haha yeah definetly do that.

It isn't any "harder" than doing a timing belt just takes about twice as long. A lot of stuff to unplug and unhook. You probably know this, but when you are doing the hoses take a pair of vise-grips/pliers and twist the rubber around the flange to break it loose first, then they will pop right off.

Also make sure you get a head gasket that is made specifically for a 1.8 and not just B-series. I don't know if this is an issue for the Bs or not, but I bought one for my wifes 1.5 civic that was for the 1.5/1.6 d-series and it was noticably larger than the bore of the motor, kinda ghetto.

 

yeah just doing the head gasket, already done the water pump and the time belt

 

yeah then just make sure the crank is at TDC by feeling the #1 cylinder when you put the belt back on, since you won't be able to see the timing sprocket. I was able to take a little peice of wire and reach in with it and unhook the tensioner spring, then i could slip the belt off. Leave the wire there so you can pull the spring later on to hook it back up.

 

That is way too difficult. Just get a 14mm socket and loosen the tensioner bolt 180 degrees and it will allow enough slack to get the belt off.

When you go to put it back on, line up the white mark on the crank with the notch on the lower timing belt cover and slip the belt over the cam gears when they are both lined up at TDC. Retension the belt according to the Helms manual and spin the crank a few times to make sure it is lined up perfectly.

 

its pretty tough to slide the timing belt off and on with the spring still attached, without really pulling on it. when I did it it worth a minute or two to unhook the spring so I can move it with risking any damage to it. But either works really.

yeah and up here in the rust belt those marks on the pulley are long gone.

 

Good point. I never thought about that.

Either way would work just fine.

 

if i recall i have seen my uncle on some of his personal cars do it, and he did something a lil off the manual, he lossened the crank pulley, and the he also used those zip-lock things and he tied the cam gears to the timing belt so that he didnt have to completley take off the camgears or the belt, sorry but dont remember what he actually did but i think he was replacaing the head gasket since his car kept on spitting coolant onto his windshield, and this was done to his turbo si.. thought it was preety handy...

 

not a bad idea. what you can do that is similar is just take some white paint and put a line across each gear/belt.

 

yeah i guess that is very similar...