Need help with head or head gasket

[Forgar_88]

ok i just bought an 86 accord and was told they thought that the head or the head gasket was shot. I do know that the water and oil were mixin and it had overheated before they parked it. Any easy way to tell what is wrong here?

[k-roy]

Yea it sounds like the head gasket. When it blows the two liquids mix, thats the only way it can happen.

If you have some wrenches and some motivation you can change it yourself. While you are at it change the timing belt, it would be stupid not to since it needs to be removed anyways and its only an extra $30.

[Forgar_88]

Yea it sounds like the head gasket. When it blows the two liquids mix, thats the only way it can happen.

If you have some wrenches and some motivation you can change it yourself. While you are at it change the timing belt, it would be stupid not to since it needs to be removed anyways and its only an extra $30.

Thanks for the info, but is it that easy to take out? I am mechanically inclined but do you need any special tools?

[k-roy]

Its not too difficult.
You need to remove the intake manifold with all the associated electrical, fuel and vacuum lines first. Thats the difficult part.
Then remove the header from the head and the downpipe. Then tear down the accesories and the timing belt cover.At this point you need to break the crank pully loose, it can be a bitch sometimes. At that point you pull off the timing belt and unbolt the head. At this point you should check the head for warpage, if it is take it to a machine shop to get milled a couple thousands of an inch.
The way to do it right is to take your time, label everything, then clean and inspect everything.
Installation is the reverse of tearing it down. It can be done in a day, it took me a weekend because I screwed around too much.

[k-roy]

Oh yea cost.
Timing belt $30
Intake and exaughst gaskets $20
Head Gasket $60
Plus some other small stuff like carb cleaner, degreaser, shop towels etc...

Oh yea the only specialty tools you will need are a breaker bar and a torque wrench.

[Forgar_88]

sounds easy! and i can use my laptop and wireless internet to read that whild in the shop.

[k-roy]

sounds easy! and i can use my laptop and wireless internet to read that whild in the shop.

Oh man im gonna make it 10x easier then.
http://pauldesign.ru/honda/shopmanual.html
Grap the PDF files at the top of the page and make sure you have Acrobat installed.
Thats the Honda factory manual.

[zero.counter]

There is a cheater way to doing it as well...

[Neuspeed87lx]

drian the oil .... when you first take the drain plug out ..... if the headgasket is shot ..... you should see coolant come out first .... then milky oil ....... does the car run ?

[Forgar_88]

Nope car dosent run since i have looked at it...Bought for $350 and everthing is in great shape, so i aint complainin much. Plus cant drive so why not work on it? The oil and coolant were already drained so i cant tell ya. I should get pics around the end of the week and have them on here for yall.

[Sherlock87LXI]

I see your in Spokane.
Im in Post Falls.
I got an 87 LXI for sale. Send me a PM if you need any specific parts. Maybe I could sell you the car or parts.

EDIT
Lucky I know my dads password for his acct at NAPA.
Belt- 22.33
Exhaust gasket - 7.06
Intake gasket - 2.72
Head Gasket - 42.18

[damnthesenames]

Dude, I'm in Spokane too... I just got mine back togther from changing the headgasket and t-belt... I'm on the northside... if you need some help let me know...