I just bought me a 99 EX w/111k with a possibly bad head for like $2k. The guy I bought it from say he hit a big puddle of water in Savannah, GA and the car hasn't ran right since. He took it to the dealership and they told him he had a cracked head. That was that so he sold the car>>>to me because he wasn't mechanically inclined and had no clue on wat to do.

Now I have it because I knew I could fix whatever the problem was for cheaper than what a KBB would've costed me. KBB was like $4500 for the car not including the head damage.

So I just did a compression check. 210-162-200-200
There is a code 72?? I believe.....anywho its the code for RANDOM MISFIRE IN CYL #2. Which explains the 162 I got.

Now here's the deal. I know cold water on a warm/hot engine can cause serious damage on our little engines. I can pick up another y8 head for $125 with 70k.

But my thing is, is it really the head?? Could the block/#2 cyl sleeve be messed up?? Or headgasket which is another easy fix???

Anybody with similar experiences chime in!!!!

I don't see any signs of headgasket that I can tell. I may be overlooking........

 

id say take the head off first and you might find where the head gasket is gone so you dont spend money on another head for nuthin. if its the head simply slap a new one on.

 

true.....i was saying that to myself the whole time. thanks for the response tho. its raining out now, as soon as things clear up I'll head on out to take the head out.

 

could be a bent valve also

 

I'm with the head gasket too. If as he said, a BIG puddle meant he got the air intake under water, then it may have gotten into the cylinders greating a massic compression ratio for a couple of strokes, this can bend the con rods but probably just blew a crack in the gasket if you're lucky. I'd have the head crack checked while you have it off though, maybe the block too before you reassemble it. If it is obviously the gasket, you're a winner.

 

Preciate it guys...yeah i did plan on having the head pressure tested. $35 for the testing. I hope nothing is wrong with that #2 cylinder. I hope its just the headgasket!! I doubt I'll have time or money to get the whole block out and to the shop. I'm using a lil 2.5ton-14in lift jack and a few blocks, I can barely get the car 3inches of the ground from the tire's bottom.

 

honestly, if you are already thinking of tearing it apart

i'd just buy a cheap d16y8 motor and drop it in

couldn't possibly be more than a couple hundred bucks

 

Easy said then done, lol.

So, I got the head off. I did notice a lil bit of oil on the surface between cyl #2 & #3, but that could've drip while I was pulling the head off. I haven't straight edge the block or head, but everything seems fine to me. The sleeves and cylinders looked fine and the coolant looked greener then ever. I wiped down the block and head, and I think I'm just gonna slap a new gasket on there.

Which gasket should I get??? Autozone?? They're open today and tomorrow!! I need my car by monday. Felpro? or that other one thats like $53.
Should I reuse the headbolts??? I believe thats a no-no. And when re-installing the bolts lubricate with oil???
I would do ARP but I don't the funds right now and I'm needing my car asap.


Modified by Xscort at 6:14 PM 6/21/2008

 

One more thing....how to properly torque a bolt??? Sounds noobish but I can't seem to find the right way.
Finger tighten the bolt(not literally), or just drop it in the hole and start the thread???

And for the 1st increment set the wrech to "x" ft/lbs, and then for the 2nd set it to "x" ft/lbs, and so on right??

 

anyone??