Would you resurface your own cylinder head?

[dwtaylorpdx]

FWIW,,, I have a lot of experience working on engines,, I do heads on cars at the track between sessions.. WHen I have to,, but a race car is much easier to service...

2007 Honda fit ,, 4 hours to get the head off,,, 2.5 to get it back on.
Had to rent the honda crank pulley wrench to tighten the crank pulley. (Free from Oreilly)
Other than that my basic hand tools were fine.

Cost 65 bucks to have the head machined and inspected.

The cost of a good service manual pays for itself over and over.
Shortcuts AREN'T! all the stuff folks do to avoid the timing step is just
over thinking a problem.

No way I'd go to the trouble of a head removal without replacing the
expendable parts like the timing chain/guides/tensioner/Front main seal.

YMMV

[JSH]

Seriously, why are you wasting so much time and money trying shortcuts instead of just buying the correct parts? The threaded rod is an excellent example. All the effort to have a substandard approximation of the correct stud that is readily available.

Make a list of what you need and then buy it all at once from an online shop to reduce shipping charges.

If a learned one thing from my dad being a mechanic it was to do the job right the first time and cheap parts usually aren’t cheap in the long run.

[Xist]

Name one time I wasted money instead of purchasing a readily-available part. Why do you say I didn't make a list and buy all of the parts I needed? What threaded rod?

[JSH]

Originally Posted by Xist

Name one time I wasted money instead of purchasing a readily-available part. Why do you say I didn't make a list and buy all of the parts I needed? What threaded rod?

This threaded rod:

“Someone here told me to go to Ace, but 22mm is challenging. I once spent a ridiculous amount of time trimming threaded rod with a brand-new hacksaw.”

The same post talking about looking for bolts at hardware stores

[Xist]

What does hanging curtains for a stranger have to do with anything?!

[JSH]

Originally Posted by Xist

What does hanging curtains for a stranger have to do with anything?!

My mistake. I assumed the threaded rod was for the stripped stud a few pages back. (About the time you were JB welding your exhaust manifold instead of replacing it.)

Post 90 seems to be about you searching hardware stores for a replacement crankshaft pulley bolt instead of just buying the correct Honda part.

BTW you cannot replace a flange bolt with a regular bolt and washer for anything with a critical torque. The friction is less for the bolt + washer so the bolt will be overtorqued if you use the torque specified for a flange head bolt

[Xist]

Attached you will see my receipt for the parts I lost, the dealership closest to a friend I see periodically charges double, data on the twelve closest dealerships to my sister's house, and then confirmation for a part I will not be able to pick up while in-town.

I am reordering from Majestic right now and canceling the other order as soon as they open.

[JSH]

Originally Posted by Xist

Attached you will see my receipt for the parts I lost, the dealership closest to a friend I see periodically charges double, data on the twelve closest dealerships to my sister's house, and then confirmation for a part I will not be able to pick up while in-town.

I am reordering from Majestic right now and canceling the other order as soon as they open.

Ziplock bags are a cheap solution to lost parts. Take a picture, remove the hardware, put the hardware in a bag, label the bag with a sharpie.

You may find it is more cost effective to just pay the local dealer instead of wasting time checking 12 other dealerships, online stores, NAPA, and all your local hardware stores.

What is the purpose of this rebuild? I assume it is to either sell the Civic or the Accord when you are done? Time is money and you are 4 months into this project.

[Xist]

Show Low is three hours from the nearest dealership.

I would not call that local.

That is why I mentioned ordering parts in #49 and then ordered more parts in #87.

There was a bunch of drama because the crankshaft pulley bolt sheared off and it took a while to figure out how to get it out, but that second order included a new bolt.

This last order (that I lost and reordered) is to replace two damaged fasteners and three that the car was missing when I started the project.

I did put the intake nuts in one ziplock bag, the exhaust nuts in another, etc.

Why would I sell a vehicle?

[elhigh]

Originally Posted by JSH

If a learned one thing from my dad being a mechanic it was to do the job right the first time and cheap parts usually aren’t cheap in the long run.

WORD.

My dad and I replaced the water pump on a 1980 Citation about four times before he finally gave up and paid the extra $$ to purchase a factory, GM part. Never had to replace it again.

Getting the head work done at a shop ain't free, but my time is finite too. I'd take to someone who's already done a few and have far greater confidence in the results.