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The machine shop should check the head out for damage and such, and should also check to make sure everything is level. They will clean it off for you and should check the valves and stuff. Leave that to the professionals I believe they *Should* tell you if you need a valve job. I think if it ain't broken don't fix it. It's not too often you hear of valve troubles with these civics. (Be sure to tell the machine shop it overheated, that way they are a bit more diligent)
Often head gaskets go because of a preexisting problem. Mine blew because my thermostat was messed up and leaking coolant out. You might want to take the car to a shop when your finished and get a proper coolant pressure check done. They will tell you if your having problems elsewhere.
I don't think there is too much to check out really??? Make sure there is no gasket left over on the block surface that mates with the head gasket or it's going to leak all over again. Be careful not to put any marks or scratches in the aluminum, even the slightest scratch can destroy the new gasket. I carefully peeled it off with my fingernail (a bit primitive and time consuming but it worked without effing up the surface) The best way to clean it is to use a die grinder ( I think that's what they are called ) with a white plastic cleaning bit on it designed for aluminum. The plastic will clean the gasket off but it won't mar the aluminum at all, so you know 100% that you are safe.
Just finished changing my head gasket on a 2002 civic. I am having trouble getting those 3 little bolts on the Im back on. Every time I try to lower them down to start threading I drop them. Any tips on how to get those back on? Is it just a lot of fiddling or is there a trick to it?
Ok so i just took off the IM a few hours ago and it actually wasnt that hard. i had to use an open-end wrench tho, not a regular wrench with a 12mm socket. also, it only turns out that i had to remove the middle nut from the ones that you circled red in the pics above. i had to remove the fuel rail for that tho which i did not know and made my life a whole lot easier once i did
but now all thats left to do it remove the timing belt, but i need the 50mm hex pulley holder tool that i cant find anywhere around here for sale :/
anyone wanna part out with theirs if you have one? hook a brotha up lol. (im serious tho)
and i think i am going to have to replace all 3 belts like you did. i took the belts off and they are all cracked.
p.s. something fun happened today. apparently the person who put the wheels back on last overtightened the lug nuts so they were STUCK on. not even our impact wrench at its highest/fastest setting could take them off. but when we were trying to take them off with the impact wrench, we were using a 1/2" to 3/8" converter and the attachment snapped! then we tried using a heavy duty wrench with a regular socket with the lug key inside the socket and spraying some WD-40 on the lugs. i had my dad jump on the wrench handle to break the bolts loose. the wrench worked perfectly before, but after just 4 lugs (1 wheel), the gears inside the wrench gave out so now its worthless. luckily the wrench was craftsman so we can go get it replaced for free so yea... that was the highlight of MY day haha.
tomorrow will be another day. but i have school tomorrow so i doubt ill be able to work on the car for long. but we'll see.
but just a reminder, does anyone seriously have the pulley holder tool i need? can i borrow it? or buy it off you?
Many auto parts stores have loaner tools (i.e., AutoZone)- you can borrow them with just a refundable deposit. they have the tool you need, I have used it many times, in fact, have one checked out at present.
Hey, I'm doing the head gasket on my 2005 civic. I'm cleaning the IM and there is this odd chamber that runs around the injector ports that is full of carbon. Does anyone know what this does and how clean it needs to be before reassembly?
Thanks.
04-20-2010
I believe they *Should* tell you if you need a valve job. I think if it ain't broken don't fix it. It's not too often you hear of valve troubles with these civics. (Be sure to tell the machine shop it overheated, that way they are a bit more diligent)
also, it only turns out that i had to remove the middle nut from the ones that you circled red in the pics above. i had to remove the fuel rail for that tho which i did not know and made my life a whole lot easier once i did 
lol. (im serious tho)
