zero708970

So I just replaced the timing belt/water pump on my car (I believe it was easter weekend) and the other day I looked under the oil cap on my car and there's green/white gunky stuff. I had originally thought it was a bad rad cap but the gunk confirmed that it was indeed a bad headgasket. I've searched and I can't find a write up on changing the headgasket. I have a 97 civic EX with a d16y8 engine.
Previously i owned a DB1 integra and in order to take the head off of that car i had to take off the cams because they were in the way of the headbolts. I'm assuming since this is a single cam that i won't have to....right? I don't want to undone crankshaft pulley etc. is there a way to slip off belt and take off the head without undoing everything i did to change timing belt/water pump?

zero708970

Bump...

93egSLEEPER

buy yourself a chiltons or haynes manual for your car. Its way bette then any "write-up" and has pictures as well as every step in detail. I own both and I do most work on my honda like its second nature, but its always nice to have insurance and something to double check with.

Wdpfreak145

You will have to put the engine at tdc (top, dead-center) when you put it back together. That would involve turning the crank manually to get the no.1 piston at tdc and the crank timing belt sprocket has to be in proper alignment as well as the cam gear. You will have to remove the accessory belts anyhow as well as the accessories powered by them I imagine so I would take the crank pulley off anyway.

zero708970

I have the digital copy of the haynes manual but there it says I have to do what I just did the other day which is timing belt etc, I heard that you can just slip it off but I can't find it anywhere, all I need to do is find the thread...

93egSLEEPER

you need to loosen the belt tensioner before you can slide the t-belt off.

zero708970

But once I loosen the tensioner (there's a hole through the lower cover) is there some sort of way to "hold" the belt in place so when I put the head back on I can just slip it back on? (of course with the cam at TDC

zero708970

ugh, i put in the new headgasket and i slipped the timing belt back on but now i have no way of tightening it...i guess i have to take apart the crankshaft pulley again....grrrr.....

Wdpfreak145

Just do it right. Had you done it right the first time, you would probably not be having this problem right now. In small mechanics projects, you can cut corners. This is NOT one of those projects.

b20hatchek

man if you had to ask this many questions maby you should have paid the bux to have a tech do it, not putting down your abilities but some things you just need someone that knows what their doing and perhaps just watch, just a suggestion

EJ8_Man

I'm disappointed in these replies. Looks like no one told you to machine the head before installing the head gasket. There is a high probability you will end up with the exact same problem if you didn't.

Wdpfreak145

Very true. The head should have at least be surfaced and have the deck checked. Level surfaces will warp over time. Having the head surfaced is not always necessary, but still.

93egSLEEPER

I have to disagree with you here. On a STOCK motor, no high compression or boost, a warped head is HIGHLY unlikely unless it has been overheated to the point of being able to do so, and usually under those circumstances it will break something else along with it. Just because you have a bad HG and take a head off does not automatically mean a resurface is needed.

93egSLEEPER

If one or the other were to happen the head would warp before the deck. I have NEVER seen a bad deck on a block (assuming no major problems etc) and I have seen 700whp to 1000+whp turbo motor break and melt. Deacking the block is just a last ditch effort for high compression.

b20hatchek

bump! ^

EJ8_Man

Right, I shouldn't have outright said have the head machined. But if you read the manual it says check tolerances. Regardless of 95hp or 950hp. It makes sense; you have the head off, so check it.

zero708970

Look, I know what the **** I’m doing I was simply asking if there was an easier way to do things because in the past I’ve come across threads where people just slip out the belt and put it back on, it's not like I’m taking a shortcut but I just didn't want to go through the hassle of doing everything (timing belt etc,) again after I just changed my timing belt water pump two weeks ago. "maby" you should read the whole thread instead of just replying... (I am not paying some "tech" $900 bucks for something I can do myself.

To the other guys, yes I followed the instructions on the manual and I measured for warpage...no machining was necessary.