I need help saving my EM1 (engine head reassembly)
01-29-2018, 05:26 AM
#1
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I need help saving my EM1 (engine head reassembly)
Background:
About 6 months ago my civic died of a head gasket failure and oil in the coolant. I sent it into a shop to be fixed because doing that kind of repair on my daily myself scared me. They came back and told me that my camshaft had marks on it so basically I'd need a whole new engine head. They then called a few scrap yards around them and found that all the available engine heads had the same markings that mine did, so he quoted me upwards of $2,000 for a brand new head from Honda. Seeing as this is a relatively clean, but far from perfect 17 year old car with 240k miles, I chickened out, had it towed home, and it's been sitting in my yard ever since with the engine disassembled under the hood.
Questions:
---Is this a futile project?
About 6 months ago my civic died of a head gasket failure and oil in the coolant. I sent it into a shop to be fixed because doing that kind of repair on my daily myself scared me. They came back and told me that my camshaft had marks on it so basically I'd need a whole new engine head. They then called a few scrap yards around them and found that all the available engine heads had the same markings that mine did, so he quoted me upwards of $2,000 for a brand new head from Honda. Seeing as this is a relatively clean, but far from perfect 17 year old car with 240k miles, I chickened out, had it towed home, and it's been sitting in my yard ever since with the engine disassembled under the hood.
Questions:
---Is this a futile project?
-The car has a ton of new stuff and was the perfect driving machine before it died. A whole lot of love and care went into making it run perfectly and it did so without a hiccup before it overheated (never red-line overheated, maybe 3/4th of the temp gauge before I pulled over and had it towed to the shop).
-The engine components have been exposed to the weather more or less. The hood was always closed, but the bare engine block was exposed underneath the hood for probably close to 5 or 6 months through the cold and snow, as well as everything else in there. Will it ever run again?
-I'm going to try to do this without removing the engine block, Is that possible? Does it need to be machined too?
---If not, where do I start?
-I have everything that came from the car when it was running all piled up in a box in the front seat of the car.
-Should I try to use as much of this as I can? or should I try to find a complete engine head to use?
-I Have a buddy with another disassembled Y8 engine head which might have better components than mine, but his had more miles (300k) vs mine with 240k. Should I mix and match?
In conclusion:
I am fairly experienced with a wrench, on this car in particular, but this is BY FAR the most complicated and involved thing I've ever attempted. (I haven't even taken a valve cover off before for fear of messing something up) but I figure now that I have a daily driver I have nothing but a couple bucks to loose by trying my best to save my first car. I know I will be relying a lot of these forums and my friends to figure out what I'm doing, so I thank anyone on here who's willing to take their time to tell me my *** from my elbows. Here goes nothing!
-The engine components have been exposed to the weather more or less. The hood was always closed, but the bare engine block was exposed underneath the hood for probably close to 5 or 6 months through the cold and snow, as well as everything else in there. Will it ever run again?
-I'm going to try to do this without removing the engine block, Is that possible? Does it need to be machined too?
---If not, where do I start?
-I have everything that came from the car when it was running all piled up in a box in the front seat of the car.
-Should I try to use as much of this as I can? or should I try to find a complete engine head to use?
-I Have a buddy with another disassembled Y8 engine head which might have better components than mine, but his had more miles (300k) vs mine with 240k. Should I mix and match?
In conclusion:
I am fairly experienced with a wrench, on this car in particular, but this is BY FAR the most complicated and involved thing I've ever attempted. (I haven't even taken a valve cover off before for fear of messing something up) but I figure now that I have a daily driver I have nothing but a couple bucks to loose by trying my best to save my first car. I know I will be relying a lot of these forums and my friends to figure out what I'm doing, so I thank anyone on here who's willing to take their time to tell me my *** from my elbows. Here goes nothing!
01-29-2018, 07:41 PM
#2
Honda-Tech Member
Re: I need help saving my EM1 (engine head reassembly)
First, can you clarify what engine you have in the car ??? Your title says "EM1" which would suggest you have a B16A2... however, near the bottom of your post, you mentioned your buddy has a "Y8" head... which is a single cam engine. Single cam parts don't work on dual cam engines. If you actually have a D16Y8 engine in the car, you can buy a solid used engine for less than the $2000 head casting cost and eliminate the potential issues with a six month exposure to the elements.
01-30-2018, 08:13 PM
#3
Honda-Tech Member
Re: I need help saving my EM1 (engine head reassembly)
First, can you clarify what engine you have in the car ??? Your title says "EM1" which would suggest you have a B16A2... however, near the bottom of your post, you mentioned your buddy has a "Y8" head... which is a single cam engine. Single cam parts don't work on dual cam engines. If you actually have a D16Y8 engine in the car, you can buy a solid used engine for less than the $2000 head casting cost and eliminate the potential issues with a six month exposure to the elements.
Probably would be cheaper for him to just get a JDM engine and swap it in. If only he were near my garage...
01-31-2018, 08:41 AM
#4
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: I need help saving my EM1 (engine head reassembly)
First, can you clarify what engine you have in the car ??? Your title says "EM1" which would suggest you have a B16A2... however, near the bottom of your post, you mentioned your buddy has a "Y8" head... which is a single cam engine. Single cam parts don't work on dual cam engines. If you actually have a D16Y8 engine in the car, you can buy a solid used engine for less than the $2000 head casting cost and eliminate the potential issues with a six month exposure to the elements.
01-31-2018, 12:34 PM
#5
Trial User
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: I need help saving my EM1 (engine head reassembly)
My Suggestion:
Go to the nearest Pick-N-Pull Junkyard and look for a Civic EX with a clean Head. The used head should be under $100. The total price of the repair should be under $150 (Used Head, Head Gasket, Anti-Freeze and other misc items).
Go to the nearest Pick-N-Pull Junkyard and look for a Civic EX with a clean Head. The used head should be under $100. The total price of the repair should be under $150 (Used Head, Head Gasket, Anti-Freeze and other misc items).
01-31-2018, 01:28 PM
#6
Re: I need help saving my EM1 (engine head reassembly)
I just rebuilt my b16a2 engine in car. Removed oil pan, head pushed pistons/rods out through top. Resurfaced/cleaned up head. used flex hone dingleberry tool to deglaze hone cylinders, installed eagle rods, arp head studs, npr 10:5:1 pistons with npr rings, acl std bearings. runs great!
I did this because it was burning oil and leaking. Does not do either anymore.
I did a lot of reading and all that and took my time it took about 3 weeks on and off between work etc.
Read about 'how to turbo your honda part 2' on youtube and you should be set.
I did this because it was burning oil and leaking. Does not do either anymore.
I did a lot of reading and all that and took my time it took about 3 weeks on and off between work etc.
Read about 'how to turbo your honda part 2' on youtube and you should be set.
02-01-2018, 10:12 AM
#7
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: I need help saving my EM1 (engine head reassembly)
I just rebuilt my b16a2 engine in car. Removed oil pan, head pushed pistons/rods out through top. Resurfaced/cleaned up head. used flex hone dingleberry tool to deglaze hone cylinders, installed eagle rods, arp head studs, npr 10:5:1 pistons with npr rings, acl std bearings. runs great!
I did this because it was burning oil and leaking. Does not do either anymore.
I did a lot of reading and all that and took my time it took about 3 weeks on and off between work etc.
Read about 'how to turbo your honda part 2' on youtube and you should be set.
I did this because it was burning oil and leaking. Does not do either anymore.
I did a lot of reading and all that and took my time it took about 3 weeks on and off between work etc.
Read about 'how to turbo your honda part 2' on youtube and you should be set.
Trending Topics
02-01-2018, 11:22 AM
#8
Premium Member
Re: I need help saving my EM1 (engine head reassembly)
Originally Posted by Cupajoe;51547122
I just rebuilt my b16a2 engine in car. Removed oil pan, head pushed pistons/rods out through top. Resurfaced/cleaned up head. used flex hone dingleberry tool to deglaze hone cylinders, installed eagle rods, arp head studs, npr 10:5:1 pistons with npr rings, acl std bearings. runs great...
02-02-2018, 12:18 PM
#9
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
02-04-2018, 06:19 AM
#10
Premium Member
Re: I need help saving my EM1 (engine head reassembly)
Not sure how comfortable you are with that?
I wanted to measure my pistons and cylinders and if good, then de-glaze the cylinders with a ball hone.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Tim1959
Honda Civic (2001 - 2005)
6
06-27-2018 01:51 AM
Rick1t
Honda Minivans, Crossovers, and Trucks
3
10-01-2013 06:51 PM