Honda civic cylinder head question

[Mark Bernard]

I have a 87 Honda Civic that I bought for a winter car. Last weekend I snapped the timing belt and i am quite sure I bent a couple of valves. Here is my question. Being the well rounded "shade tree mechanic" that I am. How hard is it to pull the head on this stupid thing and is it worth it to have the valves replaced or...  just get a new head and be done with it? Keeping in mind this is a $200 car.

[JamesC459]

Yeah you bent the valves if the car was moving when the belt broke.you have 2 choices.Get another head from a junkyard or get a valve job done and replace the valves.If it is a 1.5L there are only 12 valves.check with some machine shops and see if they have a head already done and use yours as a core.your looking at about $100 in gasket sets if I remember right.doing the work is easy enough if you don't mind doing the work.The belt is less than $40,you should replace the water pump while your there.My wife had an 85 civic with the 1.5L and it cost me around $350 with parts/machine work.

[Mark Bernard]

Thanks James... That is what I was thinking also. Thanks for the heads up on the water pump. I will be sure to replace that also. I think the best bet is gonna be a junkyard head. I'm going to tear it down this saturday and take a good look and see if the head was damaged. Thanks again! I appreciate it!

[Mark Bernard]

Well... I pulled the head and forund 12 bent valves and at least 8 broken valve guides. (If your gonna break it... break it good I say!) To have the maching work and guides replaced is juat way too much $. Somewhere in the $7-800 range. I found it was cheaper to get a reconditioned head and be done with it. Every junkyard head I found was in the same shape as mine! Go figure! lol The reconditioned head I found was 350 + the gasket set for a total of $511 O.T.D. I should have this thing running this weekend. Thanks for your input James. It was greatly appreciated! ;)

[Mark Bernard]

Well... I got the little bastard running! New cylinder head, gasket kit, timing belt, water pump, and v-belts. Cost me about $550.00 after everything was said and done. Little sucker runs great now. Amazing what a straight set of valves can do for the preformance! lol Took it for a little road trip yesterday and hit a whopping 96mph! Thanks again for your input James. It was appreciated!  ;)

[JamesC459]

So now you have close to three sets of tires invested in your daily transportation.I'm glad that it worked out for you.Those little Jap cars are good in that sense.My wife is all happy that you fixed it.All she has ever owned has been those damned civicsShes had some mid 80's carbed ones,the current is a 98 1.6L 4 door,and I'm sure that when its time for another car it will be straight to the Honda car dealer.
The job wasnt all that hard and you can just how understressed that engine is.Figure the new V-TEC DOCH cars with twin turbos and all of the other go-fast parts are good for better then 1000 hp