FYI. Researched online and assumed blown cylinder head gasket. I removed the cylinder head and right now it's at a machine shop undergoing a complete valve job, pressure test, and milling/shaving if warped. I am doing this myself trying to save money, but it's costing a lot of money too for the cylinder head gasket, intake and exhaust gaskets, valve cover gasket, valve seals, cam seal, and one or two other seals and washers as everything is removed from the cylinder head. If new head bolts are required, then it's like $7 a piece and there are 10 of them. Honda cylinder head gasket kit costs around $300. Aftermarket is around $140. This does not cover valve seals ( about $9 each x 16 of them) and a cam seal (maybe $10). A complete valve job labor only is about $ 280. Plus I just replaced all the belts and now I removed all the belts to get the head out. Just FYI for those who's pondering on doing this type of work based on my experience.

 

Well, someone might chime in about aftermarket headgaskets, but it seems like the headgasket costs less than $300.

My experience (I think most around here too) is head bolts are re-usable. The Helm book tells how to measure them to decide if they're OK, but mine were all OK.

 

Yes, AllData gives a measurement procedure as well. I'm on the fence about replacing them, but why pay for all that labor and not change out the bolts? Napa sells good quality bolt sets, I recently paid $43 for GM 3100 headbolt set (~20 bolts).

The gasket itself is $46 for an OEM Honda one from a Honda dealer online, maybe the dealer is ripping you off? A Fel-Pro aftermarket is probably around $20.

My buddy has a 1999 as well at 95k with what we think is a blown headgasket (burning coolant). I priced out the head gasket, intake manifold gaskets (2), and head bolts for about $96 + shipping for all OEM parts from Honda.

 

I think I spent a 1000 doing the head gasket on my 1995 Accord. I used an aftermarket head gasket set, but got the Honda waterpump, drive belts, timing belts, tensenors, springs, radiator hoses. The radiator was the cause of the head gasket failure and I went aftermarket on that also. The head just needed a valve job and milling. I believe it was $300. I replaced some of the fasteners with Honda ones but reused the head bolts. It is about $20,000 miles and a year later and it is still doing well. One item I forgot the engine got so hot it melted the timing belt covers.

 

Thank you all for the information. I finally caved in and ordered the 10 bolts from Honda for a little over $70. I called around and every dealer sells them for different prices. I was a little bit uneasy about not replacing the bolts. I hope I do not have to replace the radiator also. I also got new thermostat and radiator cap also. The heat from the oil or something expanded the radiator cap rubber washer.

The machine shop milled off 4/1000 of an inch. They said it was warped like a horshoe shape. I was charged $360 including labor, new valve seals and a cam seal.

Can someone tell me if the radiator needs to be replaced also? Or how to check to see if it needs to be replaced. I had all the oil in the reservoir and the radiator. Thanks!

 

It's common for that oil to make any rubber stuff swell up, like you saw in the radiator cap. I've never found out a way to reverse that process (even my daughter the polymer engineer). New radiator cap, just like you did.

Look for degradation inside all the zillion rubber hoses in the cooling system. I don't know if you need to replace them ALL, vs. just keeping it in mind in case you begin having that kind of problem.

I don't think the plastic tanks of the radiator are subject to that kind of damage from the oil. Clean it out real good with hot water & detergent & maybe get a little inspection mirror in there.