Hi all. Not technical at all when it comes to cars, so I'm looking for opinions/advice.

Had my `98 Civic DX in for regular maintenance a few months back. The mechanic said that they found that threads inside the valve cover are stripped, which could start to leak oil. The write up says that "repair would require cam shaft retainer cap which is no longer available and only comes with complete cylinder head".

Would like to get the work done, and looking for a used "camshaft retainer cap", but no luck.

Is looking for one of these a fool's errand? Is it worth it to get a new cylinder head, take what I need for the repairs and sell the rest?

 

I was wondering if someone can translate this into English. The issue sounds bad, but how bad is it? What would something like this cost to get fixed?

 

Are they saying that the valve cover bolt(s) cannot be tightened due to the head being stripped? You should have 5 valve cover bolts. Pop you hood, and when the car is cold take a look at them and see if any seem loose. If so, that's what he is talking about.

You can see the 5 bolts clearly in this picture. Well, one is out but you get the idea.



IF this is the actual problem, check this DIY out. Remember, the bolt could be damaged, and not the head, preventing it from threading in. Unlikely, but possible.

DIY: Stripped Valve Cover Screw FIX w/ PIX - D-series.org

Remember, working on these cars is relatively easy. There really isn't anything that has not been done to them, all of which have been documented a few times throughout the internet. Google will always be your best friend