Headgasket change

Well I figured that I would make a new thread since no one was looking at the other one.

Me and my Dad tore into the motor to changed the head gasket. Got the head off and there was a lot of carbon on the intake ports. All of the valves had carbon on the, except two, we found that wierd. Also found that the intake manifold had alot of carbon in it, which didn't make any sense. The piston head looked alright for a 16 year old car with 118k on it. The cylinder walls looked and felt fine, just had some glazing on them, but I'm not worried about honing or anything right now, cause I'm going to motor swap sometime in the future.

The head gasket looked ok, but it was like a three layer metal gasket, with some type of rubber compound on it. The rubber was rubbed off in some places, and thin in others. Hopefully that was my problem.

I cleaned the valves and such with some carb cleaner, got it all nice and clean, sanded the gasket surface good. Hopefully she'll last for a few more miles.

Now I just gotta get it back together.

I'll get some pics too.

I don't know why I posted this, just cause I'm bored I guess.

Comments

  • The oem from-the-factory gasket Honda used new was a two material composite. It is pretty much the weak point and frequently the first internal maintenance needed.
    Honda now recommends using the all metal 92-95 Civic EX/Si (D16z6) head gasket as a replacment. Paired with some ARP head studs, head gasket leaks are a thing of the past. You get another .1 on the compression ratio too.

    FYI: Aftermarket parts/gasket companies will still sell the composite style gasket.
    In your case it probably doesn't matter which gasket you use if you're going be swapping before another 100k rolls by.
  • I'm not sure when I'll swap. I'm using a Fel-Pro gasket, it's a carbon/metal gasket if I remember right. It seems alright, and it's very sticky so maybe it will seal it alright. Looks like maybe this head gasket was changed before, but it seems like it was blowing out.

    Does the distributor have a gasket on it? I can't find one on it and it seems kinda odd not to have one.

    Oh yeah, this gasket was $21.99 so If it blows out again I can afford to change it out in another 100k or so.
  • Kahuna wrote:
    Me and my Dad tore into the motor to change the head gasket.

    OY! Big job no?

    My '90 has over 398,000 kms and has never been cracked open. That will need to change since I'm leaking engine oil from my rear main seal.

    Post some pics soon... I want to see the engine guts...
  • sxy_rexisxy_rexi Band Wagon
    hey congrats for doing the job yourself!

    did you notice any more oil in the radiator fluid when you had the head off?

    keep us posted.
  • Actually didn't find any oil really. I went ahead and changed the motor fluids, heater hoses, A/C and P/S belts, intake gasket, PCV valve hose, cleaned the PCV valve, and now the car runs great! It's smooth and starts right on the turn of a key. No sputtering or anything. There is a wierd tapping sound, sounds like it's coming from around the timing belt, and a wierd squeking sound, but I think it's from the new belts getting broken in. Oh yeah, did I mention it runs GREAT now? lol

    I just put straight water in it, to clean the radiator out and such, I'm going to drain it and refill it. Then I'm going to take a drive thursday and I'll see how she runs.

    Feels like I also gained a few HP, she has more giddy-up now.

    Heres the pics from after I cleaned it all out:
    IM000237.jpg

    IM000235.jpg

    IM000236.jpg

    IM000234.jpg

    My new cd player came in today, and it's great! Looks sweet too.
    IM000256.jpg

    OY! Big job no?
    Nah, not really. I'm just not 100% on everything, and Dad has worked on everything inlcuding tanks and semis, so I figured it was nice to have him around. We got it done in about 4 hours, but we kept finding stuff to change, so it took about 6 hours total.

    I love my Wagon.
  • Kahuna wrote:
    Dad has worked on everything inlcuding tanks

    LOL !!

    Surely a Honda wagon is more delicate than a tank??

    Anyhow, my older brother has offered his garage and expertise (he rebuilt an early 70s Honda hatch in the mid-eighties, has worked on several Jeeps, as well as recently changing the clutch on a 90s Geo Metro) for changing the rear main seal on my wagon.

    He also suggested we change the clutch while we're at it. I agree with him. I'm thinking of an Exedy clutch kit. Anyone ordered and used one recently?
  • The Exedy kit is great...I've put one in the CRX, the wagon, my old Protege and I have one waiting to go in to my new(er) Protege.

    They handle basic bolt ons just fine.

    They run right around $100-120. I always get mine from http://clutchcityonline.com/
  • Kahuna wrote:
    Does the distributor have a gasket on it? I can't find one on it and it seems kinda odd not to have one.


    yea..there is one that fits around the distributor..small rubber looking one..looks like a thick rubber band.
    very easy to install.

  • Yeah, I didn't look it over much, Dad pulled it off.

    I saw the o-ring on it before I put it in, so it's cool.

    I did somehow manage to break the bleeder valve holder somehow, I fingertightened the bleeder, grabbed the wrench with one had cause I was still holding the antifreeze, barely turned the bleeder, and pop! the housing broke. Does anyone know where to find one? Does anyone have a junk D15 they would pull one off of? Thanks
  • Kahuna wrote:
    Does anyone know where to find one? Does anyone have a junk D15 they would pull one off of? Thanks



    plenty of them floating around at the junk yard.

  • Not around here, seems like domestics are the hot ticket for junk yards.
  • Well before taking a trip today, I had a feeling I needed to start my car and check everything over. Started sqeuaking extremely loud, and I just figured it was the belt getting set into the pullys. Well about a minute after running, parts started flying everywhere, I killed the motor, come to find out the A/C idler pulley came off, but luckily it didn't damage anything, nor the pully. So I just left in dad's truck. He said he put back on and the battery was dead, he charged it, started it up, and the belt started smoking. He shut it off and figured he had the pully too tight, so he loosened the pully some, and then the battery was dead again. So now, I'm not sure where I'm at with it now.

    There is the nut, washer, big fender washer/spacer thing, and the pully. Does anyone know which side the big spacer thing goes on? I think I'm going to loctite it in and such.
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