Ok i am blowing smoke everywhere so me and everyone i talk to thinks it is a bad head gasket.. or blown piston rings or something that is leakin coolant somehow into the engine and burning coolant badly..... so imma replace the head gasket i have the haynes manuel... but i heard there were steps u could skip
do i have to take off the intake manifold.. and exahst manifold....
the steps are take off ignition col and cap. set 1st cylinder to TDC then take off both manifolds.... valve cover... then remove head bolts then it will come off....
remove both fluids of course...
are there any other steps i gotta do... or does the head just lift right up?
can someone list the steps they took in order to change the head gasket ..... THanks

 

Ok, here's a rough step by step.

1.) Drain coolant
2.) Remove plug wires
3.) Disconnect crap from head (sensors, coolant lines, etc)
4.) Remove Exhaust manifold
5.) Set #1 to TDC
6.) Remove belts
7.) Remove timing cover, timing tensioner, and timing belt
8.) Remove valve cover
9.) Remove head bolts (in correct sequence)

Installation is reverse of removal.

Notice I didn't include remove the distributor or a few other steps. This should be all you need to do.

 

ok i have never done th is before..... sooooo.......

can you be more specific on how to set #1 to top dead center the instructions arent that clear......
also if i remove timing belt will i have to have a timing light or what do i do for that.... cant i just mark it once its TDC....
can i take off the valve cover and everything to see TDC and then mark it or do i set it TDC first. mark it, then continue with removal or what...
when i put the timing belt back on... how tight do i tighten it....
do you have to take off the sprocket attached to the camshaft and does the camshaft need to come out...
are there any bolts i need to be specifically careful with when i do this cause ive had alot of bolts break of inside the hole in my car...with the suspension and brakes.....
How long should this take... are they any specific complications i might run into.. previous experiences.... shoulld i expect to have another car read for work toamrow if i start after these questions are answered.. Thanks

thanks for the help..... if i come up with anymore questions ill post but please answer those.. Thanks Brian



gotta learn sometime....

 

Ok. To set it at DTC, It should give you instructions in the manual. On your cam gear (you have to take the upper timing cover off) there will be marks. I dunno what motor you have, so I can't give you specifics, but there will be certain marks you have to line up. Also, since the camshaft turns twice for each revolution of the crank, the marks will line up when the motor is at BDC. Take out the spark plugs (at least #1) and put a long screwdriver or some other long straight rod (socket extension, wooden dowel if that's all you can find) down the plug hole. You'll see it rise up as you turn the crank, and when it reaches the top, line the marks up. Thats to ensure you're not 180 degrees off and at proper TDC.

Ok, next step. Mark the distibutor in relation to the head if you remove it so you can line it up exactly as it was. I don't think you need to take the distributor off (I never do), but this way you won't need a timing light when you put it back on.

Basically you can take everything off before you set it to TDC, as long as you do it before you unbolt the head or remove the timing belt.

You can leave the cam in the head, as well as the sprocket. Once you take all the external crap off, the only thing you need to take off under the valve cover are the head bolts.

There is a tensioner that you use to tighten the belt. Read the manual, it should show you how it works. Like I said, I don't know what motor you have, but they're all about the same.

Most of the bolts will come loose without a problem. Naturally, the head bolts are going to be tight. If you don't have a torque wrench to use to put it back together, go find one, buy one, borrow one, something. Love the torque wrench, it's your best friend. Otherwise, no bolts should break on you. It's all basically 10, 12, and 14MM sockets anyway. It should take a beginner around 4-5 hours to do it. Do enough and you can get it down to 1 (I do this for a living).

MAKE SURE THE TIMING IS CORRECT BEFORE TURNING THE MOTOR OVER!!!!! Honda engines are interrference engines (AKA wrong timing = bent valves) It's really not that hard. It's a lot to take it, but its pretty straight forward.