1977 Honda Civic; Timing Belt Replacement

Tiny
SD_77CIVIC
  • MEMBER
  • 1977 HONDA CIVIC
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • MANUAL
  • 130 MILES
Alright, many thanks for the latest reply to my latest Brake question. Now here's the big one.

Not too much of a car guy, but the last idiot that I let work on the car, delivered it to me with a torn up timing belt. Now, if it were at all possible, I would take it to a shop and let them deal with it.

Now here is the question: "I have a 1977 Honda Civic 1200; the valve cover is already off, and the upper timing cover has also been removed. The lower cover is proving to be a larger pain in the butt than originally thought.

After a weeks deliberation, the only conclusion I have come up with, involves pulling out the engine and transmission entirely.

Anybody who has dealt with early Honda's, will know that those cars were built cheap and modular. According to my sources (questionable at best), tell me that I have to remove the crank pulley, to remove the lower timing cover.

If anybody has any useful information on the topic, I am all ears.
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Sunday, January 2nd, 2011 AT 8:47 PM

3 Replies

Tiny
WRENCHTECH
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Yes, the crank pulley definitely has to be removed to get the covers off but you may have a lot bigger problem then that. This is very likely an interference engine meaning when the engine is cranked over out of time, the pistons hit the valves and bend them leaving the engine pretty much junk.
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Sunday, January 2nd, 2011 AT 8:59 PM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
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Loosen the rocker carriers or rocker adjustment screws to close the valves to avoid damaging them if they have not been yet.

You do not have much space to work with and if there are other other things to work on the engine, getting it out of vehicle would be the preferred choice.

After all taking out the trans and engine is not an very difficult job and it would save you some skins, which you are most likely going to lose if you were to work on the engine on vehicle.
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Monday, January 3rd, 2011 AT 10:12 PM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
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You can prevent further damage to the valves but if the engine has been cranked over, your probably beyond that point and the damage is already done. That's kinda like locking the chicken coop after all the chickens already escaped.
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Monday, January 3rd, 2011 AT 10:49 PM

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