Hey guys. My step mom has a '93 civic EX with D16Z6 motor SOHC 200,000+ miles I think. The problem is it has a lot of water in #2 and some in #4. The plugs were really tough to get out so I didn't even look in #'s 1 & 3. So my thoughts are a bad head gasket (dad added water 2 days ago and there isn't any for me to see in the radiator to look for oil AND the oil is not even on the dipstick to look at). It could be cracked head too but what are the chances of needing BOTH head and gasket VS. just the gasket? What else am I overlooking?

Can you guys help me with a parts list?

Gasket kit
head bolts
spark plugs

Thanks for your help.

 

If it's in the cylinders I'd say bad gasket or one of the water tunnels is cracked, or maybe even a sleeve?

 

The only way to find out is to pull the head. Check the head for any cracks, get it resurfaced, replace the gasket, check for any cracks in the sleeves, and check the block is flat.

For parts, your list looks good. Make sure you have a decent torque wrench so you can torque those head bolts down accurately.

 

I guess cracks in sleeves would be easy to see? or cracks in the head? I found a used head for $125. Should I go ahead and get that and have it prepped or just wait because of the possible block damage?

 

I would hold off on it until you confirm that you either cannot resurface the head because the warpage is beyond servicable limits or the head is cracked. It may just be a failed headgasket, so it may not even require the replacement of the head.

 

I did some part hunting today.

Used head $125
gasket set $109
labor for head cleaning, presure check and bottom milling $55

The parts store (O O O O'reillys) said that the computer didn't list bolts as needing to be replaced for this job? I think dad plans to sell the car, but I don't want to sell poor work. Do I NEED to replace the head bolts or not?

I agree with you but I guess we are going to take the chance that the block is good and get the head just to get the ball rolling. Plus the current head on the car has some seriously screwed up spark plug threads. One was heli coiled already and the other plugs have been over torqued probably many times and feel stuck.

 

I have heard differing opinions about the subject of reusing head bolts: https://www.honda-acura.net/forums/s...d.php?t=214606

 

Ok so we didn't get the used head after all. The salvage yard had the wrong one and no others in town.

I took the head off of the Civic yesterday. There wasn't much difficult about it but I'm not looking forward to messing with the timing belt with all that power steering and other junk (my VX has very little in the engine bay and when I did mine last time the motor was out of the car ).

Cylinder #1 was dry with a bunch of white power carbon type stuff. That is the cylinder that we've always had problems with. The spark plug threads were messed up and the plug doesn't go all the way in. I assume the powder and such was from incomplete burn. I cleaned it all up the best I could with light scraping and a vacume cleaner.

#2 had about 2 ounces of coolant in it.

#3 was dryer and the best of the 4, but not great.

#4 was wet as well but no pooling water.

There was black or dark areas on the head and sleave tops indicating to me that the head gasket was what failed. The car had been hot multiple times over the years from different problems and got the gastket. BTW, the inside timing belt cover by the cam pulley was melted really bad.

The head had a full vavle job done and I'm putting on a full gasket set and all four belts tomarrow.

The machine shop said they had to use an impact wrench to get #1 and #2 plugs out!!! They are helicoiling 3 of the 4 spark plug holes. Re-tapping the 4th. Cost for machine shop was $10/valve work, $25 cam labor, $35 clean and surface, $30/helicoil. = Looks like they'll want $310 when I pick it up in the morning.

The parts store said that there wasn't even a listing for the head bolts so I'll oil 'em and re-install them. I also got the NGK plugs for it.

I'll let you know how it runs when it's done...

 

I didn't use new head bolts. I asked last week or so on the pre 92 board. The answer was pretty simple. If the bolts have to be angle torqued it means they are stretch bolts. Ours do not have to be, so I reused mine.

My inner cover was also melted, but I have a couple extra motors laying around so I swapped it out.

 

honda head studs are re-usable