Correct - valve lash adjustments, the cam must be installed.

Remember the discussion before - old head - the cam was off in those pic's so ALL valves should have been fully closed. With the new one you have the can is installed, so at almost any position of the cam, some of the valves will be in some sort of "open/closed".

Cam/head with #1 at TDC - valves on one are close but the other three are in some sort of "stage". #2 at TDC, the valves on two are closed and 1, 3, 4 are in some sort of stage.......ect.

That is why you rotate the cam to the right position and then check the valve lash on that cyl - those valve are closed. Move the cam to the next position and check them, again because that cyl should have the valve closed......ect for the rest.

Now if you are trying to test the seal of the valves - you can do that with the cam installed but you can only do one cyl at a time. Follow the cam positions and cyl # for adjustment to test the sealing of the valves.

 

Thanks again PM. Actually, new head looks good so far(I hope).

Now, I am curious to check old one, because when we tested last time, cam was removed and when we removed Cam/TB, #1 was at TDC. So then in that case, ideally #1 should not leak whenever we pour water into intake/exhaust ports of old head, correct or no?

What I am trying to filter out is that our testing wasn't wrong and all valves are not bad?

 

I thought you were talking about removing the camshaft sprocket, not the actual entire camshaft itself. Or maybe I'm still confused about exactly what is installed or removed...?

If the camshaft is removed, then all valves will spring closed fully. Any valve that's open when the camshaft is removed is certainly bent or damaged.

You cannot adjust valve lash when the camshaft is removed. You would be unable to measure clearance to the camshaft lobes.

 

Got it JB and thanks for your help.

We are able to put the head back today, but now real PITA is exhaust, it's not budging and moving at all and not going into the studs installed in the head.

Not exactly sure how to put exhaust header back to head studs? We are kinda stuck , because there is one small bracket which is holding the exhaust and it's not moving at all.

When we were pulling the head, used a prybar to move header out of cylinderhead studs, but now, can't put it back.

Any trick, advice or anything we should be doing? Will be happy to share picts, if they can help? Thanks for helping out.

 

Pics will probably help. I am not familiar with the Civic setup. Does the exhaust manifold bolt on the front bumper side of the engine, or on the firewall side of the engine?

Either way, I would probably remove the two bolts holding the exhaust pipe to the exhaust manifold. Then you should be able to position the manifold to the cylinder head and exhaust at the same time.

 

Looks like there is a bracket that you need to remove - it is holding the manifold to the engine block.

 

Thanks everyone, please have a look on the picts. Any pointer for this bracket?

I mean, we tried to remove that one 14mm bolt and it's a PITA. Rusted and seems like need 'Thor' to crack it. Also, there is no place to put any socket/wrench in that area, what a PITA

 

From the way I "read" the pic I posted - If you can't get to the bolt that holds the bracket to the block, one of the bolts on the flange holds it to the manifold/converter. So soak that with your favorite spray - then from under the car see if that one bolt will come out of the flange.

 

Thanks PM, your method worked like a charm, loosened the bolt which goes into the block and exhaust is all fixed.

Now question is about rocker arm assembly and small metal part, I have highlighted in the pict.

'2' of these metal parts are not seated(all the way down), unlike other 2. Should we remove and open rocker arm assembly again or can we leave these two metal portions, as is? Asking, wanna do it right for the first time, but this is the third time we have to loosen up rocker arm

 

Thanks so much to everyone, especially Moderators/Super Moderators and all who contributed to this thread, helped and guided.

We were able to put everything back together yesterday. Removed Rocker arm *again* to make sure everything is right and in proper sequence.

Car fired right up, driving just fine, maybe engine is lil bit loud?

We did valve adjustments and used 'Mean' value for both Intake and Exhaust( picked Mean of Min and Max numbers from the service manual). Not sure what else is causing it?

Thanks again everyone, really appreciate all the guidance, help, support and patience.