Sputter on start intermittently and loosing coolant?

2003 HONDA ELEMENT
356,000 MILES • 4WD • AUTOMATIC
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THOWARD1956
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
Negative combustion coolant test, no coolant in oil, no white smoke, no overheating. Replaced plugs and ignition coils, vtech selenoid and vtech oil pressure switch. No code relating to this are showing. No signs of coolant leaks.
Sep 14, 2026 at 11:46 AM
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STRAILER
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 55,511 POSTS
You may still have a blown head gasket, the chemical test is only about 75% accurate. When you replaced the spark plugs was one of them really white like it was steam cleaned? If so this would be the cylinder having the issue. Please check out this guide

https://2carpros.com/articles/recognizing-the-symptoms-understanding-a-blown-head-gasket-in-your-vehicle/

One other important clue: if the sputter is worst after sitting overnight, especially after the cooling system has been hot and pressurized the previous day, that strengthens the case for a tiny coolant intrusion. The coolant is going somewhere, so I would check the water pump weep hole as well, sometimes it will only leak when the engine is running FYI. Here is a video to help as well

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8kra65m15c

Let me know.

Sep 15, 2026 at 8:23 AM
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