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Looks like my freshly built motor is having sealing problems using a GE 84.5mm overbored OEM gasket on my Darton pro sleeves. My cylinder compression is 190psi on the dot for each cylinder (suppose it doesn't mean much), but I still see some slight oil in my coolant. I talked to the guy who designed the sleeves and he recommends using a cometic copper sprayed gasket along with silicon sealent around the oil gallies. I'm pulling the head tonight to see if maybe the sleeves are dropped, and need one of these gaskets ASAP. Anyone stock these? By the way, thanks to earl for trying to help me diagnose, but I'm gonna bite the bullet and pull the head.

DaveF

might want to try race engineering for a gasket.

is your block o-ringed?

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Not O-ringed...race engineering's site says it's special order..but I suppose I'll call and see if they might have one. Thanks.

DaveF

isnt "payne tech" by you somewhere? they might have a gasket

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Yeah they are.....I just got off the phone with RacEng, and they did have it in stock. Now, here is something strange. When i ordered the OEM overbored gasket from JoTech, they said I want to use an 84.5mm size -- eventhough I have 84.5mm sleeves. I had always thought it's pretty general to go .5mm over the bore size, and RaceEng seemed to echo my thoughts. They didn't have the 84.5mm, but they had tons of 85mm's. I ordered an 85mm.....assuming he knows what he's talking about. Anyone have some input on what size gaskets YOU use on 84.5?

DaveF

im using an 84.5 gasket on my 84.5mm bore engine. not that it helps but thats what im using. i figure ya have more "sealing" area with the extra .5mm.

SOUNDEFFECTS

First, don't use .5mm over bore headgasket....ex:84.5mm bore, don't use a 85mm bore. I don't see any reason for this. it might work but will affect to many things, maybe even compression a bit.

Second, you didn't drop a sleeve if you still have perfect compression across the board, you might have coolant leaking into the oil pan or oil and coolant mixing by the galleries in the head.

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Soundeffects, interesting. I agree that I wouldn't have perfect compression if the sleeves dropped. I just got off the phone again with Darton direct and they specifically said I should use an 85mm gasket in my 84.5mm bore. I guess I just have to assume Darton knows what they are talking about....anyone else? earl, tony? I can't imagine half millimeter would make much difference anyways......

X-Mazda 3 Racer

If the bore is 84.5 mm, then you can use either an 84.5 mm or an 85 mm headgasket. There is no reason you can't use the exact size. We do it all the time and up to 850 W.H.P. without a problem all day long!!!!! I really don't like the cometic gasket, I never had too much luck with them and neither has a lot of other people I speak with.

true

Have you guys had success using the oem overbored gaskets with a darton closed deck???? Actually, do you have ANYONE who is using an your overbored oem gasket with a darton pro sleeve?? I can't personally find anyone. I'm certain it was installed/torqued right etc.. am I missing something? When I called Darton they all said I need a cometic gasket... thanks GE

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By the way, Golden Eagle said they would respond to this post the next day through PM, obviously they didn't. I put an 85mm Cometic gasket on and it has sealed perfect so far. (couple hundred miles) Before after a couple hundred there was a good amount of oil in the coolant. So yeah....

EFb18b

so, you are using a cometic 85mm head gasket with an 84.5mm block? I'm just wondering because I'm getting ready to re-install my head on my gsr block that has darton 84mm MID sleeves and I want to make sure I get the right gasket.

on the update BTW

X-Mazda 3 Racer

Sorry, I missplaced the link and couldn;t respond. To answer your questions, I don't know anyone that uses a Darton Pro Sleeve blocl and I personally have no experience with them. There is no reason a stock gasket won't work, they work on all of our blocks and produce over 1000 H.P. without a problem. Sorry I cannot halp you out more!!

earl

If your 85mm gasket is working, that is great. I would have went with the 84.5mm for the extra sealing surface. I have never had a problem with Cometics and people with problems with them are probably experiencing installation or bad sleeve installs and blaiming it on a gasket.

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Thanks for all the help previously earl. I forgot to mention that this time I did use permatex copper coat on both sides of the gasket. (man that stuff is sticky) All of the sleeves were absolutely flat on the deck measured with a machinist straight edge. The head and the block were both perfectly flat.

I am using an 85mm gasket, this is what the guys from RaceEng said I should use. I thought it was strange so I called Darton and they too said 85mm is fine. I wish I would have gotten the 84.5 now that I think about it, but it was special order. Everything is sealing fine...eventhough this time I used copper spray, I have a hard time believing that is the reason for sealing because I am absolutely positive that the sleeves/deck and head are flat. The thing that kinda bothered me about the overbored GE was simply knowing it was 'manhandled'. I'm not sure if those gaskets are punched or drilled out, but to do the task I would imagine a severe stressing of the material by however it's held for machining. I sleep better at night knowing that my gasket was produced to 85 rather then being modified to that spec. Maybe GE can tell us how they are made? I'm interested.

Now if I could just fix the cooling/heat problem.......still looking for someone with 98+ integra helm manual

DaveF

whats wrong with the "cooling and heat problem"????

im thinking that you could possibly have air bubbles in your cooling system and need to "bleed" the system. if your having a problem with overheating

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2.2, check thread located at
https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=612297
or
https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=294757

I have bleed this thing like mad.....seriously for like 2 hours...little bubbles would still be coming out after an hour. I'm pretty sure I got them all...if there is any amount air in the system would it cause grief? Could every drop of air really get out.....wonder if there is a device to suck the air out.

Flipmonkey

I have darton pro and I have the same problem with my cometic gasket . Oil and coolant in the head and I pressure tested and oil and coolant came straight through the oil pan . I'm starting to think cometic is a bad idea. I'm at 84.5 with a 84.5 cometic gasket , yet I'm still getting oil and coolant running down through my oil pan. Any recommendations on any other gasket brands ?

Dark_Teg

Bumping an 11 year old thread may be a record, Congrats. BTW A Cometic gasket fixed the OP's problem. IMO OEM, Cometic, JE Pro-seal etc... are all good and will all seal perfectly when all surfaces are true, and the proper torque sequences, and torques are used.

RACEPAK

11 years man that might me a record!

$MIKE$

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