It is not as easy as a brake job but not terribly difficult. With the cost of having a mechanic replace a head gasket, I am surprised more people don’t do it themselves. Yours is complicated by having an overhead cam engine so your valve timing will have to be reset when you put it back together.
Spend $25 on a Hayes or Chilton manual for your specific vehicle and you should have no problems. You will have to buy a torque wrench.
Also check if you are ready for a timing belt as long as you are that far into the job.
Either manual will give you step by step instructions.
Yosemite
Yeah the timing belt has never been changed at this car is at about 145K now so it’s probably time for a new one.
Basic tools are all you should need. I dont use much more than 1/2 in wratchet set, some open end wrenches and a few 1/4 in drive sockets to get these done. Hondas are Great in that you can pretty much disassemble the entire engine with 10, 12, 14, 17mm sockets and open end wrenches…The only SPECIAL tool is the $50 dollar Main Damper tool that holds the main damper while you use a 19mm to take the main bolt out of the center…this is so you can fully remove the timing covers and access the entire Timing Belt route and do the job properly.
On several Honda’s you can simply put a breaker bar on the main pulley bolt …brace the handle…and use the key to crank the engine to break free the Main pulley bolt…Other Hondas don’t spin in the proper direction to allow this…This is all fine and Dandy until its time to properly TIGHTEN that bolt…then you need that tool again…They are available online…I got mine from a Honda Specialist long ago…but they are on Ebay all the time. Between 25-50 bucks and you have a tool to last a lifetime.
Im so tired of buying special tools for special vehicles…I just had to but a crazy set of tools to enable me to do the VW/Audi V6 Timing Belts…it is absolutely IMPOSSIBLE without this tool. I’m becoming a “specialist” in too many vehicle types methinks…LOL. Sometimes you simply must have the tools you need to do the job…
Your Honda only requires that ONE specialized tool however…all else is common stuff. You also DO NOT need a Cherry picker to remove the Cyl Head… You simply disconnect the exhaust and remove the Head in its ENTIRETY…with the exhaust manifold and Intake systems attached…You can remove the ex manifold to save weight…but I regularly remove them intact and then strip them while off the car and before the machine shop…Costs me about 60 bucks to have my heads milled nice n flat.
Blackbird
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"On several Honda's you can simply put a breaker bar on the main pulley bolt ....brace the handle....and use the key to crank the engine to break free the Main pulley bolt.....Other Hondas don't spin in the proper direction to allow this..."
I’m pretty sure the '03 Civic does NOT allow this.
It could still be the head gasket,but let’s overlook that for now,because you’ve had more than one test done and cleared it.With that much coolant loss I’ve come to a conclusion. First, if I was faced w/this problem I would get my handheld temperature gun,start the car, watch it heat up (new thermostat,should get to operating temp in 5 minutes or so) and take temp readings on all different things(thermostat area,upper radiator hose,lower radiator hose,engine block). If the car takes too long,take it for a small drive till the temp gauge in the car reads normal.Take another look under hood,see that electric fan turns on at radiator.The the hoses should stay cooler until the thermostat opens,then everything starts getting hot.Read the hoses and compare to radiator readings.Check all temp readings of different areas.If the engine starts to overheat and the return coolant hose is still cooler,it’s the water pump,(by this mileage you should’ve had t-belt and water pump replaced along w/the front main seal.) What you’re waiting for is the coolant to start blowing out.If all temp readings are normal and fan comes on,rev the engine like you’re on the highway.If temp readings stay normal but coolant blows out, it’s the head gasket. That’s how I would test it.
My first thought is actually, the car is overheating because you’re losing coolant, it’s going out the a/c drain.You may have a leaking heater core. The overheating and blowout at the overflow are due to low coolant due to the leak.
Just wanted to drop a note for those reading this thread.
For me, with these issues, it was the head gasket!
I owned a 2004 Honda Civic EX. 138,000 miles. I had an issue where the car would overheat. Added some coolant and the problem went away. Then it would begin after a couple weeks of overheating again! Replaced thermostat, radiator, and ran checks on all systems for leaks. Issue still there. (Please check cheap stuff first! I’m simply saying I did dry these things and they didn’t work)
…Ended up having to replace the head gasket. Pistons were SLOWLY leaking into coolant system and the hot gas would expand and push coolant out of the reservoir. The problem went on for about 4-5 months and the first time they pressure tested the pistons all results came back negative because the leak was super slow or only happened when the engine was hot. Replaced head gasket (I think I spent $1,200) and the car ran perfectly.
I’ve since traded it off for a Honda Fit.
Pistons were SLOWLY leaking
Pistons??? Other way around. Coolant was slowly leaking into the combustion chamber.
What probably happened…is the fluid got low (possibly due to neglect)…then the engine overheated…when it overheated - it caused the head-gasket to malfunction.
Actually, he meant combustion gases were slowly leaking into the cooling system. If it were a coolant loss problem, keeping the reservoir full would stop the overheating. I know the block (chemical) test came back negative, but it’s unreliable for small leaks.
Appreciate the feedback anyway.
MikeInNH - You are probably correct about the initial cause of the problem (low fluids).
Insightful - I think you are correct, combustion gases. The shop said the heat was leaking into the coolant and expanding, pushing it out of the reservoir.
Just wanted to share that with me it was the headgasket and once the headgasket was repaired the issue went away…
Thanks all.
I just read your post, you said you have never seen a water pump impeller’s fail, except 1. Well, I have a 94 corolla with 245k, the radiator blew up while idling, I patched the radiator and now there is no water pumping through the system, as I can feel the hoses, and also no heat afterwards. No signs of head gasket, but then again, there may be no water in the cylinders, I haven’t ran it for more than a few minutes, temp gauge is normal.
I am really hoping it’s an air pocket in the water pump because this water pump is buried deep.
Joe please use the New Topics button on the main page and start your own thread so the replies will be to your problem . There are 92 posts on this one and that is too many to wade through.