tommy boy2

i overheated my 94 civic and it sputtered and died before I could escape a red light at an intersection. A few minutes later a big cloud of white steam came out of the tailpipe and when it cooled a bit the radiator seemed empty. I tried to fill it with water to try to help cool what was left of the engine. cranks but smells of gas and does not start. I suspect it had a slow coolant leak for a few months that finally got it. What do I do? (I took it to a shop for an estimate and have not yet heard back...)

Bleakened

You blew a head gasket because you let it overheat wayyyy too far. Expect the repair estimate to be astronomical. You should start looking into swapping another of the same motor in. Or, a different motor if the desire is there and the wallet permits it.

Sorry to say but it's not gonna look pretty when they call back.

tommy boy2

if I replaced the head gasket it should run? or could I have warped and cracked things. Would the rings need to be replaced too? I feel so dumb...
Should I test compression in each cyclinder to see what is left in there?

how much is an engine swap (basic not performance - this is just a commuter)?

HondaPartsHero

Possible you could salvage the engine with a headgasket job including checking the head for flatness. Or it could have done worse to the block. Honestly just get a JDM low mileage equivalent. Are you doing the swap yourself? If so you could get by with just the cost of an engine, fluids, etc. If not look about $750 and up if you're lucky.

NotARaCist

iTrader: (1)

You can find D15B2 (base) motors online and at junk yards for a couple hundred bucks easily. D16Z6 (EX/Si) motors can be found as well, but they're usually a little more pricey.

After letting an engine overheat THAT badly, I wouldn't trust it. You probably need more than just a head gasket.

tommy boy2

thanks for the advice - I have a week off work then I am back at it. is there any test that will tell you if it is just the head or a cracked head or cracked block? Does the delay and then the sudden gush of water and steam from the tailpipe give any clue as to how badly the engine was hurt? I'v never swapped an engine but would be up for the challenge I guess - is it crazy hard or easier than doing a head gasket (that sounds hard from reading posts), thx.

Lizardslap

its not to hard I swapped the motor first thing in my first honda I ever owned as long as you have most of the tools some breaker bars a 10mm,12mm,14mm,and a 17mm socket you can take most of it off I advise taking pictures before

as well as an axle socket set you can rent at a parts store if you need to


the big problem with replacing the headgasket is more than likly it will just blow again like 2 weeks later and will waste your time and money

NotARaCist

iTrader: (1)

It will only blow again if you did it wrong. Simple as that. I've done a lot of head gaskets on Hondas, Nissans, Subarus...you get the point. Never had one last less than as long as the original gasket lasted.

OP, you won't be able to know until you pull the head. Buy yourself a good straight edge so you can check the block for warpage, and take the head to a machine shop. Have them check it. Get it checked, planed if necessary, magnafluxed, and replace the valve stem seals.

Lizardslap

motors are cheap if you want to do all that work go for it my 2c is swap

tommy boy2

I sure would like to but I think I'd be way over my head. I have done oil and a water pump on a golf but the videos look pretty hard on YouTube. I don't have an engine crane thingy too...and I can see those old exhaust studs cracking on me somehow too. Ugh, what a mess!

JDMswagSerf

I would stick to just a HG change
No point in getting a new engine if the current one can be saved.

You just pull the head off
Get it resurfaced. Probably a valve job too
Get a gasket and fluids and there.
While it is taken apart. I would also change the timing belt and water pump.

It is easier and cost less than and won't take as much time as an engine swap

apexi_rsx

just hope the headgasket is all it needs. your motor got so hot ur pistons got hot swelled up and shut the car off. I just repaired a car for someone not too long ago on a Nissan quest she did the same thing. id do a compression test if u seeing ANY 0's id look into another motor. getting a motor that hot could have cooked the bearings as oil tends to loose viscosity when over 200* and water got in the oil to make it worse. that motor probably wont last long even if fixing the headgasket gets it moving again...

JDMswagSerf

How badly did you over heat it

tommy boy2

i was stuck at a red light and it went up and up and up hit the top and then sputtered and died. I actually revved it hoping that the fan would cool it - and then it was done.
how woud I check the bearings?
so far - it does not look like there is water in the oil, maybe because there was a coolant leak and there was not much water to get in there?
is that a good thing or another bad thing?
the shop said it was way too busy to check the car this week and they will try to check it on monday. I feel like gamblng on the head gasket might not be a waste of time/money. what would a shop charge me for that (resurfacing if it can be done too)? is i possible the head is so warped that is cannot be resurfaced? can i look at where the head meets the block and see if it is really badly warped without removing it?
thanks so much

Vinhjamin8302

I always said if you overheat your car to the point where it shuts itself off/dies, than your toast, pay attention to your gauges, that's why their there. And maybe next time you'll catch it before it gets too hot! This is what I told my gf atleast and viola she calls one day and says the car is overheating so she had to shut it off, in turn she saved it from catastrophic failure

tommy boy2

i wish i could go back in time - I know to shut it down but I guess I was very tired and also worried about being in the middle of the intersection. ughhh

tommy boy2

is there any hope: has anyone overheated to engine failur and gotten away wth only a head gasket or would it take a Xmas miracle?
thx again

JDMswagSerf

Yes
Once I over heated the **** out of my Acura.
Did a HG change and it was fine

JDMswagSerf

Yea my car shut off too haha. But I fixed it. Just a resurface and good HG.

No you cannot tell if it's warped if its still on the block
I don't even think you'll be able to tell if its warped by removing it. Unless you have a flat bar to run across is to feel for unevenness

DropNotch

Over heated my delsol when the water pump gasket failed. It got so hot it was blowing blue smoke (oil) out the exhaust and from under the hood. It didn't turn off though, I parked it when it first started smoking. Just replaced the head gasket, then attempted to drive it. Idle was really low, cooling system was being pressurized. Pulled head again, had it resurfaced, valves checked and seals replaced, and replaced the head gasket again. I also rebuilt the block, only because I had access to free pistons and rings. Bought new bearings and such, but honestly could have probably been just fine after having the head serviced.

tommy boy2

shop just called and left a message: overheated it so much the head cracked. they said it would need a new engine and to call to discuss options...i'm scared.
it's a 94 civic hatch. this place charges a lot per hour. what do I do? is it a gamble to replace the head with one I get off craigslist? a BIG gamble? somethng better? The tow driver offered me $100 for the car when he dropped me off...

Lizardslap

do not sell ur car for 100$ you can part it out for more than that if you chose

crazyhouse2011

2 options here.

1. JDM d15b with 50k miles. 8000 revs and more hp than the d16z6. However, this might become more expensive if you end up replacing parts on the d15b, like timing belt, water pump, etc.

2. Salvage the engine. Pretty much an overhaul, but you would have the piece of mind knowing it's back to almost-new condition, and the mileage would be reset. Plus you wouldn't have to pay to have a new engine swapped.

apexi_rsx

I find it hard to believe the head cracked they can not tell unless the head was removed. a buddy of mine just picked up a crx from someone that took the car to a mechanic and said the head was cracked as well and all we did was put a headgasket on it and motor was good ever since...seems mechanics like to use this excuse to get over on people for big money... take it to someone else maybe a backyard mechanic where it can be looked at or fixed for pennies on the dollar compared to a lazy over priced shop...

tommy boy2

Thanks for the suggestions. I work at a voc high school so I might see if they want to do some fixing on it (may never get ot back though!)
if the head is cracked, would that make the compression in each (or some) cyclinders go down? or is that something else - I am going to ask them if they did compression tests and wanted to know hat it meant first - thanks!