My catalytic convert backed-up on my 1990 Civc LX 4DR 1.5L D15B2. The head gasket blew. I caught it at the 1st puff of white smoke from the tail pipe. No over heating, no chocolate milk on the dip stick.

Took the head to the machine shop. After testing/inspection; the head needs a valve job. Waiting on the seals from the gasket kit, placed the order today.

Talking on the phone with the machine shop I was told of "steps" I would need to take after installing the head. The conversation was brief, I didn't understand what he was saying, he cut me short and said "the procedure" is easy I'll tell ya what to do when you bring in the seals and when you pick up the head. Adding read the service manual, it'll explain what's needed. I read the manual and couldn't find anything about this.

From what I recall, here's what he said........

He said after I install the head I will need to rotate the crank 90 degrees (I think he said 90) to get the cam shaft in sync......that's all I recall, there was never a mention of having the time belt on or off when doing this. Again, the conversation was brief.

So, my question is......who here knows what he was talking about?

I've had the car for 17 year, 1st time I've pulled the head.

Thanks, I appreciate ya.

 

To pull the head you will have to pull the timing belt off.

This means you have to set mechanical timing when putting the belt back on after you have put the head back on with new head gasket and the proper head bolt torque sequence as well as proper torque specs. It's typically a 2 step torque spec in the FSM for the D15B2 but I like to 3 step it myself.

Anyways, he may have been eluding to setting mechanical timing being he knows the belt has to come off to take the head off. But so does the intake manifold and exhaust manifold.

 

Yeah, I figured it had something to do with that.

I asked him if I could just put the head back on when he's done, that's when he said I had to set the cam first or the pistons will slam into the valves. At that point my concentration gave out and my mind started to wander. He said something about turning the crank 90 degrees off of TDC.....and said he'd tell me more when I came to the shop. I didn't press him, at that point I was just taking up his time.

It's all stuck in my mind now, I'm just trying to figure out what I need to do after I get the head back.

Tks

 

The reason you turn the crank 90 degrees off TDC is it puts all the pistons half way. This lefts you install the head, set the cam to TDC then you can rotate the crank backwards the 90 degrees to TDC and install the timing belt.

 

I really needed that visual in my head, step by step.

Thanks for spelling it out, I appreciate ya.