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I have a 01 civic ex that overheated. Several Mechanics insisted that it needed a new head gasket. I finally took it in. The shop I took it to told me that the water pump had failed and that's why it overheats. He suggested that we replace water pump and new timing kit. The guy put on a new pump and belt and it ran for about a mile before its began squirting water all over. Long story short. I decided to do the head gasket myself. After ordering all the parts to do so. I found that the block has a crack and is leaking coolant into the oil. Began looking around for a used motor. Found a company here in Pheonix called JDM. They import motors from japan. The guy has a complete d16 motor I need. My question is.. will the computer in my civic currently work for a Japanese motor? Will it need a new program because of the immobilizer on the key/ignition? Will the computer be able to accept program for the jap motor?

 
Rep Power: 517

Wrong engine.
The 01 EX came with a D17A2 engine.
Did you actually find a crack? Got pics?


If you get the correct engine (Usually a JDM D17A), and swap over the correct parts that don't match exactly so the new engine is exactly like the old engine, it will work fine. Plug and play if you do this right.

There are several threads and much info in this forum about the swap, search.

 
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Ok my bad on the engine type. I can take pics if you like. Did not see the crack. It's what my buddy said could be. Maybe hydro lock? Basically can't turn the crankshaft so pulled the oil pan. That's when we noticed all the coolant in the oil

 
Rep Power: 517

If the thing was overheated and the head warped, then cylinders can fill with coolant and hydrolock the engine.....and that coolant can slooowly seep past the rings and end up in the crankcase.
Pull the spark plugs out and see if you can rotate the engine using a socket on the crank pulley bolt. It may squirt antifreeze far though.

Also the coolant can go directly from the water jacket into the oil returns after the head is warped. You'll see antifreeze in the oil for sure.
If it's warped bad enough it can pee coolant to the outside of the engine.

I doubt the block is cracked. I've seen a lot of crap but not a cracked block in one of these (yet).
The head would need checked, measured, straightened, milled, or replaced if necessary.....

and if the engine really got super hot it could cause damage to the rings,

but I bet it is fixable if you wanted to.

OTOH you can find used engines all day long for $500, but you may WANT (strongly urge you) to do a head gasket job and replace timing parts before you stuff it into a car.

 
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Roger that, señor Ezone. Yeah tried tried turning crank with plugs out and with a breaker bar on the ratchet. Wouldn't turn for ****. Gotcha on the fixing it. If I wanted. Thing is I don't the car has had so many different hands in it, (it's crazy how many lies you'll get from so called mechanics.) I want to start over and try it myself. I'm not a mechanic by no means. I'm actually a journeyman electrician. But I've done enough reading and have enough tools to do it myself. I really appreciate all your help. I'll send pics tomorrow of what I've got going on. So I'm gonna go pick up the new engine tomorrow, since you say it will work. Got him down to 350$ and he's telling me it only has 30-40 thousand miles. From the way it looks it has everything on it. So I'm rolling the dice and gonna give it the old college try.
Definitely going to order new head bolts and gaskets for it as well. 1 last question sir. Think it's ok to use the water pump and timing belt that was put on? All those components literally have like 2 miles on them. Again thank you for your time. I appreciate you and what your doing here.
Respectfully yours,
Alex

 
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EVERYONE LIES
(even me, I've been married before LOL) See? BS.
Skip the head bolts. Reuse them unless damaged. Save those coins for celebratory beers when it runs again.

Head gasket from Honda dealer (or many Honda dealers sell at wholesale prices online) .
People have posted here about very premature fails with Felpro.

You can piece together the parts to do the a head gasket job from the dealer cheaper than getting a kit from the dealer. Their kit will come with valve stem seals and you won't really need them unless you do a valve job. Save more coin.

Razor blades and cleaning fluids to scrape the old head gasket residue. It won't be more than a paint-like coating stuck to surfaces in spots. You don't really have to get it spotless either, just SMOOTH.

Check the head for flatness. Any machine shop can do this (and some mechanics if they have a precision straightedge) ....some might even check it for free.
Um, if they are that fresh, then yes I'd have no problem with that. Make sure the belt is nice and clean, it's life depends on staying clean and uncontaminated.


As far as swapping pieces, you'll have to compare side by side once you get the new one.
EGR and its mounting is a maybe item to check (some have it, some don't and I donm't bother to remember which version and years have what), and if it needs it and didn't already have it you will probably need an intake manifold gasket for the engine with EGR (has extra hole for the EGR passage)....IF it already has EGR, clean the distribution channels in the plate that holds the fuel injectors. (Carbon buildup)

The VTEC valve assembly either needs swapped (with fresh gasket) OR just swap the pressure switch (with its gasket) out of the VTEC valve (simpler IMO). You might want a fresh gasket for it anyway, they tend to leak as the rubber ages.

Those are the two things do that I know of.

You may want a new 'cam plug' where a distributor would have gone in the end of the head, they leak too, it's just under $10 MSRP.

 
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Are value stem seals the same as the spark plug in seals?

 
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I think the spark plugs seal with the crush washer on the plug

 
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Spark plug has a small metal (one per plug) gasket built onto the spark plug.

The plug tube seals are rubber rings that install into the valve cover as part of a valve cover gasket set (one per plug tube). It seals between the valve cover and the spark plug tube in the head.

Valve stem seals, you'd have to remove the valve springs to access, and that usually means pulling the cylinder head off the engine to do it.

 
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glad to know things are working well, OP.

thanks for helping the other guy in the other thread too.