[WoodButcher]

With the cold temps my kids engine froze, He blew a hose this summer and didn't put anti-freeze back. The engine is a D16 VTec, It runs now ok but water flows from behind the timing belt, top pulley area, just under. Are there freeze out plugs in this area or is he looking at a cracked block? The water is clean, no oil.

[hans5849]

I'm going to go with fucked.

[Jishory]

if possible can you get a pressure washer or steam cleaner in there so you can crank it up and see for sure where its leaking out of? from the sounds of it, it might be a cracked block. i dont have much experience with water freezing inside of engines.

[WoodButcher]

Originally Posted by hans5849

I'm going to go with fucked.

Unfortunately that was my first thought, I've had the pleasure of replacing a few freeze plugs in my time but never saw the upper plugs pop first,
I know squat about little engines like this. There is a plastic housing that covers the timing belt and the water is coming from behind that. To remove the backside of that cover the engine must be pulled.
I was hoping for an easy way out, I just finished building the garage, put the woodstove in yesterday in fact. I haven't yet had time to set up shop. My kid is fortunate I got as far as I did w/ the garage, It sucks to pull engines in the snow!

[offroadin]

Not that I approve of it, but depending on the leak size, you could throw some stop-leak additive or something in there. Again, i wouldn't do this personally as it also does a number on the rest of the cooling system. If you just need to get by for now, it might work.

Other option is go go get a good used motor from a junkyard, but even that is questionable.

[WoodButcher]

The kid has another civic to cannibalize if he puts together the cash. Nope, stop leak won't cut it, not a pinhole.
I've used that once or twice in a pinch then did a major flush after I'd done the repair, don't think my kid will go near it again. He had a jeep he bought without my knowledge. The guy he bought it from had put so much of that shit in the heater core was clogged and finally blocked up something badly enough to rupture a hose. After we got it cleaned out I found a small crack in the gooseneck over the thermostat. A $6.oo 15 minute repair that turned into a major affair. The guy probably spent more for stop-leak and antifreeze than it would have cost to fix in a shop!

[WoodButcher]

update- bad waterpump
One of his pals suggested the head gasket, so after the kid got that pulled and realized it wasn't the prob he finally listened to "the old man" and bought the repair manual. I couldn't help but laugh, he had the engine torn down ready to be pulled when I pointed out a page in the manual describing the "vents" on the pump. It's all together now and back on the road, I'll need to show him how to repair the front end now as he tore boots on 1 ball joint an a control arm.
I have to admit, It took a bit of ass kicking on my part to get him to finish but when all is said an done and that bitch fired I was damn proud of my kid....