96 Civic Timing
12-15-2008, 06:49 PM
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96 Civic Timing
Evening all,
Well first off my wife has a 96 Honda Civic, runs great except a few problems. First is that the timing belt was replaced at 90,000 and hasnt been changed ever since (200,000 now). I would like to change it myself but I have not worked on the engine before just starter replacement, spark plugs, dist cap, fuel filter, motor mounts, and anything to do with the wheels (tie-rods,cv shafts, etc).
The problem is that my wife needs this car for school so I would only have 3 days to work on it during christmas break. Some people say its easier to take the engine out and do it, I have seen some DIY that show pics (Faq of this site). Is this do able or am I going to screw myself over? I plan to take a lot of pics and pay attention to TDC.
I was also thinking of buying a D16 engine and just tinkering with that and once her engine blows do a swap myself.
Its a great car and she luvs it I am just afraid that the timing belt is going to snap, I dont see myself paying $500 to get it replaced on a 200,000 mile car.
What are your thoughts?
-Thanks
-Logan
Well first off my wife has a 96 Honda Civic, runs great except a few problems. First is that the timing belt was replaced at 90,000 and hasnt been changed ever since (200,000 now). I would like to change it myself but I have not worked on the engine before just starter replacement, spark plugs, dist cap, fuel filter, motor mounts, and anything to do with the wheels (tie-rods,cv shafts, etc).
The problem is that my wife needs this car for school so I would only have 3 days to work on it during christmas break. Some people say its easier to take the engine out and do it, I have seen some DIY that show pics (Faq of this site). Is this do able or am I going to screw myself over? I plan to take a lot of pics and pay attention to TDC.
I was also thinking of buying a D16 engine and just tinkering with that and once her engine blows do a swap myself.
Its a great car and she luvs it I am just afraid that the timing belt is going to snap, I dont see myself paying $500 to get it replaced on a 200,000 mile car.
What are your thoughts?
-Thanks
-Logan
12-15-2008, 07:33 PM
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build the d16 and forget about her timing belt, when it breaks swap time?
I might be biased toward rear drive, pushrod v8 American cars, but Honda makes some loooooong lasting engines.
I might be biased toward rear drive, pushrod v8 American cars, but Honda makes some loooooong lasting engines.
12-15-2008, 07:55 PM
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timing belt shouldn't be to hard. 2-4 hours if you know what your doing but i would say, set aside atleast a whole day and make sure you have a repair manual to help you along the way. also, dont forget to replace the water pump while your at it. so you would need to buy timing belt, water pump, coolant and some other things while u've got other components disassembled, such as valve cover gasket (should include spark plug gaskets). if im missing anything, please add on people
12-16-2008, 05:05 AM
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wtf kind of answer is that...
timing belt shouldn't be to hard. 2-4 hours if you know what your doing but i would say, set aside atleast a whole day and make sure you have a repair manual to help you along the way. also, dont forget to replace the water pump while your at it. so you would need to buy timing belt, water pump, coolant and some other things while u've got other components disassembled, such as valve cover gasket (should include spark plug gaskets). if im missing anything, please add on people
timing belt shouldn't be to hard. 2-4 hours if you know what your doing but i would say, set aside atleast a whole day and make sure you have a repair manual to help you along the way. also, dont forget to replace the water pump while your at it. so you would need to buy timing belt, water pump, coolant and some other things while u've got other components disassembled, such as valve cover gasket (should include spark plug gaskets). if im missing anything, please add on people
Also a tad off topic but I would like to learn a lot about Honda Engines where did you all start? Its a hobby I have always wanted to take on but never have had a massive amount of experience.
-Logan
12-16-2008, 12:01 PM
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One huge hurdle for replacing the TB is getting the crankshaft pulley bolt off. If you have never wrestled with one of these on a Honda, then spend a weekend planning on how to get it free, and then free it. Search this site for help on freeing this bolt. Read sites like mine http://honda.lioness.googlepages.com...eyholdingtools. One approach is to just find an import shop with a heavy duty impact wrench to loosen it, then tighten it just enough to get you back home, tipping the shop around $20. Or you can buy one of the relatively cheap pulley holding tools for this Civic on Ebay or Amazon. Etc.
Free the bolt, retighten, and turn the car back over to your woman. Encourage driving at low speeds. If this very old timing belt does fail, it is said the chances of engine damage will be less at lower speeds. The next weekend late Friday start on the TB. I would plan on a weekend for this job, once the pulley bolt is removed. There are some fine points that will totally trip up someone with limited experience. Like setting timing (maybe you've done this?); setting the tensioner; etc.
At 200k miles, I would change the front cam seal; the front crank seal; the TB tensioner and water pump at the same time as the belt. Valve cover gasket and spark plug seals are a good idea to change at some point but could wait. You have enough to do with just the TB, cam and crank seal, water pump, and tensioner.
A free shop manual for the 96 Civic is at http://ww1.honda.co.uk/car/owner/workshop.html. It will have general directions for removing the TB under "cylinder head/valve train" in the 95-97 manual. But a lot of little stuff always arises the first time. When problems arise, ask here.
For the first few years, always use the shop manual as at least a general guide. Ask questions here, realizing there will be diverse answers but often consensus. Consider your local community college for automotive courses. Do lots of hands on but lots of study of the manuals too, mixed with asking questions. Remember SAFETY is always the first rule. Always. Do not lose any teeth, fingers, etc. (What would your woman say if you lost a body part?!) Do not do more damage to the car. (She might really beat you if you hurt her car!) A good car repair job to me is where I do not get a single bruise nor scratch nor break anything beyond what is already broken. Mistakes will happen, but strive to do better every time. Think always: Is there a safer way to do this?
Free the bolt, retighten, and turn the car back over to your woman. Encourage driving at low speeds. If this very old timing belt does fail, it is said the chances of engine damage will be less at lower speeds. The next weekend late Friday start on the TB. I would plan on a weekend for this job, once the pulley bolt is removed. There are some fine points that will totally trip up someone with limited experience. Like setting timing (maybe you've done this?); setting the tensioner; etc.
At 200k miles, I would change the front cam seal; the front crank seal; the TB tensioner and water pump at the same time as the belt. Valve cover gasket and spark plug seals are a good idea to change at some point but could wait. You have enough to do with just the TB, cam and crank seal, water pump, and tensioner.
A free shop manual for the 96 Civic is at http://ww1.honda.co.uk/car/owner/workshop.html. It will have general directions for removing the TB under "cylinder head/valve train" in the 95-97 manual. But a lot of little stuff always arises the first time. When problems arise, ask here.
For the first few years, always use the shop manual as at least a general guide. Ask questions here, realizing there will be diverse answers but often consensus. Consider your local community college for automotive courses. Do lots of hands on but lots of study of the manuals too, mixed with asking questions. Remember SAFETY is always the first rule. Always. Do not lose any teeth, fingers, etc. (What would your woman say if you lost a body part?!) Do not do more damage to the car. (She might really beat you if you hurt her car!) A good car repair job to me is where I do not get a single bruise nor scratch nor break anything beyond what is already broken. Mistakes will happen, but strive to do better every time. Think always: Is there a safer way to do this?
-Logan
12-16-2008, 12:33 PM
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12-16-2008, 12:46 PM
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http://www.hondahookup.com/manuals/ (if you want to buy a manual get a HELM's, not haynes or chyltons)
you have to register but it should get you started, if you dnt have to pay for an 80$ manual, then why do it?
An Impact wrench will take that pulley bolt right off, but if you dnt have one g/l. You will most likely need the tool described by the LION.
you have to register but it should get you started, if you dnt have to pay for an 80$ manual, then why do it?
An Impact wrench will take that pulley bolt right off, but if you dnt have one g/l. You will most likely need the tool described by the LION.
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12-17-2008, 06:18 PM
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Thanks all for the posts I greatly appreciate it like always. My next door neighbor has a bunch of cars outside his house (race cars, prelude) I was like hmmm…Maybe he knows a few things about this stuff. I stopped by last night and asked him about a timing belt for my wifes Civic. He said he knew a guy that works at a dealership that he builds cars with that does it all the time. They gave me a quote of $340 with Honda OEM outside belts, timing belt, water pump, and seals. That sounds like a good deal what you all think?
The guy works on Ford engines but wants to get into Honda’s I told him about this site and how sick it was. He has a D16 in a civic that is crashed and wants to know what he can do to push some HP out of it. He builds engines for all his race cars, bores, port/polished, etc…He has a machine shop. I guess he is wondering what the best direction to go for with the D series. Luckily for me it’s a hobby I have wanted to get into so he said I could jump in and mess around with the engine with him.
Sorry for all the questions I am excited about this but also want to be cautious yuh know? Fortunately the guy replacing my timing belt will let me watch and I am going to print off that DIY of the civic del-sol so I am on the same page.
-Logan
The guy works on Ford engines but wants to get into Honda’s I told him about this site and how sick it was. He has a D16 in a civic that is crashed and wants to know what he can do to push some HP out of it. He builds engines for all his race cars, bores, port/polished, etc…He has a machine shop. I guess he is wondering what the best direction to go for with the D series. Luckily for me it’s a hobby I have wanted to get into so he said I could jump in and mess around with the engine with him.
Sorry for all the questions I am excited about this but also want to be cautious yuh know? Fortunately the guy replacing my timing belt will let me watch and I am going to print off that DIY of the civic del-sol so I am on the same page.
-Logan
12-17-2008, 07:22 PM
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No the guy that builds racecars is not doing the timing belt, his buddy that works for a honda delearship does side work and would charge me $340 with all OEM honda parts, timing belt, water pump, outside belts, seals,
The guy that owns the shop wants to learn the honda world of engines since he is bored of ford engines after 30 years.
-Logan
The guy that owns the shop wants to learn the honda world of engines since he is bored of ford engines after 30 years.
-Logan
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