2000 3.5L Odyssey Cylinder Head Removal Help

I am about to remove crankshaft bolt but have conflicting procedures
from two different repair manuals on how to align the camshaft marks.
I'm hoping someone here has the knowledge to clarify. I have the
crankshaft pulley marks aligned, but I am not sure which of the
camshaft marks I am supposed to align. One set of instructions says to
make sure the rear camshaft pulley marks align and the other says to
make sure the front camshaft pulley marks align.

At present the crankshaft marks and the front camshaft marks only are
aligned. I notice that the valve positions on the rocker arm are not
all exaclty at the same height. When looking into the engine from the
front of the car the two on the upper right and ones on the lower left
are noticebly lower than the others. Doesn't look right to me. I want
to be 100% sure I have everything aligned properly before removing the
crank bolt.

Note: I need to remove the front cylinder head only if possible. I
think I remember reading somewhere that I cannot remove one cylinder
head at a time on this vehicle and that I have to remove both? Is this
true? Loks like they can be removed separately but maybe I'm missing
something.

Really hope someone can shed some light, any help would be much
appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
K

 

the only reliable manual for this info is the honda manual - you don't
mention what you have so my guess is that you googled here, saw the
usual [but learned from experience] reactions to the haynes crap, then
decided not to fess up to owning one.

regarding heads, the usual reason for removing both is that you need to
do the same clean-up on both. to be sure the job's done right that is.
just like most people replace the water pump when doing a timing belt.
however, unless there is some mechanical gotcha like connected
hardware, and provided there aren't any problems with your diagnosis as
to why you only want to change one, you can remove just one head and
you'll not notice any ill effects. but if your diagnosis is not
correct, you've just done a bunch of work that you'll have to do all
over again. why are you removing it? what is the problem?

 

Wow, quick response, thanks.

One of the manuals is Chilton and the other is a section cut from a
manual that someone posted in another Honda newsgroup but the name
eludes me at the moment, it's on another PC.

The vehicle is recently bought and has approximately 100,000m. The is
nothing wrong with the mechanics inside the head to the best of my
knowledge but I will soon find that out. One of the spark plug inserts
has been fused in the spark plug tube. I noticed the problem when
changing the plugs. When I tried to pull it out the insert the end
broke off using very little muscle. I tried to reach grabbing what was
left inside with pincers with all my might but it would not come out.
Maybe it has been leaking from the engine and became fused in place
(possible?) or someone broke it and glued it back which is also a
possibility.
I spoke with machine shop who said they can replace to spark plug tube
for...if not then, another cylinder head.

I plan on replacing the waterpump, timing belt while I'm at it but
really don't want to remove the other head.

I have successfully replaced a cylinder head in a four cylinder
vehicle before so I am not a complete stranger to doing this. I have
nothing to loose at this point except...my wife maybe since it's her
car. I absolutely can not afford to have it towed and worked on in a
garage. If I can't do this then it is junk to me.

Thanks,
K

 

afaik, there is no reason to remove the head, just to replace the tube.
if you remove the rocker cover, the tube should just pull out. use
all new seals when reassembling or it'll leak oil like crazy.

that's if i understand you correctly. [why call a machine shop for a
broken spark plug lead???] if however you mean that the spark plug has
broken off in the head, that's a whole different matter and you should
indeed pull the head if you can't remove it. but with a honda, this is
not a likely problem. not like a ford where it it pretty much routine
thanks to stupid taper seat spark plugs.

 

When I say the tube I mean the tube that the spark plug and lead
slides into which is actually part of the cylinder head. I do not know
what the part is technically referred to as...please let me know if
you do. I cannot pull this out. It has the spark plug lead fused into
it solidly. I was told it was compression fit into the head by....but
impossible to remove by human strength....at least mine.

 

Aftermarket wires, I'll bet. OEM does not do this.

Is it "fused" from heat, or from chemical decomposition?

 

ok, so you're just removing the spark plug lead - no need to remove the
head for that. worst case, get yourself something like a hole saw, but
if you use a long thin screwdriver, you should be able to pry the stuff
away from the tube wall. after that, long nose pliers are your friend.
before you remove the plug, use compressed air [or a pc duster can] to
blow the loose debris out after you've pulled the big chunks out.

 

Too Late. The tube has already been damaged by trying to bore out with
drill. It must be removed from the cylinder head to replace. I can't
see doing this without taking the whole head off.