Vtec solenoid leaking

[motegicivic]

96 Civic EX

I had the gasket on the vtec solenoid done about a 1 and a 1/2 years ago, and it is leaking again.

A few questions:

How do I know if it is the gasket again, or there is a problem with the unit itself, any noticeable cracks etc.

Also, I have this crazy oil leak, and now I thinking it was the problem the whole time, but when I had the gasket done the first time, I still had a oil loss, the oil is noticeable from under the solenoid area and creeps down but the dizzy to the front of the block.

The solenoid is super expensive part, so I want make sure if I see what options are before replacing.

I can try to get used one I guess, any other options?

[DELshaneSOL]

i might be wrong on this but i think if its the solenoid you would have an engine light,
try replacing the gasket put a little hondabond around the edges and correctly tq them to spec.most people dont and this could cause the gasket to leak fast

[motegicivic]

Originally Posted by DELshaneSOL

i might be wrong on this but i think if its the solenoid you would have an engine light,
try replacing the gasket put a little hondabond around the edges and correctly tq them to spec.most people dont and this could cause the gasket to leak fast

Good point, do you think the light would come on? It is plugged into a harness, would anyone know for sure if a code would go off?

[DELshaneSOL]

P1259 comes up as a "Vtec System Malfunctiond
so yea it would come up as a light if it was bad.
so just try that hondabond and see if that works

[motegicivic]

Originally Posted by DELshaneSOL

P1259 comes up as a "Vtec System Malfunctiond
so yea it would come up as a light if it was bad.
so just try that hondabond and see if that works

Thanks, that is super helpful, by the way where should you put the hondabond, because you have to becareful with the screen, just around the edges?

Also can you use RTV instead?

Wow, after all this time and oil loss could of this been the culprit???? The oil leak was right under the solenoid and then on the trans case to the front of the engine, will you lose a lot of oil with this type of leak?

Does kicking into vtec make it lose more oil?

[Texas4door]

There is also an inner screen/gasket on the solenoid, between the two triangular shaped metal pieces bolted together.
That can also leak/get clogged, etc ^^
And have no fear-a used solenoid isn't bank-breaking.
Picked up a good, low mileage one online for my mini-me swap for about $40 including shipping online ^^

Also, check your dizzy O-ring
A leak in that area sometimes indicates that it went bad

Good luck!

[DELshaneSOL]

put a small bead of hondbond around the rubber and torque it down
its all about what u think is better. I have used the rtv and dont like it compared to hondabond.
The hondabond is much lighter in color, much less goopy, and easier to 'sculpt' into smooth layers, and remove excess without being messy.
But there are two kinds of hondabond, hondabond and hondabond ht
The HT is like... toothpaste, stays in one place. The normal Hondabond is stringy and gooey. You squeeze it out and it goes all over the place and drips left and right.

[motegicivic]

Can anyone tell me if the top gasket is serviceable for a 96 civic EX. I checked online and there is no gasket available.


,

[DELshaneSOL]

The top three bolts I think there 10mm

[DELshaneSOL]

They do sell them I got some like for 20 shipped

[motegicivic]

Originally Posted by DELshaneSOL

put a small bead of hondbond around the rubber and torque it down
its all about what u think is better. I have used the rtv and dont like it compared to hondabond.
The hondabond is much lighter in color, much less goopy, and easier to 'sculpt' into smooth layers, and remove excess without being messy.
But there are two kinds of hondabond, hondabond and hondabond ht
The HT is like... toothpaste, stays in one place. The normal Hondabond is stringy and gooey. You squeeze it out and it goes all over the place and drips left and right.

Thanks again, quick question the upper gasket, the pic I posted, can that leak a lot of oil or is the "snowman gasket" more likely to leak the most?

[RonJ@HT]

Post pictures of the oil leak area. There are several potential sources for an oil leak in that area.

Have you tried wiping the area clean of oil and regularly watching where oil first appears?

[motegicivic]

Originally Posted by RonJ@HT

Post pictures of the oil leak area. There are several potential sources for an oil leak in that area.

Have you tried wiping the area clean of oil and regularly watching where oil first appears?

It has oil pooling right where the vtec solenoid meets the engine, in between the 2 top screws.

[DELshaneSOL]

yea the one that usually meets the block is the bad ones. but you might just wanna do them both since its off already.
and just clean it they like to build up with crap

[easy_vtec]

Hondahond cured my oil leak like stated earlier make sure its torqued to spec to avoid premature gasket failure hope you fix this dude!

[motegicivic]

Originally Posted by easy_vtec

Hondahond cured my oil leak like stated earlier make sure its torqued to spec to avoid premature gasket failure hope you fix this dude!

Thanks, this leak is driving me crazy oil all over the place.

Just FYI there is no real part number for the top gasket, but you can use one for a B16 solenoid.

[motegicivic]

96 Civic EX

I had another thread, thinking it is was my vtec solenoid leaking oil, I had the gasket done about 1 and 1/2 years ago. The other day I noticed that oil was pooling where the vtec solenoid meets the block.

I took it to the dealer that replaced the vtec solenoid gasket to check it, so happens no pooling oil there today, am I going crazy?

Anyway, the mechanic thinks might be the dizzy o ring, which I had done about 2 years ago as well. They said sometimes it will wobble and still leak and then you need a new dizzy, is this correct?

I had him do the vtec solenoid anyway and had him put on some Hondabond. They gave me the orig replaced gasket and it looked ok, no tears etc.

My question the oil is all over behind the v tec solenoid area near the trans case and some hoses had oil on them, can the dizzy shoot oil that far back or the vtec solenoid gasket do it that far?

[virgineg6]

Have the same problem, in for the answer.

[RonJ@HT]

Only one thread is allowed per topic. Related threads merged.

[motegicivic]

96 civic EX

I read a few write ups on how to change it.

I am curious I know you mark the dizzy before taking it off, if you take it off carefully will the shaft spin or it will be fine?

Also when you put the new o ring on, can you use hondabond or that is a bad idea?

[RonJ@HT]

Related threads merged. Please don't make several related threads. Let this topic come to its logical conclusion so that other members can know what the solution ends up being.

You can make a mark across the distributor ear to the head using a Sharpie marker. This will allow you to install the distributor without altering the ignition timing, assuming it is currently in time.

No Hondabond on the OEM O-ring, just some motor oil.