Head gasket?

[smcdonaldaz]

What's up? I'm lookin to buy a '93 DX Coupe a friend's dad has. He says it has low compression in one cylinder that makes it chug when it idles and at lower RPMs. It's the original engine with 190k.

I think it's the head gasket. What do you think?

I'm kinda a noob to Hondas but not to cars, any help is awesome!

[*inFamous*]

I say you do a compression test yourself and leakdown, and check to see if there is oil in water and water in oil :) It could be several things!

[Sound=vibration]

Could be a bad head .. vavles not seatting right. Head gasket. Or rings. 200k miles is a lot if you take the head off get it compression checked

[JDLTAZ]

You can also check the spark plugs. if its the head gasket it might be leaking into a cylinder. if so, the spark plug will have some black shit on it.

[b18c6]

i would do a compression cuz that happn to my freinds car it was his 2nd cylinder def check that man

[smcdonaldaz]

I looked at the car and the rest of the car is good and has a lot of other crap replaced. interior is 9.5/10, has new tires, aftermarket stereo, and the A/C works. could use a paint job. I picked it up 8 bills and drove it home 10 miles, couldn't resist. Other than a rough idle and sluggish accelleration she cruised home nicely, even 65 on the freeway.

They had an estimate from a shop that said #3 had zero compression which tells me gasket of a stuck valve. Either way, not too expensive. I'll get that done and start looking for a low-mile replacement.

[Civicious]

cool beans man. gl

[Jutt]

Sweet sounds like you got most of it handled. Now you just need to post up some pics of it ;)

[gunsup0331]

You can also check the spark plugs. if its the head gasket it might be leaking into a cylinder. if so, the spark plug will have some black shit on it.
black shit is not from coolant.
if coolant is getting burned youll have fuzzy whitish shit on there, possibly yellow but definitely not black.

[Samurai_Blue]

black is oil
white is coolant

[smcdonaldaz]

Thought I'd update the thread. I did a leak-down test and sure enough, #3 exhaust was leaking like a big dog! Pulled the head and one of the valved and a chunk missing! Picked up a used head from a fellow AZHT member for $30, got a gasket kit for $70 and she how runs like a top! Only problem I had was someone, at some point, put a 1.6 intake on the 1.5 engine and the throttle body gasket didn't fit.

While I was tearing up the head and cleaning it up I hit the junk yard a few times. I picked up an armrest, cruise control, power mirrors, OEM clock, and a cluster with a tach. All for about $125.

If anyone has a complete stock air box and tube for an EG I'd be interested in talking to you.

[gunsup0331]

sounds like its coming along!
thow a CAI on there broski its like $50 or less if you poke around or homegrow

[smcdonaldaz]

Came with one! the long kind that goes all the way down through the stock box hole into the fender well.