justYncredible

iTrader: (1)

ill try my best to summary this post and not make it into a novel.

i bought a bare 96+ gsr ERL sleeved block from my tuner in which he was planning on building about 7-8 years ago. the block sat in the original package and when i purchased the block this is how it looked.


i sent my block to laskey racing for the short block to be assembled with 84mm cp pistons, turbo tuff rods, acl bearings and etc. mike called me and mentioned during the build that the sleeves (if i remember correctly) seemed to sit higher than normal, well normal to there sleeving procedure. they put the block in the oven with a head on it to see if the sleeves would drop some and they did little but he was still unsure about them since its really not there work, which is understandable. when i spoke to mike then, i told him just to do whatever needs to be done to make it right. they continued the assembly and got my block built and returned.

i went ahead and installed the head and motor into my car and had my tuner tune the motor (i wasnt there, i was at work at the moment). when i got it home and drove it around i noticed it was losing water on consistent bases but i wasnt seeing it on the oil dip stick. i must have put about 500-800 miles on it until i finally changed the oil and saw the water in it. i went ahead and changed my GE headgasket for another GE headgasket thinking that was the problem...it wasnt. i was still losing water. at this point i got in touch with laskey and spoke with mike and he suggested that i get a hold of ERL to see what they can do since they did the original work.



i sent ERL this photo and there tech said it look like a torque plate wasnt used when the motor was being assembled. im not sure if one was used or not but this is what they were telling me. ERL was able to rework the block and it was sent back with a new machine block guard along with there ERL stamp on the block. [this is the work they did when they got the motor: deck block and align hone]



i had my local machine shop that i trust reassemble the motor with new bearings and piston rings. this is the same shop that built my first stock sleeved motor in which i dropped a valve by over revving the motor



the motor today is still losing water and this after getting all this work done plus having the head pressure checked, head being resurfaced (.007 i believe that is how much they took off), buying new head gaskets [ 2 GE and 2 JE]. i do have a pressure tested i can put on my radiator to see how the water is getting in the block but at this point im some what tired of dealing with this block, if you know what i mean. im like if i see where its coming from...then what? water is getting mixed with the oil AND NOT the other way around. im see water in the head when i remove my valve gasket like i have posted before in a video

(before the head getting resurfaced and pressure check)

(after getting the work done, but saw water in the oil when i drained it and my tiny amount in the head.)
before i put fresh oil in the motor i put about 2 quarts of oil in the motor to try to get what ever amount of water that could have been in the oil pan. after i did that i put fresh oil in the motor and drove it about 8-10 miles then drained it and saw that there was indeed water back in the oil. these miles where not driven all in one day. i may have done 3-4 miles one day and filled the reservoir when i noticed it was losing water as well.

my tuner would like for me to remove the oil pan and get all the water out of it and try again. the amount of water i had to add to my reservoir would have filled it up if it was empty. to me i dont see the point of removing the oil to clean it and try again.

i ask the engine guru's what could be the problem with this motor. is the head or the block or both bad? hopefully i didnt leave out anything to confuse anyone but, damn it, i need some help because i desperately want to drive this car again and its been down for almost 3 years.

civic-steve-94

I have seen this issue on a dt466 international engine, and it was water leaking past the bottom of the sleeve into the oil pan.

justYncredible

iTrader: (1)

thats what im thinking as well. going to pull the pan to pressurize the system to see if it drips from the bottom.

PyroProblem

Exactly what I would do next. Coolant is going from the cooling system into the crankcase, but not to a pressurized part of the oiling system.

It looks like either a cracked head or cracked block.
You should be able to spot it with the pan,pickup and bondage tray off when you pressurize the cooling system.
Cross your fingers and hope it's a head. But pay close attention to the bottom of the sleeves.

PyroProblem

If the head was pressure tested and it passed then that can be safely ruled out. That leaves the head gasket and the block. If in fact you find a crack somewhere in the block hopefully it's in a place that it can be repaired by being welded.
Good luck. Let us know what you find.

d.str0y

iTrader: (1)

I would put my money on the coolant getting directly into the oil pan via a bad lower sleeve seal; especially knowing the motor sat for MANY years... I know Darton uses two o-rings down there, not sure about ERL..., but if little (or no) grease/lube was used, that could very-well be the culprit...