Honda Civic Timing Belt

Hi everyone,

My Honda Civic 1984 (Auto) timing belt is just broken.
Mechanic said that it can replace it with for about $280.0, but he said
there is a chance that the valves and pistons are damaged as well as a
result and repairing those could cost up to $1600.
If valves and pistons are damaged, I don't want to go a head with repair and
prefer the car to be recycled instead.
Does anyone had this problem before or know how much chances are that valve
and pistons are damaged as well?
So I need to know how much risk involved?

Thanks in advance.

Kylie

 

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Get him to check the valve clearances by turning the cam(s) over by hand
while the pistons are at half-mast. Bent valves will have HUGE
clearances compared to the others.

Simple and cheap.

'Curly'

 

---------------------------

Get him to check the valve clearances by turning the cam(s) over by hand
while the pistons are at half-mast. Bent valves will have HUGE
clearances compared to the others.

Simple and cheap.

'Curly'

 

---------------------------

Get him to check the valve clearances by turning the cam(s) over by hand
while the pistons are at half-mast. Bent valves will have HUGE
clearances compared to the others.

Simple and cheap.

'Curly'

 

The risk of severe damage is higher at higher rpm or at higher speeds
and decelerating in gear. The risk is lower if you're accelerating from a
stop but not above 25-30-mph on autos. In a manual transmission
the risk of damage is higher.

 

The risk of severe damage is higher at higher rpm or at higher speeds
and decelerating in gear. The risk is lower if you're accelerating from a
stop but not above 25-30-mph on autos. In a manual transmission
the risk of damage is higher.

 

The risk of severe damage is higher at higher rpm or at higher speeds
and decelerating in gear. The risk is lower if you're accelerating from a
stop but not above 25-30-mph on autos. In a manual transmission
the risk of damage is higher.

 

First off, the damage typically sustained by the pistons is usually
minimal. When the pistons hit the valves, there's usually just some small
dents in the top and they can be reused without any problems. The most
damage is to the valves. These get bent and will not seal flat against the
valve seat. Since the valves are not seated, as Curly noted, the clearances
on any bent valves will be excessive. You don't even need to use a feeler
gauge to find them. It takes just 15-20 minutes or so to pull the valve
cover and check all the valves. If you're going to junk the car rather than
pull the head and replace the bent valves, then this might be the best
option. Keep in mind that older cars are a lot like onions. Once you start
peeling back the layers to fix one problem, you find a lot more problems.
There's usually no getting around it unless the car has had excellent
maintenance (but it wouldn't likely be in its current status if that were
the case). It sounds like you've evaluated the condition of the car and
judged it not worthwhile to repair the valve train damage. Since this is
the case, just get the clearances checked and then decide.

Eric

 

First off, the damage typically sustained by the pistons is usually
minimal. When the pistons hit the valves, there's usually just some small
dents in the top and they can be reused without any problems. The most
damage is to the valves. These get bent and will not seal flat against the
valve seat. Since the valves are not seated, as Curly noted, the clearances
on any bent valves will be excessive. You don't even need to use a feeler
gauge to find them. It takes just 15-20 minutes or so to pull the valve
cover and check all the valves. If you're going to junk the car rather than
pull the head and replace the bent valves, then this might be the best
option. Keep in mind that older cars are a lot like onions. Once you start
peeling back the layers to fix one problem, you find a lot more problems.
There's usually no getting around it unless the car has had excellent
maintenance (but it wouldn't likely be in its current status if that were
the case). It sounds like you've evaluated the condition of the car and
judged it not worthwhile to repair the valve train damage. Since this is
the case, just get the clearances checked and then decide.

Eric

 

First off, the damage typically sustained by the pistons is usually
minimal. When the pistons hit the valves, there's usually just some small
dents in the top and they can be reused without any problems. The most
damage is to the valves. These get bent and will not seal flat against the
valve seat. Since the valves are not seated, as Curly noted, the clearances
on any bent valves will be excessive. You don't even need to use a feeler
gauge to find them. It takes just 15-20 minutes or so to pull the valve
cover and check all the valves. If you're going to junk the car rather than
pull the head and replace the bent valves, then this might be the best
option. Keep in mind that older cars are a lot like onions. Once you start
peeling back the layers to fix one problem, you find a lot more problems.
There's usually no getting around it unless the car has had excellent
maintenance (but it wouldn't likely be in its current status if that were
the case). It sounds like you've evaluated the condition of the car and
judged it not worthwhile to repair the valve train damage. Since this is
the case, just get the clearances checked and then decide.

Eric

 

Great words of wisdom, Eric. I'll have to remember that (and where it came
from, although I'll keep thinking it was from Shrek.)

Mike

 

Great words of wisdom, Eric. I'll have to remember that (and where it came
from, although I'll keep thinking it was from Shrek.)

Mike

 

Great words of wisdom, Eric. I'll have to remember that (and where it came
from, although I'll keep thinking it was from Shrek.)

Mike

 

I've never watched Shrek. The statement is almost verbatim of what we told
customers when they brought their older cars into the shop. It helped
lessen the impact of dealing with reality. With the OP's '84 Civic that's
likely been neglected it might be like opening the bottomless can of worms.
With pulling the head, it would be reasonable to replace the valve stem
seals, overhaul the CVCC valves, repair assorted vacuum hose and coolant
hoses problems, probably overhaul the distributor, and then even if you were
careful, there's probably enough crud in the carburetor float bowls that's
accumulated over the years that it would get sloshed around and wind up
plugging up the carburetor.

Eric

 

I've never watched Shrek. The statement is almost verbatim of what we told
customers when they brought their older cars into the shop. It helped
lessen the impact of dealing with reality. With the OP's '84 Civic that's
likely been neglected it might be like opening the bottomless can of worms.
With pulling the head, it would be reasonable to replace the valve stem
seals, overhaul the CVCC valves, repair assorted vacuum hose and coolant
hoses problems, probably overhaul the distributor, and then even if you were
careful, there's probably enough crud in the carburetor float bowls that's
accumulated over the years that it would get sloshed around and wind up
plugging up the carburetor.

Eric

 

I've never watched Shrek. The statement is almost verbatim of what we told
customers when they brought their older cars into the shop. It helped
lessen the impact of dealing with reality. With the OP's '84 Civic that's
likely been neglected it might be like opening the bottomless can of worms.
With pulling the head, it would be reasonable to replace the valve stem
seals, overhaul the CVCC valves, repair assorted vacuum hose and coolant
hoses problems, probably overhaul the distributor, and then even if you were
careful, there's probably enough crud in the carburetor float bowls that's
accumulated over the years that it would get sloshed around and wind up
plugging up the carburetor.

Eric

 

As you get him to grab the cam wheel to turn it over by hand
he'd be surprise to find the cam stuck. Most often the belt
snapped because the camshaft is poorly lube.

Usually, you don't need to get the piston at half-mast. As you
turn the cam wheel several revolutions by hand to visually check
the valve clearance the valves pushes the piston out of the way.
And the odds of it at TDC is close to 1 in 100. If it happens to
be at TDC I'll give you our family horse - with saddle.

 

Fast, sporty drivers can damage there connecting rods or other areas of
the engine block if they reach very high speeds. Especially going
downhill where the pistons will continuously beat on the twisted valves.
Although, the sound will be very loud and obvious, this is pretty rare.

This is well said and very down to earth.

 

As you get him to grab the cam wheel to turn it over by hand
he'd be surprise to find the cam stuck. Most often the belt
snapped because the camshaft is poorly lube.

Usually, you don't need to get the piston at half-mast. As you
turn the cam wheel several revolutions by hand to visually check
the valve clearance the valves pushes the piston out of the way.
And the odds of it at TDC is close to 1 in 100. If it happens to
be at TDC I'll give you our family horse - with saddle.

 

Fast, sporty drivers can damage there connecting rods or other areas of
the engine block if they reach very high speeds. Especially going
downhill where the pistons will continuously beat on the twisted valves.
Although, the sound will be very loud and obvious, this is pretty rare.

This is well said and very down to earth.