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Head gasket replaced and resurfaced, still leaking!
My civic has had issues with overheating before due to a leaking head. I should mention that both oil and coolant is visibly leaking from the front of the block, BUT no coolant and oil is mixing I dont know if thats possible or not but no milky oil and no sugary sweet smell from exhaust as far as I can tell. Before the replacement and resurfacing it was leaking to the point where the oil light would come on after 20-30 minutes of driving. This happened once and i didnt drive it at all after that. Runs fine despite all this.
Later, as I mentioned, got the gasket replaced, head resurfaced, -----used the old bolts and torqued to specs and in the right sequence and still leaking oil and coolant. Although this time the coolant isnt leaking as much as before and oil is leaking the same.
Could it be a warped block/deck or the cylinders? Must i take out the whole damn bock to get it resurfaced if needed?
Re: Head gasket replaced and resurfaced, still leaking!
You should had checked the block with a straight edge when you had the cylinder head off. The fact you re-used the old head bolts is mind boggling...
Please clean the engine as best as possible and take a video of the leak as it starts and flows out.
Post said video here.
Re: Head gasket replaced and resurfaced, still leaking!
I have always re-used the head bolts and have never had an issue with them. 20+ head gasket replacements. Who resurfaced the head? And you should definitely have checked the block for flatness, I had something similar happen to me on my old CRX, but the issue was a raised spot on the block where something had gouged it and created a tiny bump in the sealing surface. +1 on the video.
Re: Head gasket replaced and resurfaced, still leaking!
Originally Posted by DumpdEJ6
I have always re-used the head bolts and have never had an issue with them. 20+ head gasket replacements. Who resurfaced the head? And you should definitely have checked the block for flatness, I had something similar happen to me on my old CRX, but the issue was a raised spot on the block where something had gouged it and created a tiny bump in the sealing surface. +1 on the video.
Why even gamble on re-using old head bolts?
Cheap enough to never have to re-use them unless absolutely needed due to a time constraint.
Whatever I guess...
There's never time to do something right the first time, but there's always time to do it twice
Re: Head gasket replaced and resurfaced, still leaking!
Head was resurfaced at a machinist shop,pressure tested and everything. is leaking mainly from the first cylnder. if the block is warped how would i go about getting it resurfaced?
Re: Head gasket replaced and resurfaced, still leaking!
I asked for a video but whatever...
Are you sure it's coming from the head gasket and not the camshaft seal, valve cover gasket, VTEc solenoid etc?
Only way to get the block resurfaced is to actually remove the engine from the vehicle and disassemble it, then take the bare block(some shops will accept the block still with the rotating assembly but that's a **** move on your part) to a machine shop for them to clean, inspect, resurface and test. At that point though, you're pretty much rebuilding it since it will extremely stupid to re-use all the old bearings, rings, gaskets, seals etc.
Re: Head gasket replaced and resurfaced, still leaking!
Originally Posted by joey1320
Why even gamble on re-using old head bolts?
Cheap enough to never have to re-use them unless absolutely needed due to a time constraint.
Whatever I guess...
There's never time to do something right the first time, but there's always time to do it twice
As I said before, 20+ and I've never had to do it twice. Well, I have, but the failure wasn't related to head bolts. I get what you're saying, and hell, doing any mechanic job it's better to use new hardware. But in my experience, it is not necessary unless the threads are damaged.
As for the OP: I don't see any coolant in the picture, but it does look very similar to oil leaking from the distributor o-ring or the vtec solenoid. If there is confirmed coolant leaking there, check the heater hose coming from the head directly under the distributor. Oil leaks onto it from a bad o-ring and over time they tend to swell and split.
Re: Head gasket replaced and resurfaced, still leaking!
Originally Posted by joey1320
I asked for a video but whatever...
Are you sure it's coming from the head gasket and not the camshaft seal, valve cover gasket, VTEc solenoid etc?
Only way to get the block resurfaced is to actually remove the engine from the vehicle and disassemble it, then take the bare block(some shops will accept the block still with the rotating assembly but that's a **** move on your part) to a machine shop for them to clean, inspect, resurface and test. At that point though, you're pretty much rebuilding it since it will extremely stupid to re-use all the old bearings, rings, gaskets, seals etc.
Pretty sure from the head gasket. No visible leaks from valve cover gasket or the v tech solenoid. Leaks from the head gasket and down. Will try to upload a video later
Re: Head gasket replaced and resurfaced, still leaking!
Did you feel under the vtec solenoid? It can leak from the bottom of it and coat everything and look like it's not leaking as you are looking basically top down.
Until you run your fingers under it and come out dry, you aren't 100% sure it's not the vtec solenoid.
Re: Head gasket replaced and resurfaced, still leaking!
Update:
As I was about to wash down the engine, I noticed oil from the top of the vtec solenoid. It was leaking from there as well before I changed the head gasket but hasn't been showin any signs of leakage since the head gasket was replaced along with the vtec soelnoid.
Went ahead and sprayed it down. Placed towels under the vtec solenoid, under the distributor and visible head gasket areas.
Seems like the origin of the leak is from around the vtec solenoid. Could it be a cracked in the solenoid since I just replaced the gasket on that or is it leaking from somewhere else near the vtec solenoid
Re: Head gasket replaced and resurfaced, still leaking!
I wiped off the oil before starting up the engine and as soon as I start it up and went to take a look oil came out from the top of the vtec solenoid. Pretty sure I found the cause.
I's there a way to tell if it's cracked? I'm thinking of getting a new gasket again to see if that works if not then I'll just a new solenoid.
Re: Head gasket replaced and resurfaced, still leaking!
A piece of me says its not that big of a deal and just to put a new gasket on and bolt the solenoid back up. However, in efforts to "do things to right way" you could just find another solenoid and replace it while you're there.
Re: Head gasket replaced and resurfaced, still leaking!
Originally Posted by ShinsenTuner
A piece of me says its not that big of a deal and just to put a new gasket on and bolt the solenoid back up. However, in efforts to "do things to right way" you could just find another solenoid and replace it while you're there.
The argument is the sidewall of the gasket is missing so it will allow the gasket to pancake out further thus reducing the pressure on the mating surface in that area. Very well could be why it is not sealing.
I would either do the new solenoid, or since the piece is still there, I would clean it up and the piece up with non-chlorinated brake cleaner and then use JB weld 2 part epoxy to re-attach the side wall piece. After cure that thing would not be going anywhere, and JB weld has been known to still be holding well after 10 years.
Then again, I've had great luck with JB weld on cast aluminum and non stress point repairs. (Stress pressure of the gasket is not a high stress point )
Re: Head gasket replaced and resurfaced, still leaking!
yeah at this point ill just get a replacement solenoid, but my main concern right would be if the piece that broke off that I couldn't find cause any issues later on. I have been driving my car like this for a while but nothing seems wrong, Although i never really hit Vtec when driving... but when I do it, it is a concern. I just hope the small piece of the solenoid doesnt come back and bite me in the ***
Re: Head gasket replaced and resurfaced, still leaking!
As you can see. .... well it's not like anything has happened since it was already broken and in there somewhere as I was still driving it... hahah....
Re: Head gasket replaced and resurfaced, still leaking!
Originally Posted by joey1320
I asked for a video but whatever...
Are you sure it's coming from the head gasket and not the camshaft seal, valve cover gasket, VTEc solenoid etc?
Only way to get the block resurfaced is to actually remove the engine from the vehicle and disassemble it, then take the bare block(some shops will accept the block still with the rotating assembly but that's a **** move on your part) to a machine shop for them to clean, inspect, resurface and test. At that point though, you're pretty much rebuilding it since it will extremely stupid to re-use all the old bearings, rings, gaskets, seals etc.
Are you saying that the only way to resurface the head is to remove the engine?
Re: Head gasket replaced and resurfaced, still leaking!
Originally Posted by Cindybig
Are you saying that the only way to resurface the head is to remove the engine?
No, he stated the only way to resurface the block (not the head) is to remove the engine and or block from the car. Then the block can go to the machine shop to be resurfaced. This thread is also approaching 5 years old now. Not sure if the users are even present anymore.
02-23-2017, 11:23 AM
Head gasket replaced and resurfaced, still leaking!
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