Replacing Head Gasket

D15, D16, D17 and Mini-Me swaps
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Replacing Head Gasket

By Griff
- Fri Jun 12, 2015 5:36 pm #354146 I will be replacing the head gasket on my 1993 Civic CX. I am aware that you should have the head inspected and resurfaced but I can't find a local shop that will resurface a head. No only this, but I am planning on putting a vtec 16 valve head on this car next summer. I believe that the head is warped because the man I bought the car from said that the head gasket had been replaced but my car is now spewing white smoke when I rev it (though car fax does not show record of the HG had been replaced, after I bought the car the PO stopped replying to my questions too :? ) and there seems to gunk on the outside of the engine directly under the head. This car is not a daily and should only have about a hundred more miles on the car in a year (track car). I was thinking that I could just spray the new head gasket with copper spray to make it hold for a while.


Edit: I'm going to head by an auto parts store and ask them if they know where I can have my head resurfaced.
Last edited by Griff on Sat Jul 04, 2015 2:38 am, edited 1 time in total.
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By teal_dx
- Fri Jun 12, 2015 8:42 pm #354151 If it's your track car, I'd let it sit until you get the z6 head to put on. That way you're not mixing coolant with oil and damaging the rest of your engine. You can try copper spray but if it's warped, it's not going to make much of a difference. Car faxes don't usually show repairs like a headgasket.

If $ is tight, the last thing to do would be to spend $ and time on a headgasket (and headbolts - they're supposed to be replaced on these engines) when the head is warped on a car you don't need to drive. That will just take $$ away from getting the vtec head, which will replace the warped one and hopefully solve the problem :thumb:

By HeikDiesel
- Tue Jun 16, 2015 2:25 pm #354197 Where in Colorado are you?
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By Griff
- Fri Jun 19, 2015 1:27 am #354249
HeikDiesel wrote:Where in Colorado are you?


Just north of Denver.
Last edited by Griff on Sat Jun 20, 2015 5:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
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By Griff
- Sat Jun 20, 2015 5:13 am #354274
teal_dx wrote:If it's your track car, I'd let it sit until you get the z6 head to put on. That way you're not mixing coolant with oil and damaging the rest of your engine. You can try copper spray but if it's warped, it's not going to make much of a difference. Car faxes don't usually show repairs like a headgasket.

If $ is tight, the last thing to do would be to spend $ and time on a headgasket (and headbolts - they're supposed to be replaced on these engines) when the head is warped on a car you don't need to drive. That will just take $$ away from getting the vtec head, which will replace the warped one and hopefully solve the problem :thumb:


I appreciate the input; I am learning to race and don't think that the 70hp engine will keep me from having a great time at autocross, I'd like to just start as soon as possible. I have already purchased everything needed to replace the old head gasket too. I bought a cheap straight edge and feeler gauges and determined that the block and head are not warped. The head gasket I pulled off was a cheap one but did not show any signs of cracking or anything. The PO had all work done at Brakes Plus (no offense to anyone who works here, it's just that the other work they did on my Civic was not so great) so maybe they reused the old head bolts or torqued them down improperly. Would this cause the car to burn coolant (I did not see any oil in coolant nor coolant in oil, just had white smoke when I free revved to see if it would smoke at all)? The car was also misfiring but I don't believe that would cause white smoke.
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By teal_dx
- Mon Jun 22, 2015 1:56 pm #354300 Good on the no-warpage. Even if the headgasket is not visibly damaged, it could still have been leaking some. Especially if they did not properly torque the head bolts, or re-use the stretch bolts. I wouldn't put it past them that they re-used the bolts.
1. they are $100+ for a new set from Honda.
2. in 1996, Honda started using re-usable head bolts in the D16. Many shops probably assume that they're all re-usable.

I'd call ARP and order a set of ARP head studs. They're better than the stock head bolts (standard procedure for going turbo on a civic - so they'll do great on a stock motor.) AND they're re-usable :thumb: All for about the same price as a set of OEM d15b8/7/z6 head bolts. (If you get ARP's follow lube/torquing/retorquing instructions exactly.)

Also, how is the mating surface of the block + head? Any little nick or piece of old gasket can cause a bad seal. Keeping everything 100% clean during a headgasket install is a must.
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By iLLson
- Mon Jun 22, 2015 3:26 pm #354307 if you do plan to get arp studs, get them torqued properly.
(by arp directions)

http://arpinstructions.com/instructions/208-4301.pdf

preload studs!!

i didnt do it once and the head was lifting under boost

also, if you plan to autocross, power isnt everything.

main focus will be seat time.

after you get used to the car and events,
i would upgrade suspension, brakes, and tires
Last edited by iLLson on Tue Jun 23, 2015 5:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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By Griff
- Tue Jun 23, 2015 1:15 am #354311
teal_dx wrote:Good on the no-warpage. Even if the headgasket is not visibly damaged, it could still have been leaking some. Especially if they did not properly torque the head bolts, or re-use the stretch bolts. I wouldn't put it past them that they re-used the bolts.
1. they are $100+ for a new set from Honda.
2. in 1996, Honda started using re-usable head bolts in the D16. Many shops probably assume that they're all re-usable.

I'd call ARP and order a set of ARP head studs. They're better than the stock head bolts (standard procedure for going turbo on a civic - so they'll do great on a stock motor.) AND they're re-usable :thumb: All for about the same price as a set of OEM d15b8/7/z6 head bolts. (If you get ARP's follow lube/torquing/retorquing instructions exactly.)

Also, how is the mating surface of the block + head? Any little nick or piece of old gasket can cause a bad seal. Keeping everything 100% clean during a headgasket install is a must.


The head and block have a bunch of tiny circular scratches almost like it was sanded with really fine sand paper, will this give me a bad seal? Would using copper spray fix the issue if there is one? I guess the head head and block were previously milled. When I run my fingernail along the scratches I can feel the shallow divots. Also, what is the best way to remove old gasket material? I've heard that brake cleaner and razor blades work but I am a bit skeptical.

Here's a picture of the head scratches:

Image
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By teal_dx
- Tue Jun 23, 2015 3:10 pm #354340 Some of those scratches look deeper than others. If any deep ones are in the thin area around the cylinders, then there could be your leak. The copper spray couldn't hurt.
I use a razor blade to remove all the old gasket and then suck it all up with a shop vac.
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By Loaf31
- Wed Jun 24, 2015 2:07 am #354344 for removing the gasket material, I used Permatex Gasket remover. Dab it on with the little brush head, let it sit for around 10 minutes, then get at it with some scotch brite. Worked wonders for me :thumb:
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By Loaf31
- Wed Jun 24, 2015 2:10 am #354345 also, quick tip:
There will be two little oval holes on one side of the head. make sure you don't put on the head gasket backwards, blocking the holes. I've made that mistake :oops:
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By suspendedHatch
- Wed Jun 24, 2015 6:30 am #354348 If the head is warped, no amount of gasket sealer is going to help. But you don't know for sure that it's warped...
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By Griff
- Sat Jul 04, 2015 2:06 am #354532 Ok, so I have been at it for about 4 hours now. I used a full can of Permatex gasket remover, a lot of brake cleaner, almost a roll of shop towels and ruined 2 microfiber towels. I have not removed a notable amount of gasket. Does anyone have any recommendations? I'm letting the remainder of the gasket remover sit on the head overnight to see if that will yield better results.
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