Tried swapping my head gasket on a 2002 Civic without a manual, now it's knocking like crazy

I guessed the torque pattern from a YouTube video and the thing started smoking after 10 miles, has anyone else ruined an engine by skipping the factory specs?

2 comments

2 Comments

parkerb758d ago

I mean, maybe it's just me but the torque pattern is only part of the problem on these older Hondas. The head bolts themselves are torque-to-yield, so if you reused them without measuring stretch, they're basically shot after the first heat cycle. Plus that YouTube video might've showed the sequence for a D16 but on a 2002 Civic you've probably got an R or K series, totally different specs. Idk, I'd check if the block deck is even flat before blaming the pattern, warped aluminum is way more common than a wrong order.

tyler3687d ago

Yeah I reused head bolts once and got lucky but never again, just buy new ones and save yourself the headache.