Smilr's 94 L Sedan

[smilr]

Work has finally given us a mandatory week off. From now until the 4th of January I have an opportunity to FIX my seeping head gasket, among other things.

I hope to accomplish as much as possible of the following:

Head gasket replacement.
Clean Intake / EGR.
New spark plugs.
Replace timing belt, tensioner, water pump and accessory belts.
Replace alternator (front bearing squeals, louder under electrical load).
Replace inner tie-rods + get a badly needed alignment.
Flush cooling system of old coolant + nastiness leftover from SHG.
Fix water leaking into trunk at left taillight gasket.
Install DEI 530T window control modules for all windows and sunroof.
Install new speakers
Figure out where I"m going to mount amplifiers / CarPC.
Write my own USB driver for this blasted Chinese touchscreen I bought (might take longer than this week TBH, but it's the PERFECT size for the factory dash opening).
Not go insane.

Wish me luck!

[smilr]

Progress:

Before we begin. Bog standard stock T1 L Sedan engine bay:


As I removed the battery and plastic battery tray, I found someone was happy that I was finally fixing this damn head gasket:


One evening down and I just got the intake out before midnight:


No surprises here, EGR tube clogged, EGR inlet on manifold clogged, PAIR pipe nearly clogged:


Tomorrow I plan to get the heads off. I'm letting the exhaust bolts on the Y pipe soak with PB Blaster overnight, so maybe they won't be TOO stubborn.

[ActionJackson]

That erg block plate is totally blocked. How many miles is on the motor? Had the EGR pipe ever been cleaned before?

[smilr]

Originally Posted by ActionJackson

That erg block plate is totally blocked. How many miles is on the motor? Had the EGR pipe ever been cleaned before?

165 thousand miles now. First owner kept all records and had a dealer service this thing for 15 years like clockwork, no evidence of head gasket or intake work in her paperwork.

Next few owners that came before me weren't nearly so meticulous, but only put about 40k on the car between them. I'm guessing that I'm the first one to pull this intake off.

[smilr]

Night 2 progress:



Well I got ONE intake off tonight. It took a real effort of will to get out of bed around 4 pm and get to working on the car again (I work an evening shift, usually wake up around 2pm, so this was only a *little* sleeping in ). If I can manage to actually get out of bed early this would go faster. Driver's side exhaust nuts didn't want to budge for my 3/8 ratchet and extensions. I'm going to need to pick up a longer 1/2 drive extension for this one, as what I have didn't *quite* reach. Those exhaust nuts are the only thing holding me back from the second head removal.

Head gasket failure confirmed, cylinder 3:


And my first casualty:


Yup - shouldn't have even tried. I had just successfully removed both knock sensors without damage. Having broken both knock sensors on my Vigor in the past I felt quite accomplished for having not failed this time. I felt confident I could gently finagle a water pipe off a plastic valve. NOPE.

Guess I'll have to visit the dealer tomorrow and see how soon they can get one. Online parts are cheaper sure, but 2 day shipping pushes the cost for aftermarket parts right up to where I could get an OEM unit. The dealer can order what I need and usually have it available at the parts desk the next day.

Finally, a question:



I ordered a Fel-pro gasket kit, and I understand what all the bits are for EXCEPT for the metal/fiber(?) ring and the paper gasket pictured here.

The metal gasket also pictured looks like it would fit perfectly between the PAIR pipe and PAIR valve. The paper gasket has the same inner diameter and bolt pattern, but is a little smaller around. I can't figure out where I would use it. I haven't taken the PAIR pipe off the exhaust end yet, so I don't know if it looks the same as the intake end. Would one use the metal gasket on the exhaust end and the paper one on the intake end of the PAIR pipe? It was definitely a metal gasket on the intake end when I took it apart.

Then there's the ring... it's lightweight, ribbed shiny metal on the inner and outer circumferences, but the faces are this green fiber gasket type material. Is it a crush seal for something? I have NO idea where it might go. :dunno:

[ActionJackson]

Cardboard gaskets are for the EGR pipe I believe. Not sure what that round metal looking thing is.

[smilr]

Night 3:

My back is rebelling. I shall have to crush said rebellion with a hot shower and ibuprofen.

Longer extensions and a breaker bar finally convinced the exhaust STUDS to unwind themselves from the manifold side... the nuts didn't want to budge at all.
Oh well, either way it means I was able to remove the driver's side head tonight:



Cylinder six is looking about the same as cylinder three did:



Now that the driver's head was out of the way I could get at the alternator to replace it. The manual says to turn it 90 degrees and sneak it out to the front between the brackets. If I ever meet someone who could actually DO That I owe them a beer. No way in hell could I get that to twist in place.

In addition to the alternator swap I decided to change out as much of the power steering fluid as I could manage with a turkey baster and a power drill to run the power steering pump. Not a complete fluid replacement, but mostly new has to be better than all old right? Now I only need to do the same to the ABS reservoir and I will have changed ALL the fluids on this car finally.

Rockers, camshafts and other brackets were removed from the heads, and the majority of oil wiped away. Tomorrow morning they go to a machine shop, so no sleeping in for me this time.



It's all downhill from here right?

[4HondaOwner]

Originally Posted by smilr

Night 3:

My back is rebelling. I shall have to crush said rebellion with a hot shower and ibuprofen.

It's all downhill from here right?

The Legend rebellion will never end Tyler. A constant set of mini battles that at times never seem to have an ending. I don't think you have reached the downhill portion of the game quite yet.

Keep on posting the pictures and never stop being honest with your assessment of the current project. .

[Dreams94coupe]

That is an ambitious build for just one week! I hope you make it. I didn't see it on your list but I strongly suggest you do the valve seals as well. Also I would have a machine shop check to make sure the heads are flat. I remember when I had my head gasket job done I had the heads, intake, and egr pipe hot tanked and it all came out looking new. I have about 80k on my motor and it was done in 2007 and it has never overheated once.

The dei modules is more tedious work and the part that takes up most of the time is running the wires through the rubber boot on door. I would mount the modules inside the car to avoid moisture giving them issues. Since you're already doing that I would do the light in the window switches as well.

Not sure if you got the alternator already but rock auto had denso remanufactured units.

[94LegendaryAcuraGS]

Ehh Tyler don't pay Kevin that much attention. Soldier on my brother as you have reached the midway portion of this project. Kevin having been at the BHG point a few times has a right to be a little "salty" I would say. I will say the Legend "rebellion" has a tendency to sometimes come in waves. These cars have personalities similar I'd say to either little kids or cats. They can swing rather quickly and drastically or can be a calm and content as imaginable. Once you come to terms with that truth and if you can live with that "swing" effect Legend ownership takes on a role similar to being a parent or owning a cat. Either of which can be satisfying "relationship" overall!