Its time for a rebuild.....But my CB will live again.

[dj_ender]

So recently I have begun to leak and burn oil, no tests have been done but everything points to the head gasket and most likely rings. I have had a slight rod knock for the last 8 months, and lately its getting louder. I have developed a leak from my oil pressure sensor, my dizzy seal, cam seal, and finally, the front main seal.....yeah, from everywhere. Also, my drivers side boot on the steering rack has torn, and I drip power steering fluid all the time, but the reservoir remains full. The front brakes are starting to grind, and they toss up dust like mad.

So the plan is a full tear down and rebuild of the engine, but on the semi cheap. There are no aftermarket components going into the engine, just OEM replacements. The schedule is planned to start this Thursday, and I hope to have it done in a week, 2 tops. I guess it all really depends on the machine shop's speed on the block hone. I plan this to be a semi-blog type of thread, to track and share progress with the forum. Who knows, maybe I will inspire someone to do their own rebuild, that's my intent.

So here is where I started, about 2 weeks ago. I got fed up with leaking oil from under my dizzy and cam seal, and decided to take action. And I also tore open the plenum to inspect for oil because I was spitting out blue clouds of smoke on take-off. Here's what I found:

















Not very fun if you ask me, but it had to be done, I was tired of leaking oil everywhere. I got a FelPro valve gasket set, Moog cam seal, an OEM Honda dizzy seal, and then got to work. And here are some of those pics:

[dj_ender]

Reserved.

[dj_ender]

So after getting everything back together, I still had an oil leak, but this time oil was dripping on my header... I found out it was a cracked oil pressure sensor, the plastic had broke inside the metal and was allowing oil to spray out. Here's what it did to the back of the block:



So after I fixed that leak, I find 2 more... One from the timing cover, which I believe to be the front main seal, and the other is a torn drivers side boot on my steering rack. By this time it's not funny, this is where the rebuild was completely decided. So I plan to update with daily entries and as many pics as possible.

Today I went and acquired CD Wagon calipers and 25T brackets, OEM head lights, BB4 shifter, and an A6 head. I grabbed the calipers because it's time for brakes and I can't find any Odyssey's, VTEC 'lude's, or Acura CL's. I grabbed the head because I have semi converted my A1 to an A6, so I wanted the stronger springs, and I have 3 broken bolts in the head. Tomorrow I plan to degrease the head, it's filthy, and start to blackhouse my lights. Pics to follow.

[Jarrett]

If a hone is the only thing you're sending your block to the machine shop for then I suggest you buy a ball home and do it at home with a drill. I've done it many times on iron cylinders and it's done very well.

[dj_ender]

If a hone is the only thing you're sending your block to the machine shop for then I suggest you buy a ball home and do it at home with a drill. I've done it many times on iron cylinders and it's done very well.

I was thinking of that, it would save some cash, but Im not familiar with the process. O Reilly's has a hone but it has 3 vertical straight arms that press out with a thin spring. I was unsure of doing it myself after I saw it. Do you have any links to a DIY, or care to share your experiences and procedures?

[djkurious]

Question: Where is the "front main seal?"
Also, I had the same leak like yours from above the oil filter. Pulled the oil sensor and it was old and original. Replaced and the leak still has not gone away.

['93CB7Ex]

the front crank seal behind the crank pulley.

[djkurious]

the front crank seal behind the crank pulley.

Gotcha, thanks

[Jarrett]

There are two types of honing tools. The ball hone and the bar hone. To be honest I've only ever used a bar hone to recondition brake piston cylinders. The concept behind both are the same in that they both have a friction surface toward their circumference that used pressure from the center to work. The benefit to a ball home is that it is incredibly easy to use. You attach it to your drill, insert it into a cylinder and go. The downside is that to accommodate the same range of bore diameters as a bar hone you would need multiple sizes of ball hones.

With either of them you're going to attach it to your drill, insert the hone fully into the bore and keep it at an angle perfectly perpendicular to the deck surface. Then go at a medium-high speed on your drill and go up and down inside the cylinder enough so that the balls protrude on both ends. Go up and down for 3-4 motions. Remove the hone from the cylinder and check your work. Honda specifies a 60 degree cross-hatch on their iron cylinders. The angle of the cross-hatching will be dictated by the speed you go up and down inside the bore. If possible, practice on a junk block first. If you don't have one available, don't sweat it. You'll be fine.

[Straight Success]

...The ball hone...

Dingle berries!

Sorry, I just had to.

[dj_ender]

There are two types of honing tools. The ball hone and the bar hone. To be honest I've only ever used a bar hone to recondition brake piston cylinders. The concept behind both are the same in that they both have a friction surface toward their circumference that used pressure from the center to work. The benefit to a ball home is that it is incredibly easy to use. You attach it to your drill, insert it into a cylinder and go. The downside is that to accommodate the same range of bore diameters as a bar hone you would need multiple sizes of ball hones.

With either of them you're going to attach it to your drill, insert the hone fully into the bore and keep it at an angle perfectly perpendicular to the deck surface. Then go at a medium-high speed on your drill and go up and down inside the cylinder enough so that the balls protrude on both ends. Go up and down for 3-4 motions. Remove the hone from the cylinder and check your work. Honda specifies a 60 degree cross-hatch on their iron cylinders. The angle of the cross-hatching will be dictated by the speed you go up and down inside the bore. If possible, practice on a junk block first. If you don't have one available, don't sweat it. You'll be fine.

Well that doesn't sound so hard when you explain it that way, I appreciate it! Doing it myself would definitely save me around $50-100, and that would help since I'm already going to be over my original budget. As it is, I will be cleaning the block and head myself, rather than have it hot tanked or dipped. And all this will be GREATLY simplified because I literally live next door to O' Reilly's.

Today my plan is to take some pics of what I'm starting with and the progress I made. I will be cleaning the head and starting/finishing the black housing of my headlights. And If I have time, to install the BB4 shifter. Updates to follow later tonight.

[nate'sCB7]

So for the ball hone, what size and grit should be used.

[Jarrett]

The size will be indicated on the honing tool itself in something similar to a: "For bore sizes X.xx to X.xx"

As for the grit, I'm not sure. I've mostly done this on small block Chevys and Nissan L24/8s. I'll see if I can find something though. One of the machinists on this board may chime in sooner.

[nate'sCB7]

The size will be indicated on the honing tool itself in something similar to a: "For bore sizes X.xx to X.xx"

As for the grit, I'm not sure. I've mostly done this on small block Chevys and Nissan L24/8s. I'll see if I can find something though. One of the machinists on this board may chime in sooner.

Thought that having this info in the thread would be heplfull for someone that may not know what to get

[dj_ender]

The size will be indicated on the honing tool itself in something similar to a: "For bore sizes X.xx to X.xx"

As for the grit, I'm not sure. I've mostly done this on small block Chevys and Nissan L24/8s. I'll see if I can find something though. One of the machinists on this board may chime in sooner.

I just got a quote of $40 for a hone from our local, well respected, block and head shops. And SUPPOSEDLY I can get a homie hook-up for $20. For $20, or even $40, the piece of mind is worth the cost. And I cant find a ball hone locally, lol, Napa sells 82mm,83mm, and 89mm.... Harbor freight doesn't carry them, and O' Reilly's has the one I'm not willing to use. To the shop it goes!