My stock '98 Civic EX auto coupe overheated a few times within the past month, then overheated for a while before I noticed and now won't start. I installed new plugs because I had them, it started and drove for a mile, turned the engine off, went to start it up and won't turn over. There is antifreeze on the end of the plugs, and blowing white smoke, so I'm assuming I cracked the head? or will I get away with just a blown head gasket? Could there be any problem in the block? Motor has 147k on it. Thanks for help.

 

if it wont turn over looks like more serious than just a head gasket

 

Stop trying to start the car, unless you want to hydrolock it too.

You probably blew the headgasket. Consistant overheating may have warped the head or block, as well. Remove the head, replace the head gasket, have a machine shop check the head for you, and get a quality straight edge to check the block yourself. If it isn't perfectly flat, rip it out and have the machine shop deck it for you.

 

Engine is gone. Start looking for a replacement.

 

Thanks for the replies.

 

The engine probably could've been salvaged but letting it overheat several times pretty much destroyed that hope.

The first time it started to over heat the issue should've been addressed instead of letting it happen a few more times.

But on the bright side, crate D-series engines aren't that expensive ($600-$800) and can be installed in a few hours.

 

Are you saying the block is gone??

 

That's what I said.

 

I can't say for certain but the engine over heated several times so it'd be safe to say that something in the block is broken; cracked sleeve or ring damage. If you really want to know whats wrong you'll have to dissemble the engine and inspect the damage. Purchasing a used D-series engine is probably cheaper/easier than rebuilding one from top-to-bottom. The parts and machine shop labor will probably come out close to the cost of a crate engine.

I'd find a crate engine, install it and call it a learning experience.

 

Only reason I questioned is cause I had a d16 that was driven prob around 50 miles highway pinned to red, only warped head and block.

 

Only? That still requires a full rebuild. Well, it requires the head and block to make a trip to a machine shop.

 

The engine was fine for a year after the fact then I decided to rebuilt it for other reasons.

 

Cost of a rebuild versus the cost of replacing it all together is what you should consider.

You can find tons of civic motors out there dirty cheap. Just make sure you don't blindly buy an engine without testing it correctly.

 

dude park it. pull the head off and then make the appropriate decisions. example, stock swap, head-gasket, head-swap. its all situational.

 

I could have sworn I already said what everyone else is repeating...