I do not like the Honda FSM.

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by Xist

...

I drove my Civic five miles, she drove rougher and rougher, gave me a check engine light for air-fuel sensor 1, and then she started overheating.

I drove Mom's car to my other client and then to the car wash. The ignition locked. I could not turn the key or shift.

I chipped a tooth on perogies.

How?!

You are a lyricist, xist, and could easily write quirky hits like this one:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HhXnVRX-h_o

[Xist]

I guess, but I was really thinking about this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkrYOy18evY

It seems like every couple of steps the instructions are unclear and I need to clean up and go back to YouTube and Google. I specifically mentioned having difficulty with diagrams. Well, the bolt that it told me to extract wasn't there. I removed the timing and balancer belts. Step 3 of reassembly is "Set the crankshaft to TDC."

With my mind?

I don't have a sonic screwdriver!

The YouTube mechanics put the gear back on, rotated the crankshaft, and then removed the sprocket.

I don't know words and stuff.

When I took off the pulley it rotated the crankshaft.

I ended up using an old belt and locking pliers.

Why do I always need to be the smart one?!

I was not able to work on it after work, but I do not have clients tomorrow, and, despite it taking me four days to get this far, I am confident that I can finally have her up and running tomorrow.

Then, on top of endless other projects, I need to figure out what is wrong with my Civic.

[Xist]

I finally got to step three of reinstalling the timing belt last night because I went out after dark. All that I have done today is update my missions and work on my car.
I am still on step three.

A family from Church is moving right now and I planned on helping them all week, but I have seventy-six more steps!

[Xist]

It seems like everyone will tell you how to replace your timing belt and water pump, but as common as timing belt and gasket kits are, I cannot find any instructions for replacing all of them. It seems like some are vastly easier to remove before you take off the timing belt. I tapped in one seal with my biggest socket, but the shaft was too deep for the last one, and it did not tap in like some of the others, but it seemed like the only thing holding it in was friction.

It sure was challenging to remove the old one.

Then I ripped the replacement.

O'Reilly's showed one at their store, but when I went in the guy said they did not stock them. I printed off the page and came back. They got it for me, but did not stock the gasket for the upper and lower timing belt covers. They just look like weatherstripping.

I looked on-line and could not find anything. I brought in the upper cover and said "I cannot find this on-line anywhere except the dealer, but the nearest Honda showroom is hours away. Do you have anything that can work?"

"What kind of car do you have?"

[.....]

"We do not carry that."

I was glad we could establish what I told them in the first place. The guy had no idea how to help. I suggested different things. We looked at their weatherstripping, but everything was too wide, and probably not suited for contact with the engine. I asked about Permatex.

"No, that will not work."

I went across the street to Autozone and said the same thing."

"What kind of car do you have?"

[.....]

"Permatex will work."

Unfortunately, that was the wrong seal, and nobody around here carried the right one. Either they did not say when it would arrive, or it would take until Wednesday, if not sometime next month.

I ordered a Mahle seal from O'Reilly's. The picture shows the exact Nok seal that I ruined as I removed it from the engine (and the exact Nok seal that I ruined attempting to install). I tried every option I could think of before calling O'Reilly's.

It was painful, but as long as I get the right seal...

When I bought the wrong one I bought a 1½" deep socket, which I will exchange for something appropriate for the smaller seal.

It will be here Tuesday morning.

I am not happy about putting Permatex on the cover, it just seems better suited for the joint between two pieces of metal, not metal and plastic, but it should not matter.

I guess that I will tend to other projects on Monday and hopefully finish on Tuesday. I only have one client that day, although I am currently seeing eleven, with two more pending, and they are three more on the way. That does not sound like much, but if I see thirteen kids a week (with fifty-minute sessions), I will bring home as much as I did working full-time at a school--before taxes, etc.

[California98Civic]

Hang in there!

[Xist]

Thanks. It just frustrates me that I cannot work on it Monday.

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by Xist

Thanks. It just frustrates me that I cannot work on it Monday.

Bummer. But with patience it's gonna get there eventually.

[Xist]

Do you think I can replace the head gasket on my Civic in one day?!

[Xist]

Sorry to jump threads, but I do not want to derail yours. I am not sure what to do with my Civic, I keep looking for one I could afford, a D16y5 engine, etc. I would love to rebuild, or even better, have someone remanufacture, but money always seems to be something that I lack. Right now I just want to be able to get to and from work without borrowing Mom's car. When I researched redoing the head gasket on my Forester everyone said to use Fel-Pro, but Subaru proved it could not be trusted.

Majestic will ship me the head gasket for $45.02 and it may arrive as soon as July 5th. However, if I waste an entire cent on upgraded shipping, it could arrive as early as the third!

I can order a Fel-Pro gasket from the friendly neighborhood O'Reilly's for $39.99 or the full kit for $127. Autozone has the same kit for $129, but Napa has a 10% off everything sale and "only" asks $114 for the same part number.

Rockauto and Amazon both have it for $93, but Amazon says it would deliver by Tuesday. Rockauto would probably take another week.

Is Fel-Pro as good as Honda? Probably not, but I also do not know how long it will be before I lose enough compression to be a problem, and the Fel-Pro gasket will not be important when I rebuild, remanufacture, replace, or purchase another car.

[California98Civic]

Makes sense. You might buy the Honda head gasket at Tempe Honda, if that is close enough to where you are in Mesa. I bought mine in person at a dealership. It was their last in stock, they said. My O'Reilley had the other two gaskets on hand. Get lucky and you might get started Tuesday or Wednesday.