Pop Alexandra

Sounds like poor quality oil to me. It usually happens when there's water mixed with the oil.

Megalodong

Never use scotch brite on the engine block mating surface. It can get into cylinders and damage the internals (crank, bearings, etc..) during normal driving. Did you put towels in the cylinders before using scotch brite? Read: https://www.google.com/search?site=&source=hp&q=scotch+brite+%2B+engine+d amage&oq=scotch+brite+%2B+engine+damage&gs_l=psy-ab.3...962.10341.0.11498.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0....0 ...1.1.64.psy-ab..0.0.0.Q_4z_8oVnKY
If not or even so..buy some inexpensive oil, remove oil drain bolt (or better yet the oil pan) and pour a quart or two down the oil drain passages. When you get the engine back together, oil drain bolt installed, oil filter installed with oil to correct level let it run while beeding air from coolant (about 15-20 minutes) then do another oil drain and fill. Do another oil drain and fill + filter at 100 mile. Another one at 500 mile mark and then at regualar intervals from there.

Also, oil the cylinder walls and keep a dry towel on top of the block to prevent rust in the meantime while head is removed. You can turn the crank via the crankbolt by hand to move the pistons for access to all four cylinders..just be sure to set it back to TDC on first cylinder beofre installing the head.

Did the machinist give you an estimate for evrything involved? His price should include cleaning the head in a hot tank as well..removes almost all or all of carbon buildup.
Ideally the head should be milled to .002" or less. The block should be .004" or less and will most likey be around .002" or less as it sits in the engine bay now. It's thick aluminum and a larger part so it can disperse and tolerate more heat and much less likely to warp out of spec. Good practice to measure the block for flatness regardless.

Once you get used to looking at the etched cam marks you won't even need a mark to see them. They are easier to spot when viewing from behind them (passenger side). The "UP" mark is just a reference and not a timing mark.

Megalodong

When you pulled the head did you see coolant in the cylinders?

eghatch9295

iTrader: (1)

soak the head in diesel overnight. clean clean clean.

Frozti

Machinist says my cam journals are chewed up from oil too low, and that my camshaft should look all messed up but it looks fine to me, says the head is bad wtf...

Megalodong

If you doubt him then either take it to another machinist or have him prove it to you with measurements. Head is bad in what way?
There is a mark on the cylinder that denotes a point in which the head can no longer be milled past. Once it reaches that point head is no longer useable..if that's what he is referring to?

Frozti

He says the camshaft journals on the head are chewed to **** and is unfixable.

Megalodong

Have pics in which it's cleaned up well and zoomed in on journals?
Other route you can take is buy a refurbished cylinder head online. Pull another from junkyard.. but most likely will need machine work as well. Search Craigslist or other sites and find one in a running engine/car.

Frozti

I'll get pictures for you guys tomorrow most likely. I'm going to search craigslist for a head from a running car, found some for cheap. Will a y7 bolt right up, too?

Edit: at this point I need a running car to get to work... If I get one from craigslist and the owner says it had no issues and it's nice and flat, it's going right in without inspection. It's a dumb idea, I know, but if it doesn't work I'll probably end up buying an integra with less miles since I bought this civic at 217k (222k rn)...

eghatch9295

iTrader: (1)

yes, a y7 head can work. z6 or y8 are preferable.

Megalodong

You're willing to put your trust in a Craigslist seller? LOL. Anyway, if you find a running engine and hopefully a decent person selling it there's a few things you can do to test it.
1) Rent (free) a block tester at auto parts store and but a #10 bottle of test fluid. One bottle can do at least five test. Instead of inserting the block tester into the radiator neck ..do it as shown in video below.
A block test is only definitive for a head gasket breech if the blue test fluid turns yellow or geen. However, depending on the location of the breech in the head gasket it can pass the block test (stays blue) yet still loose coolant and need replacement.

2) Get the engine up to operating temp and set the climate control to max heat and blower fan on. If there's no heat or if goes from hot to ambient air then it could point to a blown head gasket. However, there are other causes for a heater not to work so it's not a solid test for blown head gasket,

3) Take oil dipstick out and drip the oil from the stick onto a piece of aluminum foil. May have to repeat to get a few ounces of oil on aluminum. Afterwards use a lighter to heat the underside of the aluminum and if it crackles and pops there is water/coolant mixed in with the oil. Sign of blown head gasket or crack allowing coolant into oil.

4) Get engine up to operating temp and remove radiator cap. Use caution: open rad cap with rag, open halfway and allow pressure to release fully before completely removing the cap. Stand as far away as possible and do not put face over radiator. Once the cap is off rev engine steadily at around 2500 rpms for 20 seconds (repeat a few times) and look nickel and.or quarter sized bubbles in the radiator neck. If the bubbles are continious each time it's revved there's most likely a breech

Frozti

The head I'm getting is already off the car, though... looks clean came from a 99 ex. I'll look for the ad.

Frozti

Heres the head cam journal... Its effed. Machinist says that's what caused the ticking that I thought were my valves. Camshaft looked fine tho..
.

eghatch9295

iTrader: (1)

ouch. don't overthink it. grab a junkyard head, slap it on with a fresh gasket, and get going. i've replaced dozens of d series heads with used/pull a part heads and have had only one dud. if i were you i'd go to a place like a pull a part, you can check mileage, oil condition, verify the timing belt is in tact, etc.

Frozti

Getting a super clean looking y8 head off craigslist that (allegedly) came from a well running car. Checking how flat the deck is while I'm there. If it doesn't go through ill hit a pick n pull. Should I take the time to pull it apart and clean it to check it out? Kinda need my car running soon... If the guy is super sketchy I'll take it apart for sure.

eghatch9295

iTrader: (1)

you can clean heads a number of ways. aluminum can be picky, but i've successfully used the diesel fuel as a parts cleaner method and rinsed down with a garden hose a few times. dry extremely well before installation, hit with a light coat of oil to prevent surface rust if not going on same day.

Megalodong

Yes..check that head for flatness, inspect for cracks and do a water leak test on the valves. If it all checks out it would be a good time to put new valve stem seals in.

Megalodong

Those journals do look gnarly. Lost Motion Assembly (LMA) issues can be a source of ticking as well: https://www.google.com/search?num=50&q=lost+motion+assembly+ticking&oq=lo st+motion+assembly+ticking&gs_l=serp.3..33i160k1.7 037.9419.0.10425.8.8.0.0.0.0.447.1057.2-1j1j1.3.0....0...1.1.64.serp..5.3.1054...33i21k1.A-_YKP0PjMY

Frozti

I already put the head on. I don't even know if it's a y8 but it is vtec... The gasket that looks like it goes to this head is the bottom one in this picture, the one that looks like it goes to my intake is the middle one. I have both, the bottom one with the extra piece on top was terribly made, holes don't align so it may have folded. I used the middle one that matches my intake. How the heck do I get the timing belt on the cam gear? Raw man power or do I need to do the whole belt procedure?

edit: nvermind, I guess there's a plug on the tensioner. Next tricky task is timing it. Cranks at TDC, cam gear is up.

eghatch9295

iTrader: (1)

use the gasket that matches your intake. 99/00 had air assist holes, use your manifold and gasket. there are a million timing threads, loosen the tensioner, line up the timing marks, put the belt on, follow tension procedure, good to go.

Frozti

Right on. I'll figure it out... Here's some more pics. Here's a better look at the journal, it's even more rough in person.
It milled away the camshaft so there's a smooth indentation.
It somehow melted the lower timing cover. I don't know if this happened before or after purchasing the car.

Megalodong

Did you use a Honda OEM multi-layered steel gasket?

Frozti

I used oem, the China one in the kit will now collect dust. Now I can't loosen the tensioner, guess I'll have to remove every belt to get to the bottom cover...

eghatch9295

iTrader: (1)

sometimes they're really on there. use a cheater.

Frozti

The acc belt tensioner is impossible too, whoever worked on it last used thread lock or hulk force lol

What's a cheater?