On Sunday, exactly 3.0 miles after my valve adjustment, my car suddenly died. I was accelerating and right around 4k the tach just fell to zero. Once I got the car home I pulled the valve cover to see if maybe I had catastrophically messed something up, but when I pulled the timing belt cover I saw the belt hanging loose, broken.
How can I tell if I bent any valves or damaged my head or pistons?

 

Only way to tell for sure is to yank the head. I've never tried it myself but I think you can replace the timing belt than crank the engine by hand and listen for any interference. But if it was me, I'd just pull the head off anyways. You might get lucky like I did last time, I took the clutch out and shut her down as soon as my tach dropped and saved the day

 

Well I've never pulled the head on one of these motors... Am I going to need a new head gasket if I pull it and put it back?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by WindyCity &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Well I've never pulled the head on one of these motors... Am I going to need a new head gasket if I pull it and put it back?</TD></TR></TABLE>

You might as well when you're in there. Maybe replace your intake / exhaust manifold gaskets too while you're at it.

 

Guh. So much for my low budget goal. I suppose that's what we get for playing with 20 year old cars, but still, it would be nice to finally play with one of these cars that doesn't need so much damn attention.

 

LOL, I know your pain. Every time I think I've got everything under control, something else mysteriously gives out on me. Head gaskets are pretty cheap though ~$35 or so, but still money that could be spent elsewhere you know what I mean ? Good luck man.

 

Ok, now for the why-don't-you-search question... Where should I get gaskets and the like? I saw some part numbers and applications on TheZCR.com, but do I just get these from Murray's or Autozone or will I have to go somewhere else?

 

Yeah, you can get them at any autoparts store, but I really would recommend OEM for the headgasket. For the other gaskets, get them anywhere you please, just follow the same year/model application on the P/N list on thezcr.

Oh, and if you don't know how long it's been since the water pump / timing belt tensioner were replaced you should probably change those as well.

 

Awesome, I'll get a move on ordering these parts. Thanks again for helping, Wiz. I'll post back once I get the head off.

 

hey man i just had the same problem on a sohc zc , and i cranked it a bunch of times with a broken belt because i didnt know what was wrong, just replace the belt and re-time the engine . no valves should be bent it is almost impossible on these engines. tdc in bottom crank and tdc on cam gear and you will be running again

 

I'd say do the easiest thing and just throw a new timing belt on it...you'll know if you bent a valve then if it runs like crap but sometimes you can get lucky

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Loserkidwac &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'd say do the easiest thing and just throw a new timing belt on it...you'll know if you bent a valve then if it runs like crap but sometimes you can get lucky </TD></TR></TABLE>

Could be your first resort if you don't feel like pulling the head. I agree that you could have totally got lucky and nothing's damaged.

 

damn, that sucks your timing belt broke. I hope everything is ok for ya.

p.s. I traded you that crx for your civic

 

zc single cam is a non interfering head... if you brake the timing belt 99.9% of the time no valves are damaged. buy new belt and tensioner...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by fridaytech &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">zc single cam is a non interfering head... if you brake the timing belt 99.9% of the time no valves are damaged. buy new belt and tensioner... </TD></TR></TABLE>


Uhm...ok prove it...

 

this happened to me, as soon asi got the motor in, timing belt snapped. I didn't bend any valves. an easy way to check for bent valves are to try to crank it, if you hear a knocking / ticking noise, then some are bent. if no clicking noise, probably none are bent, I didn't bend any when mine snapped.

 

take the head off...take the valves out and roll them around...you'll definitely beable to tell...if you cant then you are blind.

 

intake valves are 8 bux a peice...
exhaust valves are 10 bux a peice.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by rice a roni &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">intake valves are 8 bux a peice...
exhaust valves are 10 bux a peice.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Are valves the kind of part that you can replace onesy-twosy, or if I do one I should do them all?
Having to add $144 worth of valves most definitely blows the $2007 challenge budget.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by fridaytech &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">zc single cam is a non interfering head... if you brake the timing belt 99.9% of the time no valves are damaged. buy new belt and tensioner... </TD></TR></TABLE>


as far as I was aware, all honda motors are interference.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by civicflow &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">damn, that sucks your timing belt broke. I hope everything is ok for ya.

p.s. I traded you that crx for your civic</TD></TR></TABLE>

Meh, these things happen. Good to see the hatch in your build thread, though

My progress: Bottlecaps with crappy tires that will eventually be replaced with Azenis, a bunch of wet sanding, Tokico Illumina shocks and springs, soon a new timing belt

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by fridaytech &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">zc single cam is a non interfering head... if you brake the timing belt 99.9% of the time no valves are damaged. buy new belt and tensioner... </TD></TR></TABLE>Bwhahahaha ~tears~

Tell that to my poor D16A6 head that got raped by its pistons.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by fridaytech &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">zc single cam is a non interfering head... if you brake the timing belt 99.9% of the time no valves are damaged. buy new belt and tensioner... </TD></TR></TABLE>

Ahhh yes, more quality info for the EF forum. Make that 99.9% of the time you *will* have valve / piston damage, then you are correct. And of course that's a gross overgeneralization. Sometimes people get lucky though.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by black88si &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">


as far as I was aware, all honda motors are interference.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

When I picked up my sweet *** $200 Ed Sedan, the 1.5er in it had a broken T-Belt. I slapped a new one on, and sure as ****, it fired right up (after a battery replacement).

And from what I have heard from a few people (this is the first single cam I've owned), the 1.5 in the EF's can't bend Valves wif the t-belt goes. Mine didnt, but I sure as hell can't say anything about other D's or ZC's... I'll tell you one thing though, B-Series are definitely gonna have problems when the belt goes.

 

The general consensus is that I should replace the timing belt and it should probably be ok. If it doesn't run well I will pull the head and examine the valves.
I'll do the timing belt and check back in with my report!