Disclaimer: Searched but most people had more symptomssmoking, coolant/oil mixed, sweet smell)


Car: 1999 Civic DX hatch w/ original D16Y7

Mods: I/H/E, EX tranny, EX intake manifold

Issue: Last night driving home from the gym, I was in 3rd doing about 25 (driving across Tinker AFB) and all of a sudden the car starts stumbling. Giving it more gas doesn't help and the car doesn't go any faster. I looked at the oil pressure gauge and it was fine, A/F gauge was lean then fell off the chart lean, then noticed the temp gauge was about halfway maybe a tad more. So I turned on the heat, it went down momentarily then went back up. The car has never ran hot, ever.

I pulled off into a parking lot, popped the hood with it still running. Idled extremely rough, I didn't notice any smoke out of the exhaust though, that's not to say there wasn't any. Turned the car off, popped the radiator cap, looks relatively normal, there were a few black specs in there (almost looked like dirt), but the coolant was just changed ~10,000 miles ago. Oil looks black, no milky substance. Right where the head meets the block, however, right by cylinder #4 in the front, is a little bit of green coolant showing through and getting the front of the head and block wet. I have not noticed this before.

Soooo.....

- overheating slightly
- no noticeable smoke from exhaust
- no milky coolant
- coolant seeping between head and block in front of cylinder #4
- rough idle/rough when driving/no power

My bets are on blown headgasket. I'm thinking all the other symptoms (smoking, oil/coolant mixed) have not shown up yet because I shut it down ~1 minute after I believe it might have blown. Car is still on base, I need to have it towed home so I can tear the bitch apart. I do not have a compression tester, but I sure wish I did. If I could, I would drive it to a shop and have them do one. Provided this is a headgasket, I would presume I need to have the head checked out and milled if necessary by a shop correct? Some place such as CarQuest do this?

Also, when I remove the head I can leave the intake manifold attached still correct?

Next to replacing my tranny this is the biggest thing I've done to date. This is my DD so I need to get it running again ASAP.

Thanks for the opinions.

 

I also presume I would need to replace the headbolts when I replace the headgasket just for security measures. As I stated before, the car is just my daily driver and will not be boosted or anything along those lines. I'll probably sell it in a matter of a year or 2.



Head bolts are #10 @ $1.75/bolt
Headgasket is #5 @ $22.84

These prices sound right? This is from http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com.

 

get some arp and a metal head gasket

but those prices r lower than ive ever paid

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nekoabandoned &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">get some arp and a metal head gasket

</TD></TR></TABLE>

I'm not sure I see a reason to spend more on ARP head studs when the car isn't that far from stock and I plan on keeping it that way. Might as well get genuine OEM Honda.

 

if ur not going to do any thing with the motor just replace the parts as cheap as possible

 

It does sound like a headgasket, I would stick with OEM parts as well no need to spend the extra money. I dont know if carquest does that or not, I have never needed the service. I would look up "Machine Shops" in the yellow pages. Since you barley drove it you shouldnt run into to many issues. But your right its always good to get the head checked for the best possible fitment.

 

yea i know everything

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by carolinafriedriceH22 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">yea i know everything</TD></TR></TABLE>

WTF?

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by turner7205 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">It does sound like a headgasket, I would stick with OEM parts as well no need to spend the extra money. I dont know if carquest does that or not, I have never needed the service. I would look up "Machine Shops" in the yellow pages. Since you barley drove it you shouldnt run into to many issues. But your right its always good to get the head checked for the best possible fitment.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I found a mcahine shop here in town that I think can do it. We've only lived here for ~4 months so I haven't had any problems that I've had to outsource to other people (ie: machine shops), so I don't know of any good places.

I'm getting quotes of $680-$750 though to do the headgasket replacement from independent shops in the area.

edit: If I take it to a machine shop then I have to remove the intake manifold correct, otherwise I'm good with leaving it on?

 

OK, got the car home. I noticed when I popped the hood that the top bolt on the upper radiator hose housing was missing and there was wet coolant coming from the side of the housing. Is it possible that that's what the issue was? Maybe it was hot enough that the coolant evaporated but then showed up just below on the mating surface of the block and head? Hot enough that the seal between the head and the housing expanded a little, thus causing the stuttering and overheating?

It's been idling in garage now for about 15 minutes, temp is normal, I don't see any antifreeze leaking and I replaced the missing bolt. I'm afriad to go drive it though and either get stuck or do more damage.

Opinions???

 

Possible, but do a leakdown test! That'll tell you what it is right there!
http://www.c-speedracing.com/h...n.php

 

Trust me, if I had the materials I would. But I don't. Not only do I not have a leakdown tester, but I don't have compressed air either.

Fans are cycling on and off, temp is still down. Can anything be damaged if it never overheats? Meaning I could drive it and if it does it again, then as long as it doesn't overheat then I'm ok???

I'm stuck between a rock and hard place. I'm not sure what to do. I'd rather not spend the money and the time replacing the headgasket if it was only a missing bolt on the radiator hose housing. That's a $200 bolt.

 

If you don't have the materials, buy a leakdown tester for $55 bucks and use someone else's comp. air. maybe even a shop. maybe autozone will rent it to you.

http://carshop.carshopinc.com/...CSLDT

 

Problem appears to have been solved, at least for now.

&lt;---- Knocks on wood really really hard

I replaced the missing bolt in the radiator hose housing last night, idled it for ~45 minutes, drove it for about 20. Then drove it for another 30-35 mins. Drove it again this morning to work for ~20 minutes. Still has not overheated, I don't see any coolant leaking from the block, oil and coolant still look fine and are in their respective places.

One of the shops I called yesterday said it was pretty rare for a Honda headgasket to blow, especially with only 92,000 miles. Any truth to this? Remember, this is a NA car.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ****** &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
One of the shops I called yesterday said it was pretty rare for a Honda headgasket to blow, especially with only 92,000 miles. Any truth to this? Remember, this is a NA car.</TD></TR></TABLE>

My uncles 95 sedan (god bless the lil workhorse lol) had i "believe" ~320,000KM (190 miles?) when the headgasket blew. He replaced it, the car is now pushing 450K (270 miles?). He lives in Arizona, damn thing just keeps going lol

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by carolinafriedriceH22 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">yea i know everything</TD></TR></TABLE>

this guys a ricer look at his username. haha