ezone

DO NOT DO THIS ON A RUNNING ENGINE!
You can blow apart the radiator, you can blow hoses off or apart. This is dangerous.

The pressure tester has no way to vent system pressure, where the radiator cap is designed to limit pressure to about 15 PSI.

----It needs the head gasket job.

Lobsterman

Yes, I relized this pressure test is risky. I had done it before finding this info. Had someone in the car to shut it off. checked before hand for extreme pressure. I know, still risky.
This is a much better test. Thank you for the lesson. I actual new from the symptoms that it was blown. Just hoping for a miracle cure, and a reprieve from a weekend under the hood. So Cylinder 1 & 2 leaking.
I have done this job a couple of times on 95-97 civics. I removed the head with the intake and exhaust attached. Made it real easy. A little awkward, but I just lifted it with my engine hoist with little effort by myself. Will this work on the 2004?

sdaidoji

iTrader: (1)

I took it out with the intake in, no issues. header i removed, but it is not a hassle on the 7th gen

the struggles I had (could be different in yours, layout changed between models and years) were reported in one of the two head gasket DIY articles in the DIY section (be careful in the DIY section, if deemed not adding information to the DIY, we clean the threads to keep information as concise as possible, so irrelevant questions gets deleted, unless it's important information - reduces the pages that one needs to sift through when one wants to have a real DIY)

Thread 1:

https://www.civicforums.com/forums/1...t-diy-2-a.html

Thread 2: (Where I reported my struggles on my 2002 coupe EX - like said, they could be different on a sedan or auto, or different year - different layouts - I guess some of the 2002 have the ABS on the other side from mine?)

https://www.civicforums.com/forums/1...-belt-diy.html

ezone

Matter of preference I guess.
I personally prefer to leave both manifolds in the car and pull just the head by itself.

I think the exhaust is real easy to unbolt from the head and unbolt the lower support and just let it move or drop away the couple inches that it will go, that way you don't have to mess with splitting apart pipe connections from underneath at all.

The intake is tricky to get unbolted, many just leave it attached and pull it with the head. There's like 3 fasteners that need undone underneath before it will come up though.

sdaidoji

iTrader: (1)

What ezone said. The trick part though was tightening the knock sensor after reinstalling the head. I left it undertightened and it came loose the next day

Lobsterman

Thanks for all the great advice and information. Starting it Friday afternoon. Hope to get it done by Sunday.

Lobsterman

Well the job went almost flawlessly. With the exception of the right bolt on the upper timing cover bolt spinning the molded nut in the plastic all was very smooth. The head did not need machined. And assembly went great. All connectors, bolts and brackets made it back to there original postion and no codes showed up. She has drove it all week and coolant level has moved about 1 inch, I figure that is from air bleeding out, but watching it.
I pulled head with exhaust and intake in place. Never took them off. Also, most important I put ever bolt back in it spot as I disassembled. Made it a breeze when reassembleing. Thanks for the advice. Now I have to replace the expansion valve on my 97 Civic. Argh! Lol

ezone

sdaidoji

iTrader: (1)

haha

ezone

Thread bump...because whenever I do a search for it it's 3 pages deep now

sdaidoji

iTrader: (1)

it's a sticky, so just head to 7th gen, mechanical issues section, and it should appear on the top stickies

ezone

That's not how my brain works though! LOL

xRiCeBoYx

iTrader: (22)

ezone

I'm elderly. A greybeard. Set in my ways already. Old dog, new trix and all that.

*shakes cane in anger, falls over, breaks hip

sdaidoji

iTrader: (1)

LOL, guys, dammit!

xRiCeBoYx

iTrader: (22)

Alright grandpa. I'll get off your damn lawn...