Saturday, October 11, 2008
Blew a head gasket on the Civic... (and how to set a '95 Civic motor to top dead center)
So today I'll be seeing if I can change that out. One thing I've learned while working on this car is that if the manual calls for doing something that looks impossible, there's often a little secret to how you can accomplish it. And the task is easy if you know the secret, impossible otherwise. For example, the directions for removing the head call for setting the #1 piston to TDC. Now, it looks like it's almost impossible to turn the crankshaft with the engine in the car - the pulley is practically up against the inner fender, no good way to grab it or get a wrench on it when you look the engine compartment.
Well, here's the secret. Take a 17 mm socket and put it on an extension bar. Now, look at the plastic lining the driver's side front fenderwell. There will be a cutout in the plastic that looks like a six pointed star. Stick the socket in through this and you can get it on the crank bolt to rotate the crank.
Well, here's the secret. Take a 17 mm socket and put it on an extension bar. Now, look at the plastic lining the driver's side front fenderwell. There will be a cutout in the plastic that looks like a six pointed star. Stick the socket in through this and you can get it on the crank bolt to rotate the crank.
Labels: Civic
