Would you resurface your own cylinder head?

[Xist]

Originally Posted by Xist

I took off the valve cover and saw this bolt was loose. I started tightening it, but it never really got tight. Use an automatic centerpunch and a left-handed drill bit\bolt extractor?

I am unsure when these arrived, but the bags are labeled 6/28, so I probably received them a week later. So, after 3.5 months, Mom looked at a random bag with my stuff in it, and I found my elusive fasteners.

It looks like she kept putting stuff that she thought was mine in one spot, she ordered me to clear it off of the kitchen table, and I put it in a bag, completely forgetting about it.

I do not suppose that I will ever need any of these nuts and bolts again...

[Piotrsko]

Since they are standard pretty much accross the industry, I would not bet on that they are unnecessary. Even the crank bolt.

You may be amused that my son is going through the same trials on a toyota V6 with a coolant leak. Seems the internet gives really bad advice.

[Xist]

I have not worked on my Civic in months. I broke my Accord a few times and in the last two months I have had all kinds of drama, strep and dog flu, my grandfather died, I had all kinds of deadlines, applied to gradschool, and this:

I wanted to work on it Thursday, but I spent all day with my brother's appointments and taking care of things for him. I spent that night and Friday morning finishing notes and exchanging work e-mails. It was dark when I got back from work.

I spent most of today figuring out my mileage expenses for last year. I spent hours and hours doing it just to claim 1,878 miles.

So, I replaced the head gasket, but the crankshaft pulley bolt sheared. I extracted it and ordered a replacement, which may have been one of the fasteners that I lost, replaced, and then found the originals. I stripped a valve cover bolt hole, replaced it with a time-sert, the bolt stretched, so I ordered new ones, other bolt holes stripped, and I ordered Helicoils.

I shared a video where a mechanic taped down a shop towel to keep metal shavings off of the head.

Well, it didn't work, and I spent a horrible amount of time removing metal shavings and I worry that I missed some. Worse, I feel that I need to use a Helicoil on all seven bolt holes, and there is a terrible chance of getting more shavings in the engine.

I bought a cutting mat from the dollar store. I figure that I can glue it to the metal around the bolt holes and use that to keep the metal shavings out of the engine, but there are still a number of ways that could fail.

I could remove the head [again] and scrub it thoroughly and then blow it extensively with compressed air.

Would I want to remove the head before putting Helicoils on all of the bolt holes?

I keep wondering about this part of the thread:

Originally Posted by Xist

Honestly, I do not have any idea what I would do if everything works out.

If the head is bad, here is a remanufactured one: https://www.summitracing.com/parts/vre-2538/overview/

Car-part.com shows an HX head for $150 in Phoenix, one for $163.35 in Yuma, and one in Tucson for $300. I cannot find any heads through LKQ, but it only seems to show whether they have the inventory at that location. RockAuto has a head for $475.77 shipped.

RockAuto. Yay.

Jegs has one for $620. https://cylinderhead.com has one for $350 (+ shipping). AutoZone has one for $580.

I do not know how much another D16Y5 engine would cost, but it would be far more complicated than just the head, and I am sure that would be the end of this project.

Hopefully the $150 head, which is still listed, would check out, and I would only use the torque wrench on the bolts, to ensure that I do not strip anything.

[JSH]

To keep metal chips out of the engine while tapping you should cover the tap with grease. (Just your normal chassis lubrication grease you find in a can at any autoparts store).

Cover the drill bit or tap with grease
Drill or tap a little bit
Wipe off the grease and chips
Repeat until finished.

Don't try to save grease, whip it off and replace as soon as you see some chips sticking to it. Likewise cover the area around the hold with grease so the chips stick. You will use a lot of grease and paper towels but if you go slow and steady you won't end up with chips in the engine. I've used this method a couple time to fix spark plug holes with the head still on the engine.

Also I recommend threaded sleeves over helicoils.

https://www.mcmaster.com/thread-repair-inserts

[Xist]

So, the Thread-Locking Inserts from that page, not the Helical Inserts that it says are stronger?

Don't drill bits supposedly overheat if you don't lubricate them? I am sure that I did that, but putting grease everywhere you can is a good idea.

I think that I will just cover the whole thing with tape and then put a shop towel or whatever over that.

It is difficult to think about my projects because my sister is threatening to drive up to take Mom to the hospital and Mom is threatening to tell the hospital that I abuse her.

Saying "Stop interrupting me" and "Stop talking over me" isn't abuse.

I struggle to put up with one of them at a time...

[Fat Charlie]

Originally Posted by Xist

Saying "Stop interrupting me" and "Stop talking over me" isn't abuse.

It's more fun with kids. They've got a very odd definition of "yelling."

[Xist]

My dad used to declare "I'm not yelling!"

[Fat Charlie]

Was he simply being emphatic?

[JSH]

Originally Posted by Xist

So, the Thread-Locking Inserts from that page, not the Helical Inserts that it says are stronger?

Don't drill bits supposedly overheat if you don't lubricate them? I am sure that I did that, but putting grease everywhere you can is a good idea.

I think that I will just cover the whole thing with tape and then put a shop towel or whatever over that..

I’ve had good luck with what they are calling “easy to install thread locking inserts for metal” and “Tapping inserts for soft metal”. In both cases I tap the hole and lock tite the insert in place

I’ve had nothing but trouble with helicoils or what they are calling “helical inserts for metal”. In my experience they either come uncoiled when you try to thread them into the hole or the first time you try to remove the fastener threaded into them. They are a one-time use product to get something back together and sold off to another unsuspecting party. Doing it right doesn’t take any more time then screwing the next guy and threaded inserts are easier to install than helicoils.

Yes you should always lubricant a drill bit that is cutting metal

Coating the tap with grease is a century old trick that works but maybe you can get tape to stick to an oily cylinder head. No reason to do it the easy and proven way.

[Xist]

"I'm not yelling, I'm just raising my voice!"