Head Removed - Scored Cylinder Walls - How Bad?

[marklj]

RE: https://www.3geez.com/forum/showthread.php?t=65913

I pulled the cylinder head this afternoon. (Boy, could Honda have added any more vacuum hoses?)

Thumbs up to PB Blaster. Many rusted bolts but broke nothing during removal.

Now on to a matter of concern. I’m seeing some scoring / scuffing on the number 2 and 3 cylinder walls. The worst spot I can feel with my finger, but my fingernail does not catch on it. Also there are some nicks on the number 2 cylinder combustion chamber where a piece of the porcelain from the spark plug bounced around.

Please look at the pictures below and give me your opinion. (Sorry but all I had take pictures with was my cell) I’m thinking it may be OK, may use a little oil and the compression may be down on the scuffed cylinders. But I would like to know what everyone thinks before I sink more money into it.

[russiankid]

Those metal shavings aren't a good sign. I would say those walls are pretty scored up.

[nswst8]

If you don't mind dropping the oil pan, pulling the pistons one at a time and bottle brush the cylinders one at a time.

Or have it resleeved.

[VIPER1988]

if your nail doesnt catch on any of the score marks you might be able to get away with honing it and a new set of rings.

[Dr_Snooz]

Just me, but I wouldn't put a lot of my time into an engine that might be hosed when I get it back together. I'd do it right. Blocks are plentiful and cheap at the junkyard.

[lostforawhile]

that block is trash, you could have it rebored, and use oversize pistons, but it needs to be measured with an inside mike to see if the bores are egg shaped. it would be cheaper for you to find a block that isn't destroyed. looks like a good boat anchor to me, did it run out of oil? if it did you might have a scored crank too.

[2oodoor]

you will get varying opinions so just take all of them as experienced educated guess's since this is being done with pictures.
Assuming these two are number 3 & 2 cyl


it looks like the motor sat up a while with the pistons in that position. That explains the rust mark , is it a ridge or not?
i would look at the number 3 rod bearings and see if they are showing some severe wear. From there I would decide if the block was toast. You can hone those cyl and just rering with some new rod bearings without doing a major overhaul.
you may even be able to clean those cyl with marvel mystery oil. My question is were you driving this car before if so how did it run, did it blow/use a lot of oil or just leak it?
Vacuum lines. yeah boy they have plenty, you can lose all those wtih a 32/36 weber swap.

[88Accord-DX]

I think it depends on how much time & money you want to spend working on it. It looks as if you could hone them cylinders out & re-ring the pistons if the scoring isn't too deep. If you have decent ridge at the top of the combustion chamber that you can feel with your fingernail, then re-boring to .020 in would be a better call. As mentioned, if you go that far into it, might as well put some new rod bearings in.
I've ran across some cylinder bores that look like that before & the ring lands on the piston where jacked up also. So you might be better off seeing what kind of shape them are in if you go any farther.
It also looks like the end gaps on the pistons weren't spinning very far. If you just put the head back on, it might run good for who knows how long, if it was running ok before the head came off.

[marklj]

Abridged story: Wife ran it until it "lost power" on the interstate and then noticed the temp gauge was "high". Upper tank on the radiator had split. Initial diagnosis was no compression and coolant coming from the 2 middle cylinders. If only she had kept an eye on the gauge.

Anyway, the color is off on the picture. There is no rust. If you look close you can still see the crosshatch pattern on the cylinder walls. No wear ridge at the top. I think the gray circular marks at the top of the cylinders came from when she shut it off after it had over heated. Engine was running great before this. No oil consumption, 32 MPG around the city.

Any good suggestions on sources for a long block?

[2ndGenGuy]

So are those actually score marks? Or just marks where the coolant cleaned off the cylinder walls?

[marklj]

So are those actually score marks? Or just marks where the coolant cleaned off the cylinder walls?

Yep. I can just barely feel them with my finger.

[Dr_Snooz]

This was my recent experience trusting a vendor to get me a good engine: https://www.3geez.com/forum/showthrea...=sticky+valves. Sure it has a warranty, but not on my labor or all the new seals I put in the engine. And even if I exercise the warranty, I still have no guarantee that the replacement will be worth a darn either.

Never again.

I only trust myself to get a good running engine now. I'd head straight for the junkyard with straight edge, dial calipers and whatever else I needed to find a good block in hand. Spend all day, or several days taking engines apart until you find a good one.

[AccordEpicenter]

at this point id go for a major overhaul, or just get another engine

[rfiks]

score!!!!!

[Oldblueaccord]

Motor is junk.

Might I ask what oil you used?


wp

[lostforawhile]

Motor is junk.

Might I ask what oil you used?


wp

it could be rebored, and oversize pistons put in,but it's eaisier to find a good engine first.

[cygnus x-1]

If you can feel the scores with your finger it will need a rebore at the least. The pistons and bearings are most certainly toast. The crank may be ok but it would have to be checked. Also check the cam and cam bearing areas (not really bearings) on the head. An engine shop can check all this stuff. Junkyard engines are cheap so if you need a new block or anything else it won't cost a fortune. A rebuild though will almost certainly cost more than a long block, so if you can find a reputable source that may be the way to go. The local engine shop may be able to help you source a long block as well.

C|

[lostforawhile]

why can no one in south georgia get one of these bad engines,aughhhhh, I need a bad un for mockup work.

[lostforawhile]

If you can feel the scores with your finger it will need a rebore at the least. The pistons and bearings are most certainly toast. The crank may be ok but it would have to be checked. Also check the cam and cam bearing areas (not really bearings) on the head. An engine shop can check all this stuff. Junkyard engines are cheap so if you need a new block or anything else it won't cost a fortune. A rebuild though will almost certainly cost more than a long block, so if you can find a reputable source that may be the way to go. The local engine shop may be able to help you source a long block as well.

C|

also if it ran hot enough to score the piston walls,it probably warped or cracked the head too. even if you can't see the cracks,they are probably there, a dye penetrant test will make them show up quick. it takes some serious overheating to do that much damage. have you looked at the cam? the "journals" are part of the head, and may be scrap now.

[88Accord-DX]

why can no one in south georgia get one of these bad engines,aughhhhh, I need a bad un for mockup work.

Here's a good source for both of you to find a used engine in GA. Just punch in your zip.

http://car-part.com/




.

[lostforawhile]

Here's a good source for both of you to find a used engine in GA. Just punch in your zip.

http://car-part.com/




.

I need a junk one i can strip to the block head and valve cover,to finish my carb project. have to make the supports for the carb.

[marklj]

Motor is junk.

Might I ask what oil you used?


wp

Wife ran it hot until it would not go any more. Was running Castrol Syntech 10w40.

[2oodoor]

we have an arse load of them in augusta how many you want? they are 118 each guarunteed see pullapart dot com.

I dont think that engine is toast myself. If you can do your own work, you need a cyl hone and a ring expander tool, and basic sockets. I wouldnt be surprized if you just had the head checked out fully and repl head gasket you would be back in business. BUt then.. my glass is half full (cliche)

[marklj]

we have an arse load of them in augusta how many you want? they are 118 each guarunteed see pullapart dot com.

I dont think that engine is toast myself. If you can do your own work, you need a cyl hone and a ring expander tool, and basic sockets. I wouldnt be surprized if you just had the head checked out fully and repl head gasket you would be back in business. BUt then.. my glass is half full (cliche)

Wow! $101.29 for a used long block with a 30 day warranty. But how would I pull an engine out of a car on the yard and transport it back to my house? I don't have a access to a truck or an engine lift. Does Pull-A-Part offer any type of removal and shipping service?

[Dr_Snooz]

Not sure about Pull-A-Part, but Pick-N-Pull here has loaner hoists for getting the engine out of the yard and to your car. Enterprise rents pick-ups for pretty reasonable ($35 OR $75/day depending on how long you rent it). They have bed liners, so you don't need to worry about scratching the bed. You can probably find a place that rents engine hoists for getting it into your car, or borrow one from a friend if possible. If you have a garage with rafters, you can string a comealong over a rafter and hoist from that. The engine is fairly light, so no worries about pulling the garage down on your head.