This is my first project car. 97 Accord lx 4cyl. Original problems were that it overheats constantly. I opened up the engine and there's a crazy amount of oil in the cylinders where the spark plugs are located. In general I just want to clean the block. Question is basically, should I clean the block by hand or is this a job that I definitely have to send to a shop?

 

there's a sticky in the faq's for "spark plug tube seals replacement" or something of that sort....it will fix your spark plug oil problem

there's so much electrical components in the engine bay...i always wonder why anyone in their right mind would spray water at it...even with battery disconnected then you gotta wait and pray nothing is wet....no thanks

 

Thanks for the spark plug advice.

I was talking about the actual block. I wanted to remove it and clean it.

As far as wetting the bay, as long as your wires aren't chewed up nothing should be damaged but the concern is understandable.

 

you mean tearing the engine down, stripping the block and pulling it out to clean it?

if you're doing a rebuild like that a 50/50 mix of purple power (or similar) in a spray bottle and soak every inch of the block. use a sturdy nylon brush to break stuff loose and work the cleaner in. rinse with a garden hose.

repeat until you're satisfied with the cleanliness. then blow dry with compressed air. if you don't have access to compressed air, towel dry the cylinder liners and let the rest air dry. coat the cylinder liners in oil, ATF, WD-40 anything you've got that will prevent surface rusting.

 

Great. Is there anything I should avoid doing as far as cleaning the engine goes because I'm getting a lot of negative feedback from people when I tell them what I'm doing. Everyone just keeps saying to buy another engine and not sink money into it.

 

If you feel confident in your ability to rebuild the motor yourself and you don't need to pay anyone else for the labor then it can be a cost effective endeavor. there is also the added benefits of knowing it's right because you did it yourself, learning some new skills, owning some new tools and the pride of rebuilding your own motor successfully.

however, it would be wise to consider and compare all of your options. for instance is there a auto parts recycler nearby with a working, compatible motor for less than the cost of parts required for a rebuild?

the condition of the car is a factor too. is the car worthy of a new motor? if you end up with a couple hundred in the motor will the transmission or some other critical system last long enough for you to get your moneys worth out of the motor?

i think you see where i'm going, do a lot of planning and critical thinking now so that later you will be free of regrets.

 

Well I'm rebuilding the entire car so tranny is being switched from a/t to m/t and everything is probably going to go. I'll probably change the engine when I'm confident that the car will run right. Honestly I have no real experience professionally, I just have a lot of common sense and a service manual