Hey guys, I bought a 90 civic over the weekend and the guy who sold me the car told me it had a blown head gasket - Well I bought the car for $1000 and proceeded to tear down the D15 that came with the car - starts up fine and runs but blows white smoke like crazy. So I get the head off and look at the head gasket but more importantly the #3 piston seems like it has been worn down on the exhaust side.

Pics: http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=2120175984

So my dilemma is as follows:

I have a D16A6 that has over 300,000 kms on it but the bottom end looks good - the head is completely screwed. Can I used the D15 head on the D16 bottom end?? I know the head gaskets are the same and I know that people have taken the D16 head and put it on the D15 bottom end but can the opposite work as well.

Please let me know. Thanks.

 

Jago, thanks for the response but I plan on boosting it around 7psi with an IHI RHB5. Will this survive that with the #3 piston like that??

 

I'd run it, and if worse comes to worse and you do blow the ---- up, you have the spare motor right?

 

sounds good guys, I'll go pick up some copper spray and setup the motor as is. Thanks for the advice

EJ

 

YES, you can put the a6 head on that d15 block. I would probably swap the cam from the a6 into the d15 head. the head casting is the same, just different cam.

 

that piston looks fine just a little carbon build up. boost it

 

yeah, that pistons fine. Your other pistons just got cleaned off more from the water burning up in it.

 

audioguru: I'm not trying to put the A6 head on the D15 I'm asking of the opposite will work as well: put the D15 head on the A6 bottom end.

Guys, it is the #3 piston that is missing material at the top of the piston on the exhaust side. - it is NOT carbon build up - it is the top of the piston missing material and I can actually see the top ring. Now if I'm going to boost it as is the top piston ring is going to endure a shitload of stress and I will probably end up breaking the ringlands in #3 prematurely. I spoke to my guy at Lordco parts and he was able to get me a replacement piston and rings. I think I"m going to take the #3 piston & rod assembly out then install the new piston with new rings. I think it will last longer that way.