servion

I just reassembled my GSR motor (built for boost, benson sleeves, stepped). I started it last night (let it idle until warm, then changed the oil). I'm already leaking oil out of the front left corner where the block meets the head. Right above the B18C stamp...

I had this problem all last season, changed the gasket, resurfaced the head, decked the block. Using arp studs, torqued to spec via a helms manual, ans it still leaks.

I know the block and head are both flat. I used an OEM HG, and the ARP studs again.

The only thing I can think of is that the 2 head alignment dowel pins were a little out of round. They still fit in place, but I bent them out of shape a bit when I used the channel locks to get it out. Other than that, everything was done right. Could this cause a leaky HG?

earl

Several things can be causing this. A bad valve cover gasket can leak there but many times it either comes from either the vtec selonoid gasket or the distributor gasket. It runs down and looks like it is coming from the head.
In case it is really coming from the head, you should copper spray the head gasket and that will stop any leak. However, I really doubt it is coming from the head gasket.
One last thing to chec...if you are using head studs. Make sure they are screwed all the way in on that corner. It could happen if you were not getting real torque on that corner but were bottoming out the nut on the stud.

boosted_dc2

yea also the cam seal leaks sometimes but it looks like its leaking from the head.

Landon

servion

I'm going on vacation for a week, and when I get back I'll do another good and close inspection of the area. I don't see any oil on the head, but what I'll do is replace both the vtec solenoid gasket and the distributor gasket and see if it continues. Earl, by distributor gasket, do you mean the rubber o-ring that goes around the shaft on the distributor that plugs into the intake cam?

If changing these gaskets doesn't do it, I'll go ahead and get new dowel pins and a new OEM gasket, copper spray it and go from there.

b18bturbo

also check your dowel pins as well. The dowels might be sticking up not letting th head seat fully. I would sand them down the same amount you machined the block nad head

earl

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by b18bturbo &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">also check your dowel pins as well. The dowels might be sticking up not letting th head seat fully. I would sand them down the same amount you machined the block nad head </TD></TR></TABLE>Viren, if that is happening, he should be getting a coolant leak. I thought he said oil, not coolant...I don't think there is an oil return in that area.
SERVION..O-ring is correct.

servion

Well, I changed all those gaskets (except the HG again) with no luck I did notice, however, that the exhaust manifold is oil-soaked around 3 of the exhaust manifold studs. Even after running the motor good and hot for a while, I can pop the hood and see the discoloration of the exhaust manifold from the oil (due to the oil not being all burned off).

Are there any oil passages behind the exhaust studs on a GSR head? 2 of the studs that seem to have oil around them are on the upper studs of the manifold, and there is no oil anywhere else that it cold come from (not valvecover because the head is completely clean and dry above and around all the studs).

I had this recommended to me by a mitsubishi guy... could this be a problem?

servion

Another update:

I pulled the exhaust studs... and they were clean on the inside. By bulling off the exhaust manifold, however, I also discovered that oil is leaking out of the front-right corner as well (if you're looking at the exhaust-side of the motor with the exhaust manifold off). It appears to be all under the exhaust manifold following the crease of where the head meets the block. I can't see amy other possible explanation after these gasket changes except a HG leak.

I pulled the head off, and verified that there are no oil passages behind the exhaust manifold studs on an OBDII GSR head. However, I forgot to drain the coolant out of the front of the block (around the sleeves) before I pulled the head, so cooland poured all over the HG when I lifted the head, so I cannot tell if there was any oil leaking along the HG surface

I'm going to get the head checked and make sure its flat, then shave down new dowel pins and install them with copper spray on the HG, and see how it goes. I copper sprayed it last seaon and still had this problem, however, so I hope that all this combined will fix it this time.

Can anyone give me any advice on how to check where the oil leak is coming from early off, if it leaks again this time?

earl

I still think it is the valve cover gasket.

servion

Just to be certain, I'll make sure to replace that as well as the HG. I'll keep this post updated.

Thanks as always earl!

DOHCarp

I don't know if this will help but I noticed you said you tourqued to spec via the helms....If you are useing ARP head studs you should be going by ARP specs for torque pressure.

Good luck.

servion

You are correct, I've been torking per helms process, but the final torque stage is that of the ARP spec sheet.

I had the head checked out... its completely flat (as earl suspected). I was hooping to get this fixed with a resurface.

So now, I'll have a new: valve cover gasket, distributor o-ring, cam seal, vtec ssolenoid gasket, HG and dowel pins. I'll file the dowel pins down and install them in the block first (instead of the head like I've always done before). I'll copper spray the HG, and hope for the best. Any other advice? Thanks all!

servion

I had it recommended to me to put some black RTV on the block and HG around the 2 outer oil passages (located on the bottom left and the bottom right of the deck of the block if you're looking at ti with the head off, exhaust manifold down) before I torque the head down... could this cause any problems? It sounds funny, but I can't thinkof any reason not to...