I am in the middle of replacing my head gasket on a 2004 civic, LX for overheating issues (and bubbling in the coolant over flow).

In watching some you-tube, some people are putting liquid gasket on the head before putting down the head gasket and then installing the head. i was always under the understanding that for the head gasket, you NEVER use a RTV style gasket material, just the gasket itself.

Can i ask if you can clear this up...am I to put that down first??

 

I've done many head gasket jobs on civics, some I used the MLS gasket dry and some I've sprayed with the copper gasket spray. All of them are doing well so far. I personally use the copper gasket spray in all my head gaskets from now on.

 

have you checked the head and block for warpage? I would have the head resurfaced and use an oem head gasket, I never use any other liquid gaskets but some people do and it works for them,

 

Just finished getting the head off tonight. Going to take it to a machine shop tomorrow and have it decked and checked for being warped. I expected the old head gasket to be stuck on, and have to do some cleaning on the block, but it was not, just came right off...strange from my limited pasted experience...

 

Make sure the block and head are immaculately clean.
Use a higher #, up to 1,000 grit, sandpaper until head and block are shiny looking and super smooth.
Wipe down the head and block with lint free cloth soaked in Brakeleen or the like.
Do not touch the sealing surface of the head gasket.
Grab it by the inside of the cylinder fire rings and set it onto the deck.
Your skin has oils in it that can prevent a gasket from sealing.
Place the clean head on top of the head gasket and do the torque sequence as stated by manufacturer.
This is a lot of work so do it right the first time so you don't have to do it again.