Need a head for B18 ASAP

[Steve85]

So due to time constraints and laziness(aka stupidity) I never got around to doing the timing belt on my Integra (GS) and it broke yesterday just as I tried to accelerate from a stop.

I would like to find a local place that I might be able to buy one off the shelf, a reman unit whatever. Any ideas?

And just out of curiousity...any chance I did NOT bend valves since it happened at basically idle?

[.RJ]

any chance I did NOT bend valves since it happened at basically idle?

Its possible.

Put a belt on it and do a compression test.

[Kaan]

if its the non vtec head i'm sure you can find one locally from some LSvtec guy.

Do what RJ said and then if you need one, hit me up and i'll start digging around the H-T

[ViPER1313]

It's possible you didn't bend any valves but not very likely. If you don't want to go through the trouble of installing a new belt only to find out that the valves are bent, you could just reset the cam timing to where all the valves are closed and do a leakdown test, although you also need to be careful that none of the pistons are at the top of their stroke before you do.

[.RJ]

You cant just set the cam timing where its supposed to be and hold it there, valve spring pressure will have them moving around without the belt on it.

You're going to need a new belt anyways, so buy one, install it, and leave the covers/pulley off and do a compression test. If it comes out good, finish up the job, if its not good, then finish tearing it down and pull the head.

When doing the belt, buy a pair of 5mm pin punches from mcmaster (sears wont have them) to drop in the cam caps to lock the cams in place at TDC. You'll want to take the intake manifold/fuel rail off with the head,its easier that way, if thats the case. Used heads are cheap ($50-100). I had 4 of them sitting around at one point...

[ViPER1313]

You cant just set the cam timing where its supposed to be and hold it there, valve spring pressure will have them moving around without the belt on it.

:?:

With a broken belt, you can simply rotate the cam independently of the pistons to where no lobes are pressing on / opening any of the valves for a given cylinder - you can then take an air compressor and pressurize that cylinder through the spark plug hole. If it holds pressure, great. If it's leaking air out the intake or exhaust manifolds, you can tell which valves are bent and on how many cylinders before you even take the head off.

[.RJ]

Yes, you can rotate the cam but it wont stay where you put it. Maybe you can lock them together somehow, I've seen tools for it, but I'm not sure if they'd work as they are only as precise as the number teeth on the gear.

[ViPER1313]

On the DSM when you line the cam's up at the position where all valves are closed they will simply sit in place because none of the cam lobes have any stress on them. You are right that at most places in the cam's rotation it will not simply sit there, but when none of the lobes are pressing against the rockers / valves, the cam is unstressed and will sit in place.

[Steve85]

Thanks for the tips, I appreciate it.

For a leakdown on the Chevy I remove the rockers from the pedestal essentially disconnecting the cam and valve.

Could I take the cams out? Remove the cover and cams and the springs should close all the valves and I could do a leakdown then..I don't know what complications would ensue removing the cams, if that's a bigger job than it seems???

[.RJ]

Well he has an integra, not a DSM. I've been through those motor a few times.

[Kaan]

Well he has an integra, not a DSM. I've been through those motor a few times.

he's blown up almost as many LS motors as i have D16s!

[.RJ]

Could I take the cams out?

Yep, you can. No issues, and they need to be removed if you want to pull the head anyways. When you put them back be careful with the cam cap bolts, they dont need much torque and will snap if you fight them. Make sure to hondabond the cap at the rear of the exhaust cam too.

[ViPER1313]

If you go that route, mark the caps for the cams so that the caps can be reinstalled in the same location and direction as they came off. On a lot of motors the caps have tolerance differences that can cause the cams to seize in the head if you mix and match the caps on re-installation.

[.RJ]

The integra caps are numbered and offset, they only go in one direction.

[Steve85]

M plan is to do a quick air leak check removing the cams, if that checks out I will put the belt on and double check with a compression test.

Are the plug threads 14mm / 18mm or other? My leakdown tester has a dual fitting for 14/18.

Hondabond = RTV ? It looks like a I have tiny oil leak there already...

In the meantime, I found a shop in PA, cylinderheads.com, that will deliver a ready to bolt on head for $395 in two days. That doesn't seem too bad, I could spend an extra $200 on a rental car waiting for a "deal".

[.RJ]

I used a HF leakdown tester a while back and one of the plugs fit. Its nothing unusual.

Hondabond is more or less grey RTV, but it is much easier to work with than permatex grey. The dealer should have it in stock, if not, a honda motorcycle dealer definitely will. If its leaking now you can try to reseal it, otherwise replace it with everything off.

[Evan]

Im pretty sure RJ puts hondabond on his cornflakes, brushes his teeth with it, uses it to marinade chicken, uses it as 'personal' lube..... :lol:

[.RJ]

Its way too sticky for personal lube. Now pro honda moly lube... thats another story :lol:

[Steve85]

So far so good, I took the belt off and it wasn't broke-broke, it chewed off some teeth at the crank sprocket.

I did the cursory leakdown test and no obvious signs of bent valves. I'm putting the belt on now and since I forgot to pick up a manual I need to search the interwebs to make sure I have the timing marks right. I found the line and triangle for the crank and there are "up" marks on the cam sprockets but that all seems to easy.

[.RJ]

The 'up' marks need to be... 'up'. There is a 5mm hole in the cam caps closest to the sprockets that lines up to a hole in the cams at TDC - you can drop a 5mm pin punch into - a 5mm bolt will work in a pinch, pin them both.

On the block, there is a mark on the gear at the bottom and on the block (well, the oil pump housing) at about 10 o'clock. Its tough to see but it is really easy to get the crank gear 1-2 teeth off. Check, check, double check. Good news is if you get it 1 tooth off and spin the motor around to check you wont bend anything.

Good luck