intrance9

Hey Guys,

so i have my old civic, 1995 dx coupe, unfortunately due to my carelessness and neglect over the cold winter months here in Calgary, i didnt really care to check my coolant level, i just assumed it was good.... little did i know that i was bone dry in the rad. and of course, i found out the hard way. haha it warmed up from -30 Celsius to somewhere around zero.... i blew my head gasket, hopefully my head isn't warped at all.
but i'll find that out when i come to it.
just wondering if anyone has any advice in regards to this job, is there anything i should do at the same time?
or anyone have any tips?

theres no DIY for this job, i have a hanes repair manual though, so i'll manage.


thanks!

diversity210

Well there are a couple things that you should be aware of. The head bolts are 1 time use. They actually stretch when they are torqued down so once they are removed they are trash and shouldnt be used again. So I would recomend purchasing new head bolts.

Also anytime you blow a head gasket you should always have the head pressure tested and resurfaced whether you think its warped or not. Unless you have a precision straight edge to check for warpage then I would just have it resurfaced. Most people dont have a precision straight edge because they are really expensive, but really its the only way to properly check warpage on aluminum block and head. Dont waiste your time and money by putting a new head gasket on with out resurfacing. Trust me you will regret it.

While you have the head off go ahead and install new valve guide seals and lap the valves. You will love yourself for doing this once your car is up and running again. You wont burn as much oil, your car will run smoother and you will get a little better gas milage.

I dont know if you are going to completly remove the engine to do the head gasket. You dont have to, but if you are going to remove the engine I would go ahead and have the block resurfaced as well. Thats pretty much it. I hope this helps