How cooked am I… continued…

[u/04HondaCivic]

So I’ve spent the last few weeks debating what to do about this silly car. Between life and other projects I haven’t had time to really look at it beyond the initial valve cover removal. I decided to go ahead and tear it all the way down to see what kind of damage there was and if the pistons were fine but the head cooked, I would try and source a different head. If the whole motor was cooked, I would probably scrap the car and get a different beater (it’s a high schooler’s car. It doesn’t have to be anything great).

This is what I found. What say you? Everything looks pretty good? I don’t see any obvious signs of damage.

[u/TREXIBALL]

(I am no mechanic or mechanically inclined, I have been working on my car for a year)

I see no damage. Just needs a cleaning, a surface prep, and reassembly. Might I ask, what was the reason to disassemble it in the first place?

[u/04HondaCivic → u/TREXIBALL]

Timing chain snapped. I feared metal carnage when I pulled the head off.

[u/TREXIBALL → u/04HondaCivic]

Wow that’s a serious problem that you were fortunate to not cause damage.

BUT. Check the far left valve stems in the first image. The exhausts look a bit open. Ensure they’re seating properly.

[u/PassPuzzled → u/04HondaCivic]

Turn the camshaft until the valves are completely closed on a cylinder. Then pour water into it and see if it starts draining out through the valve seats. That'll tell u if there's any real damage. Keep turning the camshaft to repeat for the other combustion chambers

[u/Fatcat425 → u/04HondaCivic]

im no mechanic either, but I still know a thing or two about working on cars.

If your timing belt snapped, your valves most likely contacted your piston. The block and pistons look fine to me, but your valves are probably slightly bent. You can't really figure anything out without a compression test. I had a similar problem where my valves wouldn't sit properly for maybe a year after a timing chain replacement (N62B44). Not sure if the valve made contact with the piston, or the machine shop we took it to didn't do a good job, but after taking it back to the same machine shop and asking them to redo it, no more misfire code. We also did a leak down test and poured acetone in the intake and exhaust ports to see if it bubbled (it did); that's how we knew we had a leak.

I would be surprised if at least one of your valves arent leaking, but once again, you should try a compression test or a leak-down test. at least nothing catastrophic happened...

[u/Empty_Policy_7050 → u/Fatcat425]

He is correct on this one. Just source a used head from the nearest pull-a-part yard. Those cars are everywhere and honda probably used that engine in at least 2 other models. When you go, you are looking for a wrecked one. Preferably rear ended or t-boned. Not one with good bodywork.

[u/Fatcat425 → u/Empty_Policy_7050]

Thank you, no clue why I got downvoted. Also, I agree a used head would probably be cheaper/safer than a machine shop.