Honda Civic / Del Sol (1992 - 2000) EG/EH/EJ/EK/EM1 Discussion
Head gasket replacement cost?
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: mansfield, tx, US and A
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
My wife's go-worker just bought a used civic. Not sure of the year like a 94-96 maybe? The car overheated on her way to work, she had it towed to the dealership and they said it was a blown headgasket and would $800 to replace it? Is that legit? Seems a little high to me. You could buy a motor for that.
Honda-Tech Member
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 2,752
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
1.Buy parts from dealership
2.Get under your wife's coworker's hood
3. ?????
4. Profit!
EDIT: Sorry if that's not helpful. The dealership is always going to gouge you and OEM parts are always pricey, but usually best. A head gasket is around $60 and head bolts should be around $100. I haven't shopped around for the service, but that does sound high. Most of us do our own labor, so you're going to get the same response as I'm giving, which is to do it yourself, it's not that hard.
Last edited by thumper64; 04-27-2009 at 09:12 AM.
Honda-Tech Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 295
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
thats kinda steep if you ask me. you could have the head off of the car in about an hour or 2 depending on you and ready to pull the old gasket off.
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: mansfield, tx, US and A
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Is there a DIY thread for this on here. I am good on most things with my integra but never pulled the head off.
Honda-Tech Member
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Plymouth, MN
Posts: 1,098
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Most shops will charge 600-800 for this job. If you decide to do it yourself, make sure you have a torque wrench and GET THE HEAD SURFACED. If you don't, its most likely to happen again in another 6 months to a year. Since the head is coming off, you might as well do a timing belt and water pump at the same time since shops charge 500-700 to do that and it will only take you another 30 minutes, half of its apart anyway, and the parts will be under 100.
Honda-Tech Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Norcal
Posts: 4,579
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
There's a writeup in the FAQ. Get the head resurfaced, or at least checked for straightness
Honda-Tech Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: A very cold state.
Posts: 277
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
If your not comfortable, don't do it unless it's on your own vehicle or you know them really well. 800 would be a little high here but shop rate is probably higher over where your at.
Honda-Tech Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Houston, TX, USA
Posts: 1,793
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
thats not to bad, I thought the dealer would charge way more. about 600 is what a cheap mechanic will charge around here and i thank id rather have a dealership work on it then the cheap mechanic.
Honda-Tech Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: tioga pa
Posts: 191
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
i just bought a buddy club .5mm head gasket for 80 bucks for my gsr motor and did it myself for my del sol... not that bad of a job depending on mechanical ability
Seagull Management
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Miramichi, NB, Canada
Posts: 15,150
Likes: 0
Quote:
Originally Posted by rogersbm82
Is that legit? Seems a little high to me. You could buy a motor for that.
That doesn't really sound out of line. And yes you could buy an engine for that which is my preferred way to deal with blown head gaskets in D-series engines.
Honda-Tech Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Houston, TX, USA
Posts: 1,793
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Lol, If you race it then yea, I'd change the engine out for a JDM d15b but if its someone who just drives it and not into fixing it up then I'd just change the head gasket. Hey OP, You should charge her $200 and do it yourself and get her to buy the parts.
Honda-Tech Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Norcal
Posts: 4,579
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
^Why would you swap in a JDM d15 if you're racing? There are so much better options out there, D-series wise
Honda-Tech Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: tioga pa
Posts: 191
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
if you were gonna swap the motor why even buy another d series
Honda-Tech Member
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 2,752
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
What else can you swap in using a D series tranny, mounts, ecu and such without any kind of adapters or fabrication? What if all the person wants is cheap, reliable transportation and they don't care if it's slow as molasses in winter?
Honda-Tech Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 305
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by TravisCadello
Lol, If you race it then yea, I'd change the engine out for a JDM d15b but if its someone who just drives it and not into fixing it up then I'd just change the head gasket. Hey OP, You should charge her $200 and do it yourself and get her to buy the parts.
yea make his wife pay for the parts which im sure she will anyways but charging your wife? anyways back on topic. i highly doubt you will need to mill the head unless this car has been running the 1/4 mile. check for straightness to play it safe but just have a torque wrench and if you wanted to be spiffy use ARP head bolts/studs>130 bucks. the OEM gasket prolly cost you around 85 bucks. with no turbo changing a headgasket can be a mild job but easily done. then throw some hondabond or some other adhesive when you put the valve cover back on and you're good to go.
ps. dont forget to check the coolant when it's all back together
Honda-Tech Member
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Tolland, CT, USA
Posts: 4,926
Likes: 0
Have you ever done this type job before ?
The first one is a PITA. Once you learn what you can leave off the next one is much easier.
If you do it yourself, you'll understand why they charge what they do.
Honda-Tech Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: tioga pa
Posts: 191
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by thumper64
What else can you swap in using a D series tranny, mounts, ecu and such without any kind of adapters or fabrication? What if all the person wants is cheap, reliable transportation and they don't care if it's slow as molasses in winter?
i guess you have a point there
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Last Post
Cho0se
All Motor / Naturally Aspirated
2
02-24-2020 02:59 PM
Brycen
Honda Accord (1990 - 2002)
8
01-01-2010 02:20 AM
z0om
Tech / Misc
7
08-28-2008 04:12 PM
king tuck
Tech / Misc
14
10-07-2004 04:15 PM
DLB1994
Forced Induction
9
02-23-2002 08:10 PM
2000, 2009, 98, acura, bolts, changing, civic, cost, d15b, gasket, head, honda, jdm, price, replacement, tl