Ebay rebuild kit

[Super-DA9]

Definitely leakdown before making any decisions on rebuilding.

However leakdown unfortunately won't tell you if the valve guides/seals are good or shot. So if the leakdown results are good, I would still suggest popping the head off and getting a head service done, it should save you any worries of burning oil and blue smoke.

In regards to your first post, I would not touch an ebay no-name rebuild kit ever. Yes, the value appears to be excellent considering you get everything you need in a kit at an awesome price, but engine rebuilding (be it full rebuild or part rebuild) is not something you want to have back track if something crucial fails. I can tell you from experience doing it twice is very expensive.

If you are chasing more power you could even get yourself an up-rated valvetrain while the head is off so it will be ready for bigger cams.

[dougie_504]

What you do is get an air compressor and shoot air into the plug hole with a rag wrapped around the air gun so the oil splashes up and gets stuck in the rag. When it's sufficiently clean, remove your rocker cover and replace the spark plug seals ($20/ea at Honda). Then compression test the engine so you don't go wasting your money rebuilding a potentially perfetly healthy motor.

A full rebuild is many times more expensive than the $400 kit. Factor in machinist work (decking, cleaning, honing, possible re-boring/crack testing), new bearings and rings obviously, gaskets, seals, belts, fluids and labor to top it all off.

[carayan]

What you do is get an air compressor and shoot air into the plug hole with a rag wrapped around the air gun so the oil splashes up and gets stuck in the rag. When it's sufficiently clean, remove your rocker cover and replace the spark plug seals ($20/ea at Honda). Then compression test the engine so you don't go wasting your money rebuilding a potentially perfetly healthy motor.

A full rebuild is many times more expensive than the $400 kit. Factor in machinist work (decking, cleaning, honing, possible re-boring/crack testing), new bearings and rings obviously, gaskets, seals, belts, fluids and labor to top it all off.

Thanks for all the tips guys, just bought a leak down tester, waiting on it to arrive and I'll get to seeing if this is healthy or not. If I don't have to rebuild/compression is good it'll be happy sailing, if not we will see what happens from there.

[Daveho1]

i know im late on this but personaly i would use oem timing gear (belt and tensioner), water pump is fine after market imho, im using a gmb with no issues. do yourself a favor and redo the sump gasket oem and prolly the valve cover ( since its leaking already) id also change the distributer o ring. have you done a compresion test yet??

[carayan]

i know im late on this but personaly i would use oem timing gear (belt and tensioner), water pump is fine after market imho, im using a gmb with no issues. do yourself a favor and redo the sump gasket oem and prolly the valve cover ( since its leaking already) id also change the distributer o ring. have you done a compresion test yet??

Yeah as I said in the post above just waiting on the tester.