first time DIY head gasket replacement

[6thgenex]

ill start off that i am new to civic club community, HELLO!
okay, for sometime now my car has been overheating periodically.
found a hairline crack in the radiator, so i switched it out
along with the radiator hoses. work welled temporarily.
NOW, ive had coolant leaking underneath the engine and overheating.
but this time i wasn't able to control it with even the heater on max!
so i started to think it was a bad head gasket,
sure enough i take the spark plug out in piston one and what looks like its been steamed cleaned in there.
ive gone out and purchased a new head gasket set, since i am taking the timing belt off i said what the heck
might as well. so here is what i got:


head gasket set
timing belt
water pump
power steering belt
a/c belt
alternator belt
liquid gasket


i took the head to a machine shop and no cracks but it was warped.
im in the process of putting everything back in reverse order.
the belts are back on and the timing belt is set a TDC.


i just want to make sure im in the green,
everything seems to be running smoothly
any tips or suggestions?
thanks in advance

 

[MidnightCivicEX]

did you get another head or something since your old one was warped??

 

[6thgenex]

no. i had it resurfaced

 

[UCCRacing]

Good job on doing the new parts, hope you went HONDA OEM since the price is the basically the same at least on t-belt and W-Pump but better quality. Not sure what you had liquid gasket for? No need for any of that....

If it is running good then you should be fine.. Hope you did burp the system?

Sounds like you are good to go though...

 

[sohclubkid]

i sprayed my headgasket wit copper spray from the auto-parts store when i put it on. supposed to help seal it.

 

[UCCRacing]

Waste of money... The head gasket is designed to seal with out it...

 

[6thgenex]

Good job on doing the new parts, hope you went HONDA OEM since the price is the basically the same at least on t-belt and W-Pump but better quality. Not sure what you had liquid gasket for? No need for any of that....

If it is running good then you should be fine.. Hope you did burp the system?

Sounds like you are good to go though...

ive heard that sealing the o-rings and head gasket cover with liquid silicone gasket helps for extra sealing...ive heard

 

[sohclubkid]

Waste of money... The head gasket is designed to seal with out it...

hasnt hurt thus far....

 

[frankmoocivic]

hey man welcome!!!!!! im very glad to see that you are doing things yourself and doing it right. alot of people that come on here "talk lik dey frum da hood" or want to do things the cheapest way but you seem to have a grasp of DIY and doing it right. lol but good job so far man. and enjoy your stay.

 

[UCCRacing]

hasnt hurt thus far....

No not saying it will hurt lol Just not needed....

hey man welcome!!!!!! im very glad to see that you are doing things yourself and doing it right. alot of people that come on here "talk lik dey frum da hood" or want to do things the cheapest way but you seem to have a grasp of DIY and doing it right. lol but good job so far man. and enjoy your stay.

LOL f**king crazy guy! He is just saying that is how he used to talk and doesn't want you to get picked on too! JK lol

 

[6thgenex]

thanks for all reponses!
another question, if i apply liquid silicone sealant on both sides of the head gasket for an extra seal,
does it work?

 

[UCCRacing]

thanks for all reponses!
another question, if i apply liquid silicone sealant on both sides of the head gasket for an extra seal,
does it work?

Again, this does nothing... It is designed to seal without the sealant, if anything I see it causing a problem... The head gasket thickness is vital and when you add s**t to it that is not necessary it does nothing..

I could be wrong but if you add to it and lets say after some time some of it breaks down and is gone, then that part leaks.... Stick with the Honda book on all gaskets, if it doesn't say apply a sealant then don't....

 

[6thgenex]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raI2ZXGu4Hc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXkzhHN2q4A


so finished up, now its not starting....help
posted some vids, let me know

 

[6thgenex]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKLa-PI01IM

got it to start, but now i hear a whistling/rattling noise now
what could it be?

 

[UCCRacing]

Really hard to tell... Where is it leaking coolant? Into the oil? If so it is from applying gasket sealant I bet, the head gasket isn't designed for that, and applying that only makes it not sit correctly.... That rattling noise you really can't hear until the very end and it is so hard to say.... Did you tighten everything to the proper specs per the manual?

 

[6thgenex]

everything is tighten to specs and the coolant is leaking from the bottom of the radiator,
it's a tiny drip. i might have to go back and retighten

 

[UCCRacing]

if it is leaking from the radiator then a hose is lose or the radiator is damaged...

 

[6thgenex]

hose can't be loose and the radiator is something i switched out two months ago.
ill have to take a picture of the leak

 

[Jersey8]

overheating is not a symptom of a blown headgasket. did you even think to replace the thermostat? thing costs less then $15 and takes a half hour to replace i would have done that before going nuts and replacing the head gasket.

o and that copper gasket spray is meant for exhaust gaskets btw

 

[6thgenex]

switched out the thermostat about two months before changing out the radiator