Alright so I noticed my car was overheating a lot recently so today I go to do a compression test and before I even begin the test as I'm removing the plugs I find a small pool of water/coolant in the #3 cylinder -so obviously the lovely blown head gasket, 200k miles bound to happen sooner or later. Anyway, I was removing the #2 cylinder plug and it's seized, I don't know what to do to get it out without damaging the threads on the head, ideas anyone???

 

well youre gonna have to turn the plug to get it out so do it. worse case is you get stripped spark plug threads. there is a kit for repairing this at autozone but its like 40 bucks for all of them and the tool. you might only need one. or you can have the machine shop remove it and repair threads. you will need to take them the head anyways for the valve job and resurfacing. but this is an easy repair since you are gonna do the head gasket. i've obviously been there with customer cars LOL

 

Great...
What about something like a penetrating lubricate like the PB Bolt buster or RP Max Film - those worth giving it a shot with?

 

yeah i would use PB blast and let it sit in there for like an hour and then work it back and fourth and that could work...tighten it a little and then loosen a little back and fourth and everytime u lossen it a little more

 

lube would be great but be carefull on the tightening to loosen method mentioned above...this might strip the threads in the head more or screw it up more by stripping the. they may still be okay but you wont know till you get the plug out

 

Alright, I'll give the PB a shot. I plan on doing the gasket this weekend, I dont have the money to have a shop do any resurfacing, is it 100% needed? Can I get by with just a R&R gasket & head bolts?

 

i would not try to tighten it first. on some things that can work but that would be a real last resort here.

penetrating oil would be the first thing i would try.

also, there is a product called in-force by BG. i find it is superior to PB.

to find someone who sells it, look here: http://www.bgprod.com/bgdistloc/distloc2.php

check the deck and the head surface with a true straightedge. if it's warped, you'll see it in the middle - there will be a gap between the edge and the surface.

 

Yea I was also gonna use a technique I learned using a straight and feeler gauges.
But if it all seems fine (no major warpage or anything) I should be fine just replacing the gasket & head bolts correct? I just hope I can get the spark plug out without causing any damage - cause if that goes wrong there's no way I can afford a shop doing it.

Edit: What do you guys think about the Fel-Pro Head Gaskets? I know they sell a complete set that also includes valve stem seals and a couple other things, can't remember what else. Could I also replace the valve seals without worrying about the need to have a machine shop involved in that as well, pop the old out and pop the new in and run with that? - assuming there's no major warpage.

 

heck yeah. one thing: make sure you really inspect the cylinder walls VERY carefully for any hairline cracks. did you notice on the gasket where the coolant was leaking through? sometimes there is a super clean path where the breach occured.

for what it's worth, which isn't much i guess, i always used OE honda stuff where applicable, in terms of gaskets, seals and bolts, except when i needed a different spec gasket, ie 1.5mm headgasket from apexi.

here is an older write up a guy did on replacing valves and seals but with the head on the car.

https://honda-tech.com/forums/acura-integra-6/%2A%2A%2Ahow-%2A%2A%2A-install-valve-springs-valve-stem-seals-1604753/

the valve stem seal stuff is pretty much the same head on or off. obv if the head was on the car you'd need to have air in the combustion chamber to keep the valve from dropping.

 

I spayed some knock r loose on mine, let it sit for a minute and they came right out.
When you re install them make sure to use so anti seeze.

 

swell for what its worth, i buy those fel pro gasket sets often from autozone for engine rebuilds. however i trash the felpro head gaskets because we use the honda one from the dealer.

the heads i always send them out to the machine shop. at one time i had a machined straight edge i got from the snap on truck which was specifically for checking the heads for warpage. it was round to give you the smallest contact on the head when checking for warpage in the smallest spots. this tool costed 180 bucks and came in a foam padded case so it would be well protected. this is not something that should be eye-balled and considered okay. but this is only my opinion. i know many guys know better and use the eyeball method and consider my method unnecessary.

by the way, that tool i had, i decided to trade to the machinist for a free valve job since he would use it more. after like 20 heads that i checked (all with some slight warpage), i decided that all heads will have some slight warpage at least when they blow the head gasket, so i would just send every one to the machine shop for a valve job and resurfacing.

 

Not yet, I can't pull the head off until this weekend cause I need the car until Friday. All I've done is pull the plugs (those that I could lol) and look into the cylinders with a flashlight.

Great link, thanks

Yeah, definitely gonna be using some anti-seize lol

Alright well, I decided to go with the fel-pro head gasket, I've only heard good things about it so I'm willing to give it a shot and the only reason so far I've read that people didn't go Fel-Pro was cause they trusted the OEM one a lot more - which is completely understandable. I am gonna order the valve seals and timing belt from Honda though without a doubt haha.

 

Alright, just an update. I soaked it in the PB Blaster stuff for a couple hours and the plug came right out. Sounded hella nasty on it's way out but no damage so it's all good

 

awesome. that's great news. good luck with the rest of the repair.