How hard is it to replace a head gasket on my own?

I have a 2005 Honda Accord EX 4 cylinder and have been getting bad misfires & used to have white smoke coming out the tail pipe but i put KW sealer in the radiator and it was a temporary fix, I've driven about 500 miles since but now I'm having really bad misfires again.

I've already replaced the spark plugs but I'm still having the issue. I believe it's a bad head gasket & i can order one but don't have 1,000 dollars on hand to pay a mechanic to replace it so i want to do it on my own but have no experience, but I'm extremely willing to learn.

Can anyone give me any tips or advice?

1st tip / piece of advice is to pay a mechanic the $ 100 or so to inspect and diagnose the engine; there may be a different problem, and you may be wasting time and $$ by guessing

No experience and no tools? You're going to need LOTS of tools. Full set of 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2-in drive sockets ratchets and breaker bar. You'll need the special socket to remove the crank bolt before you can remove the timing belt. You'll need at least two torque wrenches. Plus, you'll have to take the head into a machine shop to have it checked out before installing the new gasket.

I figure the machine shop charges and the tools will run you about $600. Screw up one small thing along the way and it'll ruin the entire job.

Still want to do it yourself?

Get a Haynes manual. Watch some you tube videos.
Plan on a long weekend.
You'll need a bunch of tools.
Good luck, it can be done. I did a cam replacement on my Pinto when I was 16, and it came out fine.

I appreciate your wiliness to learn, but it's a job that someone with no experience should not attempt. If you have friend with some experience willing to help, that would be good way to learn and save money. One thing that needs to be determined when head is removed is what caused gasket to blow (head warped, overheated, bad block or head surface, lose head bolts, etc), that kind of stuff takes some experience as well as removal and installation.

These cars are not known for head gasket issues. Get a pro to diagnose the misfire, it's not the head gasket. I'd be back at the dealer demanding my money back if you paid them $500 and you're no further ahead, threaten a bad google and yelp review. Sounds like a bad coil pack to me.

It could be your coilpacks or spark plugs I aadvise you not to mess around if you don't know what your doing

It's IMPOSSIBLE if you don't understand the totality of it.

If you understand what's involved and you have the proper tools, then it's just a matter of parts and machining (if needed) costs, plus the time unassembling, having the head checked/reconditioned and reassembling.

Changing a cylinder head gasket involves more than removing the bad one and installing a new one. The engine block "deck" surface must be checked for warpage and any combustion leakage damage (groove) plus the same for the cylinder head. If it's an OHC (overhead camshaft) cylinder head, it may need to be baked in an oven to get the camshaft saddles back in line. Many times an engine that was driven while severely overheated, warps an aluminum cylinder head beyond repair. In that case, it's replacement time with a used or new cylinder head.

Check whether your city library or local community college library has an online subscription to Alldata. Look up your vehicle and read about cylinder head gasket replacement.

Changing a head gasket is indeed a job a competent car DIY er can attempt, although it is not a quick or easy job, and may require a special socket to remove the head bolts. You will also need to align and set and the cylinder head timing marks to slip off the timing belt. (Consult the manual for details on this!). Best practice to replace the belt on reassembly unless it was changed VERY recently, along with checking for worn bearings on the associated pulleys, and replace as necessary. The manifolds attached to the head which should be removed for ease of removing the head itself should just be standard bolts of whatever diameter. From your brief description, it may not necessarily be the head gasket gone. If you are convinced that it is the problem though, a thousand bucks seems a very high price for a change. Open the radiator cap, once the car is cold of course, and check for "sludge" beneath the cap. That is a tell tail sign of oil mixing with the coolant, confirming a head gasket problem. Also, is the vehicle overheating in normal use? If so, it's possible the head COULD be warped, but is doubtful. Obtain new head bolts, use a torque wrench to tighten each head bolt as indicated in the manual the set number of times, and meticulously scrape off the old, and replace with new, gaskets for the manifolds you removed before, and tighten to the specified torque.

If you are not confident, entrust the job to a professional, but get quotes from a few different garages for the work before you commit.

Good luck with it though, whichever route you choose.