packman5280

2000 civic si with JDM b16a. it's been leaking just a bit of oil since i installed it. there are two leaks, one from the PCV breather chamber black box thing on the back of the block because i didn't replace that o-ring when i installed it. oops. the other is coming from the top of the block, near the vtec solenoid. i thought i just needed a new seal for that, so i replaced it, still leaking from that area. look closer and it looks like the cam plug is leaking. so i pull of the vtec solenoid, re-seal the cam plug, and put it all back together. still leaks. so i look even closer, and it looks like the oil is coming from right behind the cam plug. the cap for the end of the cam, i guess it's a bearing cap, it looks to be leaking just past where the valve cover stops. it's hard to explain, but i i think i'll need to pull the valve cover, then remove that cap, seal it with right stuff or hondabond and reassemble. my questions is 1.) what torque should i use when i re-install that cap, and 2.) do i need to worry about the rest of the bearing caps or if i can just leave them alone. thanks in advance.

B18C5-EH2

Unfortunately to replace the cam plug/button on a B series VTEC engine you must also remove the entire exhaust cam oiler rail/top rail to get the plug out to replace it. It sucks. You'll also of course need to adjust the valves after you do this.

Had it been an LS/B20 engine it would literally just be two bolts and a cap while the valvecover is off, but for the VTEc it's a different design.

I'll be back with torque specs in a minute...

B18C5-EH2

Here's a picture to better illustrate what I'm talking about:



You'll need to remove #6 to also get to the piece that the #16 bolt goes through - that is what holds the cam plug in place from the top.

The 20 bolts in the middle that hold the plate down are 20ft-lbs. torque rated

The four outside (they are physically smaller and take a smaller socket) are only 7.2ft-lbs. so be careful!!!

packman5280

well damn, i was afraid of that. ok, well that just adds a little bit of work, i've adjusted the valves before too, so I think can do all of this, may need to get a better torque wrench though, my harbor freight one doesn't work so well at that low of a setting. thanks for the response.

packman5280

so i took tomorrow afternoon off to fix this, and i just had a thought. could it be leaking from the cap on the intake cam? the one that #17 goes through? if i have to fix that one too, will i need to take any special precaution when everything is loose? i know i'll need to reset the valve clearance and timing, just want to make sure i don't get in over my head, i have to do this at a friend's shop, no tools, so i don't want to forget anything i might need. and with the caps off (#16 and #17) what's the best way to seal them? i was thinking just a real thin bead of right stuff?

thanks.

fatpride111

i believe the distributor goes in plug #17, mang. only cam cap is on the exhaust side

packman5280

yeah, i'm not being clear i guess. the piece that the #17 bolt goes through, it goes over the end of the cam, a bearing cap of sorts i guess. that's why i referred to it as a cap, probably not the right term. that's the piece i am worried is leaking though, in addition to #16. or is there an o-ring on the distributor that might be leaking? i'll go take a pic really quick, this is annoying trying to explain what i am talking about.

packman5280

ok here is the intake side, where i am kind of worried it might be leaking. it's dirty, but not wet, so i'm not too worried.

here is the exhaust side.
you can see that it's wet, and you can kind of see it right in the corner. yes i used right stuff in those corners when i put the valve cover back on, so i don't think it's coming from there, i think it's the part held on by the #16 bolt.

packman5280

well a little update, got it almost all put back together, then broke one of the spool valve bolts off. was using the torque wrench, at 9 ft/lbs, when it broke. doesn't seem like that should be enough to break it, but who knows. the bolt seemed hollow where it broke, so maybe it was a bad bolt or something. anyway, little work with the drill and the extractor and i got it out. all i need is a new bolt to put that all back together, then time it and i should be good. the valve clearance's were good on all 4 cyl's after i put it all back together too, so that was nice. thanks again for the help.