Hey there everybody, this is my first post here, so here i go! lol

I just bought a 2000 honda civic LX 1.6 SOHC, and i came to a conclusion im going to have to change the head gasket, im going to do it my self, somebody here post the service manual, with all the procedures and torq limits for the bolts so im pretty confident on doing it my self, but there is a few things that i could find anywhere, so hopefully somebody here can help me out.

1) when i remove the head, before replacing the head gasket i need to take the the head to a machine shop?

2) If yes, what do i ask them to do? check to see if the head is warp? and clean it? are they gonna shave the head?

3) The manual says " put the #1 CYL in TDC, Intake stroke" so i have to to align the camshaft marks, ok no problem with that, BUT if the machine shop takes the head apart, isnt that going to change where i marked the camshaft?

4) fo i have to put some type of sealant with the head gasket? or i just clean the surfaces where the gasket is going to go and put here with out anything?

5) is it bad if i just replace the gasket and dont take it to a machine shop? what can happen if i do that?

I guess thats all the questions i have before i start to open the engine up, once i start doing it i'll put some pictures here so you guys can take a look of what i did, Oh and im sorry if theres something spelled wrong, im from Brazil, down here all the mechanics are charging me a fortune to do this job, they are saying that japanese cars are much harder to work, so thats why im doing it my self, lol, once again thank you everybody,

 

Yes take the head to a machine shop so they can... Here is the tricky part cuz a lot of peoPle call it different things, basically they are going to shave it down so that the part that is touching the head gasket is flat. I call it flattening, aka decking, milling, straighting, whatever.

And ur going to have to remove everything from the head, all the sensors, destribitor(if there is one. And the cams and the valves. Can't mill a head with valves sticking out of it. And do not put the head down onto a surface(like a table) valve side down.

Look in the service manual- but there are some bolts u ban remove to take the cams and valves out as one piece so u don't have to relish the valves.

Yes ask them to clean the head, this will be your. Basic hot water

 

Yes take the head to a machine shop so they can... Here is the tricky part cuz a lot of peoPle call it different things, basically they are going to shave it down so that the part that is touching the head gasket is flat. I call it flattening, aka decking, milling, straighting, whatever.

And ur going to have to remove everything from the head, all the sensors, destribitor(if there is one. And the cams and the valves. Can't mill a head with valves sticking out of it. And do not put the head down onto a surface(like a table) valve side down.

Look in the service manual- but there are some bolts u ban remove to take the cams and valves out as one piece so u don't have to relish the valves.

Yes ask them to clean the head, this will be your. Basic hot water

 

Hey there 98HATCHMEN, thank you very much for the response, so i guess i'll take it to a machine shop, i went today to get a quote after i read your post, they estimated everything to be around $250, so i guess this weekend i'll start doing this, i'll take some pictures a videos so you guys can see how i went, hahahahaha

 

Soo, i bought the car and i noticed that there was a leak on this by-pass hose, when i went to check the hose, the fitting was so corroded that it broke, sooo, i went ahead and bought an intake manifold, i changed the whole thing today, tomorrow i'll start the procedure to change the head, so i can taker it to the machine shop, huhuhuhuhu