The engine sounded fine before I replaced the head gasket.
Here is a clip of the noise: I stopped a mile from where I needed to take training for a new job and decided to push on and not risk being too late and needing to reschedule. I drove seven miles back, but stopped many times and let the car cool down.
I had the head resurfaced and just did an oil change.
Should I get a valve lash?

 

Engine topped off with oil?

Low oil pressure?

Did you clean or replace the oil control orifice in the head when it was resurfaced?

 

turn on the engine and remove the oil cap. If you don't see any oil spitting around, the OIL ORIFICE is clogged and needs to be cleaned out. Replace the o-ring since it's likely the original one.

 

You need to adjust the valve lash if the head has been resurfaced.

 

Yea adjust the valves asap!

 

MuellersFan, what diagram is that? This is the first that I have heard of the oil control orifice. Nobody mentioned replacing the o-ring! I am going to point out that on all of the videos that I watched!

Unfortunately, I live three hours from a dealership. I have spent a day getting a $10 part immediately and I have waited a week for a simple nut or bolt a couple of times. I may someday switch to a Toyota just because we have a dealership in-town.

The cheapest place selling the part is Majestic, $3.66, but it wouldn't be here for 15-17 days! The fastest place is probably Partzilla for $10.27 and 2-5 days.

I looked up the dealerships in my state, but none say how long it would take to ship.

Should I just go to an auto parts store and see if they can find the right size? I looked on the websites for AutoZone, O'Reilly's, and Napa, and didn't see the right size, but they must have something!

Would the counter monkey be willing to put in the effort?

NVTurbo, I wish that all tests were that fast! I would have expected oil to spit out of the oil filler hole, but the engine just sounded different. That isn't right!

Chrysler Kid, what kind of username is that in a Honda forum? You had eight sixth-generation Civics?

I already did a valve lash, although it was my first time, and it is entirely possible that I did not do it right. As far as I can tell, it sounded the same, but I very well may need to do it again.

Thanks for your help everybody!

 

96-00 Civic factory manual. Search around. It can be downloaded or purchased.

Was the head resurfaced by a local shop? The machine shop will usually replace the oil control orifice whenever they do head work. Call the shop to ask whether it was replaced. If not, ask whether you can buy an oil control orifice from them.

No oil movement seen?

 

Valve lash asap buddy

 

I have the FSM, but what diagram is that? Removing the rocker arm assembly isn't a routine part of a head gasket replacement as far as I know.

I did not see any oil movement. The orifice is under the rocker arm assembly? I had hoped to knock this out before working two jobs today, but I am almost out of time, and I still need to find a new o-ring!

 

See page 6-25 (cylinder head and valvetrain chapter) in the 96-00 Civic manual.

A reputable machine shop would require you to remove the rocker arm assembly, cam, and other parts from the head to leak test the head prior to resurfacing or doing a valve job. If the head fails the leak test, the shop should not do any other work on the head.

gotcha

Yes, but I don't remember whether it can be removed and installed with the rocker arm assembly in place. Another member who knows may chime in.

Do a google search with the two Honda part numbers. You should also be able to purchase both original Honda parts on Amazon and eBay, and possibly elsewhere

 

You mentioned doing an oil change after installing the new head gasket. Did you also replace the oil filter?

 

Yes, I found it, straightened, cropped, and saved it.

I guess that this machine shop isn't reputable, nor was the one where I took my Forester. I do not miss that car, I spent more on repairs than gas!

[The Civic got about 80% better MPG]

I live three hours from a dealership. The cheapest place selling the part is Majestic, $3.66, but it wouldn't be here for 15-17 days! The fastest place is probably Partzilla for $10.27 and 2-5 days.

I looked up the dealerships in my state, but none say how long it would take to ship.

Should I just go to an auto parts store and see if they can find the right size?

Okay, loosen sixteen bolts, undo the fourteen holder bolts two turns at a time in order, set it somewhere safe, making sure the holder bolts stay in-place. Clean the orifice, replace the o-ring, and reinstallation is reverse of removal?



Yes I replaced the filter.

 

When I went back out it was lightly snowing. Is it terrible that there were snowflakes in my brand-new oil?!

It wasn't supposed to snow!

I put the valve cover back and closed the hood immediately.

 

Hi Xist! Glad to see you on this forum. I agree with the above: valve lash and oil circulation. Investigate both. Check valve lash before you loosen anything because if it is normal, then why adjust? ... if it is not in spec, then you know you found at least part of the answer. Also, careful with the feeler gauge. How you use it can change/falsify the apparent gap. You may think the gauge is telling you you have set the right gap but you're positioning the gauge in a way that actually means you have set too large a gap...
Good luck! Report back, hey.

 

I've owned about 40 cars and started with dsm's, which were made by Chrysler in Ohio

Ive also found brand of oil filter can play a role in lifter noise, in general the sohc motors arent dead silent

 

I cleaned the oil control orifice and replace the o-ring, bolted the rocker arm assembly back on, tightened the bolts which were loose when I started, did another valve lash, reinstalled the valve cover, distributor, spark plugs, and installed the new spark plug wires.

She started up and ran--I didn't make her worse!

She still made noise, but I went back and watched the video. She is definitely quieter!

Shouty has said to track down noises with a long screwdriver. It seemed like the alternator, which is "new," but I will try degreasing everything.

I do not know when I replaced that alternator, but it looks new, so I probably did not install it too long before taking her off of the road.

 

Shouty also says to remove the belts when you are tracking down noises. It was definitely coming from the valve cover area. I didn't want to do a third valve lash, it seemed like I was doing it wrong, I just did not know how. I called around and one shop said they would charge over $400. I could have kept calling, but one guy said that the book says an hour and a half of labor, so $90.

He charges $60 an hour? I have never paid that little!

She sounds like a Civic now, not a Singer!

Now I get to move onto my various other projects. Thank you very much for your help!