Hi guys. I just bought my first honda (a 1992 civic LX. 235000 miles) not to long ago as a winter beater. I drive a 1991 toyota supra in the summer and when the roads arent full of salt. Just last week it started to overheat and puff white smoke, so i took it to my friends house and he told me I ether have a bad headgasket or a cracked head. I plan on replacing the headgasket myself starting tomorrow. Since i have never relaced a headgasket before so could someone give me some advice about it? i know the basic stuff like the head might need machined, i need new stock gaskets and headbolts, but if you guys could provide information or links to websites to help me out that would be great.

 

The Civic 92-95 service manual here should be a good resource.

http://hondatech.info/downloads/Auto/Manuals/Civic/

There's additional basic information here:

http://www.askmehelpdesk.com/cars-tr...tml#post232786

 

Thanks RonJ for the help. Just finished up today and took it for a drive. It runs like new! I only have one concern.

Its a 5sp so when i came to a stop ona hill i needed to give it extra RPMs to get it going again and i noticed a cloud of exhaust/ whiteness?
(keep in mind that it is real cold here and i am going to see the exhaust) this happened like 2 times...so i started going down the road and it went away... the car wasnt sputtering or missing when it happened ether. is it possible that there is still some coolant sumwhere in my engiine/exhaust that still needed to come out from when i had the BHG that caused the cloud?

 

If you continue to see the white smoke, the concern is that the head gasket is again leaking. If so, perhaps the head is warped or cracked.

 

Not really a diy on how to change it, but gives you a fairly good idea of the work.
https://www.hondacivicforum.com/m_156171/tm.htm



RonJ- So that's where you get all your diagrams.

 

I took the head into a local shop and it was'nt warped or cracked but i did have it machined just to be safe. I drove it maybe 10miles and it seems to be running fine.

everyone loves pictures...

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That's great news! Happy driving.

 

Yea, you were probably burning off old head gasket problem! Usually takes a good 20 miles to clear that crap out.

 

Ya thats what i thoughtwas happening.


I drove all around today (going real easy on the car) and it runs perfect so i hope i dont have any more problems. If there was a leak or something going on i probably would have noticed a symptom by now...