From: dlb5404@tamsun.tamu.edu (Daryl Biberdorf)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: 3rd party source for 1981 Accord head bolts?
Date: 21 Dec 1992 11:32:16 -0600
Organization: Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
NNTP-Posting-Host: tamsun.tamu.edu

I am currently in the process of rebuilding my 1981 Accord with the
1751cc CVCC engine.  I would like to replace the 10 cylinder head bolts
because of the bolt heads.  In short, Honda used a *12-point* 10mm bolt 
head on these years, and they're sort of flimsy.  I rounded a couple of
them off just a bit while removing them, and I'd like to start with
fresh bolts going back in.  However, Honda wants $113.00 for the set of
ten bolts (gack, choke, gasp).

So -- the big question: do any aftermarket suppliers for Honda parts offer
a replacement for the set of Honda head bolts?  It'd be *REALLY* cool if
they made them with a 6-point bolt head instead of the 12-point ones
Honda put on there.  

The rest of this article is nothing but details about the overhaul itself
as well as what caused it -- it's mainly just a tale of what's gone
wrong, etc.  It's intended for Honda enthusiasts as well as naysayers
who don't think Hondas are made well.

To begin with, my car is a 1981 Accord, CVCC engine, with 178,000 miles on
it.  The car's performance has been declining for the past two years,
but was still fully drivable (only with a lesser amount of power than
previously).  About three weeks ago, on 180 mile trip, the car experienced
a sudden loss of power, but still ran.  It idled as if it were on a 
trampoline (to paraphrase the How to Keep Your Honda Alive book).  After
a compression check revealed compression of ~140 psi in cylinders 1,3, and 4
and about ~35 psi in cylinder 2 (!), I figured something serious was wrong.
Listening to the exhaust note revealed a mild backfire that disappeared
when the spark plug on cylinder 2 was disconnected.  From all of this,
I concluded that something was wrong with the exhaust valve on cylinder 2.

Well, I pulled off the head after about 11 hours of work (I work slowly
and methodically, especially on jobs I've never done before, like this one).
My time isn't worth much since I'm still a student, so it was no big deal.

My suspicion was correct -- exhaust valve 2 had a nasty chip taken out of
it  -- about 1/4" on a side.  I found the problem!

However, overall this engine is in wonderful shape.  No ridge on the
cylinders (no real taper), no cylinder scoring (even in cylinder 2),
head looks to be in good shape (to be verified by the machinist sometime
today), mild camshaft wear only.

I have yet to pull the pan to examine the crankshaft and bearings -- I
haven't heard any knocking noises, so I expect everything to look as good
as the top half of the engine.  

This is the first time I've ever gone this deep into my car, so I feel
it necessary to plug a book right now:
  How to Keep Your Honda {Civic,Accord,Prelude} Alive: A Manual of
  Step-by-Step Procedures for the Compleat Idiot, by Fred Cisin and
  Jack Parvin, John Muir Publications, (c) 1983.

If you own a pre-1982 Honda and want to work on it, this book is EXCELLENT.
It has taught me everything I know, and includes procedures for most
anything the home mechanic is capable of doing to the car (transmission
overhauls, for instance, are not covered), including a complete
engine overhaul.  It has lots of LINE drawings (no muddy B&W photographs),
and the written instructions are very precise.

I've noticed many copies of this book showing up at the Half-Price Books
chain in Texas for $6 -- it's a bargain at that price.  (I paid $15 for
my first copy.)  I have the real Honda service manual in addition to this
manual, but this book is still the one I turn to to really see how a 
repair or maintenance procedure is performed.

Anyway, enough for now.  Any comments are appreciated.  Answers to the
question at the top of the note might even get a beer mailed to you. :)

Daryl
-- 
Daryl Biberdorf  N5GJM    d-biberdorf@tamu.edu or  dlb5404@tamsun.tamu.edu