Acura 10003-PH7-660 Cylinder Head General Assembly

Do not start this procedure until after a complete cooling of the engine. First remove the fuel pressure, then the negative cable to the battery. Drain the cooling system and remove the block drains and the alternator and distributor. Then, you take down the intake manifold, exhaust manifold, detaching the timing belt and camshaft sprockets. Remove the camshaft(s) from the head(s) to be removed, removing the inner timing belt cover at the same time. Unplug the coolant temperature sensor, unscrew the coolant passage assembly, and use a socket wrench to loosen the cylinder head bolts in 1/4 turn increments until you can take them off in your hand; this is easiest done with an Allen bolt extender. Pry the cylinder head off the engine block, if necessary prying against an external casting protrusion but not between the head and block in order to avoid head to block gasket surface damage. Make sure mating surfaces of the cylinder heads and block are perfectly clean for installation. Working on the cylinder head area, use a gasket scraper to clean all the carbon from the cylinder head and any loose gasket material (again, use care to not gouge the aluminum). Lacquer thinner or acetone will clean the surfaces, shop rags stuffed into the cylinders will help keep debris out. If you check the block and head mating surfaces, nicks and scratches are allowed and can be filed out, but excessive damage may require machining. Chase the threads in the head bolt holes with a tap and remove the dirt from the threads with a compressed air can. Instead, mount each bolt in a vise, and run a die down the threads to remove corrosion. Install the new gaskets over the locating dowels in the block making sure the the oil control jets are installed with new O rings. Set your head on the block, careful not to disturb the gasket and apply a small amount of clean engine oil to the head bolts threads. Torque the bolts and special washers to finger tight first (following their sequence), then in two steps in accordance with the recommended sequence. If that is not the case then the same procedure can be repeated with the other cylinder head. Remaining installation steps are the exact reverse of removal. Refill cooling system, change oil and filter, run engine, check coolant and for leaks.

New and rebuilt cylinder heads are commonly available for most engines at dealerships and auto parts stores. Due to the necessity of specialized tools for disassembly and inspection, along with the potential unavailability of replacement parts, it may be more practical and economical for the home mechanic to purchase replacement heads rather than disassembling, inspecting, and reconditioning the originals. Cylinder head disassembly involves removing the intake and exhaust valves and related components, assuming that the rocker arms and camshaft(s) have already been taken out. Before removing the valves, it is important to label and store them along with their components to ensure they can be reinstalled in the same valve guides. A valve spring compressor should be used to compress the springs on the first valve, allowing for the removal of the keepers, followed by careful release of the compressor to take out the retainer, spring, and spring seat if applicable. The valve can then be pulled out of the head, and the oil seal should be removed from the guide. If the valve binds, it may be necessary to push it back into the head and deburr the area around the keeper groove. This procedure should be repeated for the remaining valves, ensuring that all parts for each valve are kept together for reinstallation. After all valves and components have been removed and organized, the head should be thoroughly cleaned and inspected, with engine disassembly completed if a full overhaul is being performed before starting the cleaning and inspection of the cylinder head.

Deciding when to completely overhaul an engine isn't simple, since we need to weigh several different things. Having many miles on your engine isn't always a sign you must overhaul it, and having few miles doesn't guarantee you won't need one. Having regular oil changes and filter replacements will keep your engine working right, but if you neglect these tasks early, you'll likely need a full engine repair. If an engine uses extra oil, we know that we likely need to work on the piston rings, valve seals, or valve guides. Checking the compression in each cylinder can help us see how much work we need to do. Be sure to measure your oil pressure by putting a gauge where your factory oil pressure sending unit used to be, particularly if you have a Legend model. If your car experiences these same symptoms at once - losing power, running roughly, making knocking noises, hearing loud valve work, and going through more fuel than normal - it's likely time for an engine replacement. During an engine overhaul, you reassemble all components to match their original factory standards, replacing the piston rings, redone cylinder walls, and newer main, connecting rod, and camshaft bearings. When renovating your engine, you need both new fixing parts and to look for flow problems and leaks in the radiator. After going through the entire procedure, get all parts and tools you need, and plan to tie the vehicle up for at least two weeks before you start. To inspect parts correctly, you'll need special measuring tools along with normal hand tools to do most of the work. Only start the repair work when the engine parts are fully apart and we've checked all components, then we can choose how to fix it - either fix the original engine with new parts or buy a new rebuilt block. Taking your time during the repair is most important, which is why you should never put in poorly made or weaker parts, and you must carefully put everything together in a clean setting to make sure the engine lasts longer and has less issues.

Run the engine to check for proper operation and leaks, and recheck fluid levels after shutting off the engine.