What have you done to your MSP today?

[SeR_Cyclops]

I would get a timing set while I was doing the Head. I would also take it to a machine shop and just have it checked out. We do this at the shop when we do HG from cars we buy at auctions but since you know you have never had it over heated there is really no need for this but in all honesty I would do this but since we do a lot of business at our machinist he would check it out for free.

 

[Ricktalife]

I was hoping so, looking inside the radiator it looks rust colored. I'm gonna order a new head gasket and get started this weekend. Anybody care to share a complete parts list I need? Mainly need to know which hardware is necessary to replace.

I don't know of any special list that was made and I browsed the How-To section but the closest I found was for replacing camshafts. I know that you will need some new head bolts since they are a one and done kinda deal. I would think the rest should all be reusable bolts and of course you will want a good supply of liquid gasket or whatever they call it where you live. Don't forget the headgasket

 

[hornsfan10609]

I don't know of any special list that was made and I browsed the How-To section but the closest I found was for replacing camshafts. I know that you will need some new head bolts since they are a one and done kinda deal. I would think the rest should all be reusable bolts and of course you will want a good supply of liquid gasket or whatever they call it where you live. Don't forget the headgasket

I would get a timing set while I was doing the Head. I would also take it to a machine shop and just have it checked out. We do this at the shop when we do HG from cars we buy at auctions but since you know you have never had it over heated there is really no need for this but in all honesty I would do this but since we do a lot of business at our machinist he would check it out for free.

Thanks guys, I was planning on having the head checked out and a valve job done, can't hurt with 113k. I just did the timing belt and tensioner/idler pullies just before it hit 100k so I don't think it needs it again. I doubt the block is warped, I don't want to pull it to make sure it's square. Luckily BrianMP5T posted a very detailed thread that includes basically all the info I need. I will need new head bolts, not sure if I should splurge for ARP or not.

 

[Wagonbacker9]

if it were me tearing the head off the car, i would replace the head bolts with ARP studs, same for the exhaust mani, timing set, get the head checked out (as said above), water pump I think is over there as well... and if that hasn't broken your budget, look at some port work on the head.

 

[justanothermp5]

Since I have to replace my head gasket now, and i've already redone my wiring harness and tucked and deleted a bunch of sensors, grounds, and wires, I think I want to do this too. What about the wiring for the cam and crank sensors and AC compressor trigger?

I extended mine and ran them underneath the power steering lines, im going to be drilling a hole into the strut tower and running them through the frame here pretty soon when I get the motivation to work on my car again.

 

[bikingpro5]

I extended mine and ran them underneath the power steering lines, im going to be drilling a hole into the strut tower and running them through the frame here pretty soon when I get the motivation to work on my car again.

cant wait to see that, when i moved tucked my wires for the sensors the factory wires were long enough already to tuck under the side motor mount.

pic

 

[SCMP3]

Well today at work I won a $500 safety bonus. And instead of blowing on parts for the msp(which is what I'd love to do) im being a responsible person and putting all $500 towards paying on my car. I technically have 2 loan that helped me buy my car (car loan and personal loan) this will almost pay off the personal loan which means extra moneys for more parts throughout the month lol or paying the other loan off

 

[hornsfan10609]

if it were me tearing the head off the car, i would replace the head bolts with ARP studs, same for the exhaust mani, timing set, get the head checked out (as said above), water pump I think is over there as well... and if that hasn't broken your budget, look at some port work on the head.

I have ARP studs on the exhaust mani, and the timing set only has about 20k miles, does it need to be replaced again? I did the water pump when I did the timing belt. I know I will need the Head gasket, head bolts, intake and exhaust manifold gaskets, gasket maker. I will have to remove the cams so whatever cam seals I will probably need as well. I'm about to start tearing it down so I can take it to a shop for them to get started on the head. I will ask what a port will cost, I also wouldn't mind doing the VTCS delete, however when I tied the VTCS flaps open before my idle was bad so I would rather avoid that.
Do the exhaust mani studs have to come out to do the head work? I put a lot of red loctite on the ARPs and I would like to save that $100 and not buy a new set, unless they stretch and I absolutely have to. Do I need new IM bolts?

The hart part now is finding a shop I trust, I never take this car to a shop unless i'm getting an inspection.

 

[StealthWyvern]

LOL That's a small victory but really all we got.

Couldn't of said it any better!

Well today at work I won a $500 safety bonus. And instead of blowing on parts for the msp(which is what I'd love to do) im being a responsible person and putting all $500 towards paying on my car. I technically have 2 loan that helped me buy my car (car loan and personal loan) this will almost pay off the personal loan which means extra moneys for more parts throughout the month lol or paying the other loan off

Nice move man! I'm in the process of trying to pay mine off as well. I think ill be just under the 2k mark on it after this months payment.

 

[hornsfan10609]

Another question, if I remove the cams do I need to replace the shims and check their clearance and all that? Or can I just keep the shims in the same place and reuse them.

 

[hornsfan10609]

Alright the car is pretty much torn down. All I have to do is unbolt the exhaust manifold, (I need an O2 sensor socket to remove the heatshield), remove the cams, and pull the head. While working on it I broke the VTCS sensor again (the first time the vac nipple snapped of i superglued it, I will either do that again or plug it since I want to delete the VTCS anyway) and the radiator inlet for the top hose was all cracked so I can either try to repair the plastic or find a regular sedan/p5 radiator because at this point an aluminum replacement just isn't in the cards.

 

[justanothermp5]

you dont have to exchange the shims, just make sure not to turn the head upside down with the cams out, or the buckets will fall off, and then you wll have to measure and replace them.

 

[Maiello169]

Trust me, I feel your pain. I'm wasn't joking when I said that I've replaced almost every part on the car. I bought it just over 3 years ago and still owe about $3k. If you want me to list all the parts that were junk when I pulled them off, send me a PM LOL.

So if i dont want to many head aches with my car i should leave it bone stock then huh...? but then again what is the fun in that lol im just use to always having Hondas and not having all these issues with in the first 2 months of owening a car with only 60k on it too... kinda stupid...

 

[SCMP3]

well congrats on getting outta the honda game....and welcome to torque! lol

 

[Ricktalife]

So if i dont want to many head aches with my car i should leave it bone stock then huh...? but then again what is the fun in that lol im just use to always having Hondas and not having all these issues with in the first 2 months of owening a car with only 60k on it too... kinda stupid...

Keeping it stock had nothing to do with it. I'm saying the reason that I bought half the mods I have is because the OEM parts were fubared when I bought it. My car had 8900 miles when I found it at an auction in 2008. My dad was the one that found it and bought it, but I had already done research on the car so I told him what it should look like if it is stock. It had all the original pieces, but I found out later that most of them must have been junkyard replacements.

It's quite obvious that I drew the short straw on this deal and I'm not saying that every MSP will give you as many problems as I have had. No car is perfect so pick your poison carefully.

 

[323]

my msp has been fine. bought it @ 57k and now has 92k. only headache was the thermostat, coilpacks, front calipers, wastegate, and front swaybar bushings. any other quirks were caused by user error

 

[Spiced MSP]

drove my car a few times today, felt nice to feel boost again. Goin back to Iraq in a few days. 505 will be paid off next month. Can't wait to get this deployment over with and start modding again. Was going to take off all four wheels, prep and paint them but unfortunately my wife lost the key to my wheel locks somehow... FML. Gotta lot planned when I get back

 

[SCMP3]

like a visit to sc again?

 

[hornsfan10609]

you dont have to exchange the shims, just make sure not to turn the head upside down with the cams out, or the buckets will fall off, and then you wll have to measure and replace them.

I will number them, but I am taking the head to a shop to have it checked out and have a valve job done so they may have to remove them. Damnit I really would like to avoid having to measure and replace shims. I also have a question about cam seals, are they pretty straightforward, once I remove them I can figure out how to get them back in? I'm also curious if the front main seal can be replaced from the outside without removing the crank? And one last question, I can reuse my ARP studs on the exhaust mani correct?

 

[justanothermp5]

I will number them, but I am taking the head to a shop to have it checked out and have a valve job done so they may have to remove them. Damnit I really would like to avoid having to measure and replace shims. I also have a question about cam seals, are they pretty straightforward, once I remove them I can figure out how to get them back in? I'm also curious if the front main seal can be replaced from the outside without removing the crank? And one last question, I can reuse my ARP studs on the exhaust mani correct?

Well if the machine shop is a decent one, they should number it and put everything back in the right place for you...
The cam seals are super easy, they only go in one way, and they just press in, you can use your hand to get them off and put them back on. Just put a little oil on the cam before you slide the seal on.
And the "front main seal" is part of the oil pump, you have to pull the oil pump to push the old one out and put the new one in. and yes, the ARP stud are re-usable.

EDIT: be careful not to misplace the O rings on the oil pump when you pull it, you prob should replace those when you pull the pump, but its not a have-to-do type of thing