Picked up a 2000 civic ex sedan for dirt cheap. Owner said that it had a bad cat and wouldn't run properly.

I change out the cat and put in a new battery and they car started up and ran. The inside of cat was like a can of bean. This made me assume that antifreeze was leaking somewhere. Noticed white smoke coming from engine after running for 10 mins. Came to the conclustion to have the head gasket replaced. While replacing the gasket, noticed a ton of caked up oil inside. I assume the guy hardly ever changed it.

Got the car put back together, fired it up, and after about 10 more mins, i see white smoke again. I turn it off and tried to fire it back up....nothing.

Turned the crank over a few times by hand and then was able to get the car to fire up but then it shut off after about 1 min.

What could be the problem?

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

If the gasket had gone and the previous owner over heated it, then it's possible the head got warped. If all you did was pull the head, clean up the block and head but didn't send the head out to test for flatness and it's warped, you won't get the head to seal no matter what you do.

Typically you send the head to the machine shop to test it for warpage as a general rule. You can also have it magneflux dye tested for cracks and also milled for a smoother finish for a MLS head gasket.

Good luck. Sounds to me like youe head gasket still leaks or something is cracked (block or head).

 

Thanks,

Without tearing it down again. Is there anything i can do to test it, like a compression test or something?

 

Do you take the head to the machine shop for check?

For the start issue: Any CEL? Double check the time!!!

Perform both leak down test and compression test. This tell you if you have any problem with the head or internal engine failure i.e. bad rings.

I assume that you changed oil, filter and plugs when do the job.

Let the car idle for a while, checking the temperature to eliminate coolant residues from the system.

 

Yeah Amazon and some auto parts stores have a block tester. looks like a turkey baster. You put this blue fluid in it, and suck the air from your rad. If the fluid turns yellow you have a head gasket leak. It's a more sure fire way than looking for bubbles in your rad with the cap off.

youtube it and you should find someone demonstrating it.

Last I checked it's around 35 bucks or so.

 

sometimes if its bad enough you can remove rad cap see bubbles coming through. doesn't work all the times. ive seen it in some cases

 

Update....

I did a compression test and I have no compression in any of the cylinders. I see them go up to about 120, then quickly go down to 0.

The car cranks and runs for about 10 - 15 mins then shuts off, the smoke is pretty bad right before it shuts off. It then refuses to crank (I assume to protect itself) for a few hours.

Im thinking that this engine is pretty much toast. I guess i could have the head checked but Im at a point where i cant invest anymore money in this.

My next question would be how should I handle this now.

1. part everything out.
2. sell as-is on craigslist
or
3. Donate

I need about $800 to break even.

Thanks

 

Did you repeat the test wet? Parting out is going to take you a LOT of time and effort to even consider breaking that $800 mark. Selling as-is it hit or miss, and depends entirely on location. Donating...well, you aren't going to magically get $800 back on your tax return, but it would probably put a healthy ding in your income, and might bump your tax bracket.

 

Another option would be hit up a junk yard and pull another head from the same model motor, could probably get it for under 100 bucks or around 100.

Sounds like your compression tester valve is flaky so you had about 120 in all cylinders which is low but should be enough to run. Also if the HG is leaking and it spikes to 120 in all cylinders the block should be pretty decent and compression should go up oncwe you get a good head and gasket on.

Take the new head, have it checked for another couple hundred, put it on then sell the car for 1500-1800 and make a couple hundred.

A running car sells for much more than a blown engine car.

 

Correction, 120 is below service spec but may still barely run if the variance is not greater than 25% of each other. I assume it will go up quite a bit once the HG is sealed properly with a decent head which will in turn allow you to sell the car for a bit of profit.