Rex-O-Saurus blew its top
 

Driving home today the temp gauge moved off its normal 1/3 position. I managed to get it home without overheating, but found the radiator low and coolant still in the resevior. I started it up with the rad cap off and watched bubbles gurgling through the radiator as I blipped the throttle which is a blown head gasket.

Oh well, I did the same thing to my Integra a year and a half ago and the CRX looks alot easier and cheaper to fix then the Integra was. I should be able to replace it for about $200 including a valve job. I was going to post a thread on how to get stuck spark plugs out as the former owner must have cross threaded 2 of my plugs, but I guess I'll get the machine shop to fix that.

On the bright side I'll be driving the Integra to work for the next week or two without the guilt of wasting gas.

Bummer. Keep us updated, especially if you use this as an excuse to make any MPG improvements to the Rex!

Going to do any head work while its out? Groves or anything?

If you're able, replace the timing belt and camshaft seals too. The timing belt will be a bit of a pain since Honda decided that the motor has to be "floated" to remove the belt. No room between the crankshaft pulley and the inner fender well. Replacing the belt will give you tens of thousands of miles of worry free driving.

I went through a blown head gasket with a 1982 Buick Regal. Far easier to work on than a CRX.

Gene

I just did the timing belt a month or two ago so I'll keep the new one in there. I'm going to replace the valve seals, cam seals, and have the machine shop do a valve job and redeck the head if it needs it.

As far as any modifications, I'm just going to put it back together the way it is. Even with 194K on the engine, is was running very well before this and wasn't burning any oil. Maybe in a year or two if it starts showing its age I'll think about a D15Z1 swap. I just don't have the extra time or $ to do that now, nor do I have the energy to keep the state of CA happy and make it pass smog after such a swap.

Personally I don't think the grooves would do anything and could make it run worse. I can't see how a combustion chamber that was engineered by a company that has been building engines for ~60 years can be improved by me with a dremel tool and some guess work.

yea my thinking exactly, if it were so easy to increase mpg by adding a simple groove(s) to the head wouldnt you think all the automanufactuers would be doing it by now?:p

the biggest gains are on 2v with big squish areas. post up a pic of the head of the rex and we'll see how likely it is they'll help. I've seen a LOT of evidence that the right grooves help and the wrong ones do little to nothing. only place I'd be hesitant is on one of the engines someone mentioned on here last week where honda designed multiple carbs for a rich area near the spark and a lean area everywhere else or some voodoo like that. passed cali emissions for 5 years of production without a cat. I'm not saying it will or won't yet, just not to write it off yet https://somender-singh.com/content/category/4/24/37/

Chevy has been manufacturing cars for longer than honda and builds crap even today.

Mfrs do dumb crap all the time. like power only steering on a car. not power assist, the steering wheel changes a sensor reading and the computer moves the rack accordingly. that didn't last.

That sucks about the BHG tho. my cressida got it and my cars got a DOHC I6 ...60+ lb head and big fenders to reach over.

isnt that the "drive by wire" system around today? meaning theres no mechanical linkage between the steering wheel and the wheels?

sound sliek a VERY bad idea to me. like if the alternator goes out and then the battery starts to die...i know that wreaks havoc on other computer controled systems. i know my sisters saturn SC2 alternator died and then the battery was dying and the car wouldnt **** outa first:p

Fords been building (accualy diamer benz has been but) longer than them and yea they all build some dumb crap...(GM CANT MAKE CUPHOLDERS!!!):D

yea, drive by wire steering, I coudln't think of the term. DBW throttle is bad enough. I worked at a GM dealer filing paperwork and those throttle bodies start out around 500 and there were at least a dozen done in the 6 months I was there. keep in mind it's a fairly small town and a fairly small dealer. It's warranty...but if it breaks after a year, what about 10 years down the road when it's NOT warranty anymore?

back to the BHG thread...I'd help if I were closer. I've done a few BHG fixes on cressidas/supras and have spent a lot of time looking at singh grooves. I'm planning on doing them on the snowblower engine I have apart for class right now. flathead briggs so the squish area is pretty much the whole piston face :-p

yea i know. i have to ask why not use a $10 gaspedal connected to a cable conencted to the TB or carb butterfly? its worked since the mid 30's...(model T and A fords used a direct steel rod linkage from gas pedal to throttle butterlfy)

sure technology as advanced alot since then but somehitngs just SHOULD NOT be advanced!!! id LOVE to find out what happens when that sensor malfunctions and it guns the engine :P