confusing.

welcome to the forum. possible head gasket leaking, or cracked head allowing water into the cylinder to cause a misfire until it clears up. you can do a compression check to see which cylinder is weak. If the engine has overtemped (red line) it can cause a crack in the cylinder head. during the compression check, with the radiator full, watch for bubbles, also listen for air entering the crankcase. ( done cool )

also take your radiator cap off and start your car, top the cap hole off with water and if you see lots of bubles launching coolent out of the rad cap its def blown head gasket. The miss fires are most likely from spark plug being wet.

Have you got the solution? I having the same issue now a days, but in my towing truck which i use for 24 Hour Towing in New York, It's engine get misfire and overheating looking for the solution.

lf it is a blow gasket,shave head and replace the gasket.