sideswipe : 1991 Accord LX

[sideswipe]

Picked up my new timing belt today. My plan is to install it temporarily with the motor as it is...just for the purpose of getting a compression test done to see if I bent any of the valves. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I didn't since that would mean more $ & time before I'll be able to drive the CB again. With that said...I MISS DRIVING MY CAR!!! The new 7th gen is alright I guess but it's just not the same.

Anyways, here's some pics as promised.....

Here's a couple I took of the CB a few weeks ago before I removed all my decals...





...and a couple showing the snapped timing belt (I pulled it out like that)...





...getting loaded up on the flat bed tow truck...



...and then dropped off at home...



...removing the plug wires, valve cover, alt belt & cables, timing cover, etc...







...the manual conversion that was done and missing parts after rebuild......



...the 7th gen before it was serviced and picked up...



...welcome to the family! '91 Accord LX, '03 Accord LX and '06 Pilot EXL...



That's all I have for now, thanks for looking.

Oh yeah, please someone confirm my suspicion about the auto-tensioner. Thanks.

[AAPOQ]

Nice thread man! I like the scheme of your cb, the reds really pop for me.
I also own an 03 LX. Is yours an auto?

[sideswipe]

Nice thread man! I like the scheme of your cb, the reds really pop for me.
I also own an 03 LX. Is yours an auto?

Thanks bro! Yeah, my '03 is an auto. It's growing on me slowly but the CB is still my baby.

So I figured out what cause the timing belt catastophe...the H23 manual tensioner conversion had been done previously...but a couple pieces were either lost during the rebuild or were just never installed. The pieces that are missing are the adjuster plate, the adjuster plate spring and the adjuster plate bolt. Due to these parts missing the timing belt was a ticking time bomb because those parts keep the tension consistent. I'm going to order those pieces tomorrow from Honda and a friend from work is bringing me his compression tester tomorrow too. Once I have everything installed I'll be able to fire the motor, do the compression test and find out if any valves were bent. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I didn't and I'll be back on the rd again...we'll see. If there is more damage it might be a while before she hits the pavement again.

[sideswipe]

Update...

The CB's definitely going to be down for a while. Did a compression test yesterday and here's the results...

Did the test 3 seperate times and this is how the #s looked from left to right on the valve cover...

1st run...

195, 182, 130, 130

2nd run...

97, 187, 115, 110

3rd run...

60, 192, 130, 125

Not sure why the left most cylinder kept dropping significantly each time. During the 2nd run of tests the compressor gauge popped off the hose on that cylinder because I guess I didn't have it 100% attached, even though I did check each 1 each time beforehand.

Long story short, the #s say it all...there's bent valves in the head so it's going to have to be removed, disassembled and fixed. It'll get done sooner or later and a little at a time, until then the car is undriveable...and I'm a little broken hearted over it right now.

My ?s to you guys are...

1. What all am I going to have to replace after the head is removed besides the bent valves?

2. Should I stick with OEM valves or get aftermarket 1s?

3. If aftermarket 1s...which 1s would be a good selection?

4. Any other advice about head removal & reinstallation?

Thanks in advance for any replys I get on all this.

[sideswipe]

So I started the teardown on the H22 yesterday. I'm only taking apart what ever is necessary to get the head off so I can remove & replace the valves. Worked for a couple hrs disconnecting & labeling parts of the wire harness, removed the valve cover, header (upper section), intake, alt belt and disconnected the driver side mount so the timing & balance piecs can be taken out. Not too bad of a start for now.

Next time I'll get the timing & balance pieces removed and take out the intake manifold. After that I should be ready to start disassembling the head so I can get it out. Still need to order my new valves...think I'm going to go with the Supertechs, just not sure if I want/need the dish or flat faced 1s yet. Might just do dished on the intake side and flat on the exhaust side. Won't really know if anything else will need to be replaced until I get the head off so we'll just have to wait and see.

It's taken a couple weeks for me to get motivated enough to start all this since I'm still pretty let down about the whole situation. I've been going back & forth in my head on whether I should fix it, part it all out or just sell the whole car as it is...finally decided to start the fixing process until I make my ultimate decision on it all. I still have alot of love for the CB and freaking hate not being able to drive it right now...but everything comes to an end sometime too.

[sideswipe]

Update...

So...a week ago I removed & labeled all the timing & balance shaft parts and the intake manifold. Then a few days ago I removed the VTEC solenoid, distributor, and disconnected the upper radiator hose w/neck and the hose that connects to the head underneath the distributor. Today I took out the cam guards, cam seal, cams and disconnected the head studs. A few mins later...the head is finally out!

Next step is to get the head back to the shop for disassembly and order new parts. On the list right now are...

new valves (probably getting the Supertechs)
new head gasket (probably OEM)
maybe new head studs (ARPs)
maybe new cam seal (aftermarket)

I'm not sure yet if anything else is damaged so there may be more to add to the list of parts. We'll see. I have alot of pics that I've been taking through this whole ordeal too and I'll upload them when I get a chance. Stay tuned...

[Daheavyking]

Good luck on the head rebuild. I know it jurts to see your car down

[sideswipe]

Good luck on the head rebuild. I know it jurts to see your car down

Thanks bro! Yeah, not being able to drive my car after 11 1/2 yrs of driving it daily is killing me! Maybe...hopefully...bent valves were the only parts that need to be replaced...besides the timing belt of course. I have the head in a box and will be dropping it off at the shop sometime this week, just need to order parts now. Anyways, here's a bunch of pics of my progress as promised...













































As a side note...the only reason that there is coolant on the pistons is because a little came out of the head as I lifted it off the block. I dried it up and then wrapped up the top of the block. I wrapped up and marked everything that I removed along the way which is what all the parts are in my trunk too.

[Shadow1]

awesome man. hurry up and get that head work done.

[GunRunner]

Good work! Now would be a good time to go to an aftermarket cam seal as the oem ones always leak. A nice billet aluminum one can be had for $20ish...keep me updated!

[wildBill83]

If you are replacing the valves with OEM ones wouldn't it be cheaper to just get a complete head? If I was going through the hassle of rebuilding the head I would put in flat faced valves myself.

[keepinitclean]

Shiesta! You're goin down deep in there! Wish I could be that motivated

[sideswipe]

awesome man. hurry up and get that head work done.

Dropping the head off at the shop tomorrow after work and should be ordering my new parts shortly.

Good work! Now would be a good time to go to an aftermarket cam seal as the oem ones always leak. A nice billet aluminum one can be had for $20ish...keep me updated!

Will do! I have a couple different 1s in mind...just need to decide on either red or black.

If you are replacing the valves with OEM ones wouldn't it be cheaper to just get a complete head? If I was going through the hassle of rebuilding the head I would put in flat faced valves myself.

I won't be using OEM valves on this adventure...was looking at either Skunk2s or Supertechs and I decided that I'm going with the black nitride Supertechs. I'll be going with flat faced exhuast side valves and still researching whether I should go with the dished or flat faced 1s for the intakes side. From what I've learned the best combo may be flat faced for exhaust side and dished face for the intake side. Any advice or input is from anyone is welcomed & appreciated though.

Shiesta! You're goin down deep in there! Wish I could be that motivated

Yessir! It actually took me several weeks to get motivated and then it hit me...I MISS MY CB!!




On another note...I'm now working on sanding & fixing my Mugen lip...again. When the flat bed picked my car up it busted the previously broken piece of the lip off again. Almost done with the sanding and then I'll be Plastidipping it again but this time I'm going to spray either flat or satin clear over the top of that too for extra protection. Going to do the same thing on my side skirts & rear lip too once the front is done. Since most of my motor is out of the way right now I'll be giving my bay a serious wipe down too. There's a few other things on the to-do list while the car is down but 1st & most important is getting it running again...and even better than it did before!

[GunRunner]

Will do! I have a couple different 1s in mind...just need to decide on either red or black.

doesnt really matter, the vtec solenoid blocks it anyway

[TAMPA]

I like that color, lookin good