I just finish installing a comtic head gasket on my B17a. It's leaking a little bit of oil where the head meets the block. It is only leaking in that one spot right in the corner under the VTEC solenoid in the corner there . I can't remember the size but it was equivalent to two oem head gaskets. Now it's leaking what can i do?what did i do wrong? It it true that the older b series head leaks?

MOTOR SPECS.
b17a
ctr pistons
crower 402
ported ( intake ports)
skunk intake manifold.
type r valve
and other stuff.


Modified by realis9 at 1:35 AM 4/29/2006

 

did you resurface the head and block before you put the head back on?

 

no i did not do that. I didn't know there was such a thing. Should i try torquing the head bolts again? Could it be that it was not tight enough?

 

take the head back off and put some honda bond around the leak and you might be ok.

 

new head gasket.
remove the head and use cooper spray

 

what did torque the head to? if u never overheated the motor then u should be fine, but its a good idea to resurface the head or have it checked while its off the motor.

 

i had the same problem.
my gasket was leaking around the same area.
couple of day after, stopped leaking but i decided to change the gasket anyways.
i have a cometic now but i will be using spoon.

 

Probably not the head gasket leaking. Probably the valve cover or the plug that sits above the vtec solenoid. The copper spray and honda bond comments are just wrong. Done right it won't leak. Your replaced the head bolts right or used studs right? You followed the procedure and torqued, loosened and retorqued like it say in the instructions?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MasterKwan &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Probably not the head gasket leaking. Probably the valve cover or the plug that sits above the vtec solenoid. The copper spray and honda bond comments are just wrong. Done right it won't leak. Your replaced the head bolts right or used studs right? You followed the procedure and torqued, loosened and retorqued like it say in the instructions?

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it's most likely the vtec solenoid. i know vtec motors are notorious for this. my b16 head was warped, when i had it resurfaced and milled, i had the block decked too before putting in the new head gasket. it leaked in the same spot... and it turned out to be that seal. i'd make sure everything was done right... unless it is your head gasket leaking...

and yes, for the love of god... hondabond isn't for plugging leaks...

 

Interesting enough all the honda books on building the motor state they use a little honda bond for insurance around this area. I guess they dont know what their talking about. Or maybe they have ran into leaks a few times. And copper spray i used on my last gasket and it leaked and never sealed right. SOmeone posted using it. Around the sealing flange on the cylinder the coolant ran through.


<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Black Widow g2 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">



it's most likely the vtec solenoid. i know vtec motors are notorious for this. my b16 head was warped, when i had it resurfaced and milled, i had the block decked too before putting in the new head gasket. it leaked in the same spot... and it turned out to be that seal. i'd make sure everything was done right... unless it is your head gasket leaking...

and yes, for the love of god... hondabond isn't for plugging leaks...

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If you read it more carefully, you hondabond the valve cover, not the head. The only thing the head interface needs is straight surfaces, clean surfaces and proper torquing. If you don't use molly lube on the bolts/studs you WON'T get a proper torque reading. If you don't lossen and tighten the bolts the way the head gasket instructions say too, you won't get a proper torque reading.

No lube = reading the thread resistance, not the clamping load.

No tighten and backoff = reading thread resistance. Loosening and tightening the bolt smooths the threads out. I find I can often get another 90 degree's of tightening to specific torque by loosening a 1/4 turn and re-tightening (total of 180, 90 back to loosen, 180 forward to proper torque).

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by vtecmissle &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Interesting enough all the honda books on building the motor state they use a little honda bond for insurance around this area. I guess they dont know what their talking about. Or maybe they have ran into leaks a few times. And copper spray i used on my last gasket and it leaked and never sealed right. SOmeone posted using it. Around the sealing flange on the cylinder the coolant ran through.


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exactly what book are you reading?!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Black Widow g2 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">exactly what book are you reading?!</TD></TR></TABLE>

I know right? i was thinking the exact same thing....

 

for one both of the honda builders handbooks. Ill look up the others. I have all of them. In one it has russ collins saying he always puts a little there for extra protection.

 

Maybe you need to read it more carefully i read it and im no idiot. Neither is the author or russ collins aka rc injectors. Of course they were talking about racing engines and the fact that they needed them sealed up immediatly but it is what they wrote. I have also built 2 of my own motors and swapped heads a few times. I know where the hondabond needs to go on the valve cover . I also have never felt the need to put hondabond on the head or block surface just stating what i have read by a professional engine builder.

 

heres an excerpt from larry windmer over at endyn on the build up on his civic i guess he read the same book or knows what he is doing.

Google is your friend.

ARP studs were installed in the block, and I machined .090" from the block-dowels that locate the cylinder head. As stated previously, we're using a laser-cut Cometic head gasket that's .030" thick. We still apply a very thin coating of Hondabond to the areas of the gasket where oil flows to prevent the possibility any leaks.Both the deck surfaces (block and head) were cleaned thoroughly with acetone before assembly.

Thanks haters

 

i will follow what everyone says. Can anyone tell me what is the correct order to tighten the head studs/bolt and what are the torque specs? I think i'm going to buy all new head oem studs/bolts for honda. That could be a problems too? I reuse all my old ones. I will also change vtec solenoid gasket or o ring.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by realis9 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I just finish installing a comtic head gasket on my B17a. It's leaking a little bit of oil where the head meets the block. It is only leaking in that one spot right in the corner under the VTEC solenoid in the corner there . I can't remember the size but it was equivalent to two oem head gaskets. Now it's leaking what can i do?what did i do wrong? It it true that the older b series head leaks?

MOTOR SPECS.
b17a
ctr pistons
crower 402
ported ( intake ports)
skunk intake manifold.
type r valve
and other stuff.


Modified by realis9 at 1:35 AM 4/29/2006</TD></TR></TABLE>
B17A crower 402? arent 402 non-vtec cams? am i wrong or he doesnt know what he has?

 

no i think they are vtec cams. Are they? i'm confused. i can hit vtec with them.

 

when using headstuds should you use the companys tourqe settings or hondas

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by TypeRobert &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
B17A crower 402? arent 402 non-vtec cams? am i wrong or he doesnt know what he has? </TD></TR></TABLE>


He wants to eliminate vtec I guess.

 

use bubble gum and duck tape! j/k anyway, got to the crower site. u'll see that the "404" and "402" are regards to stages, not motor type. 63 series is vtec 62 series are non-vtec. the last digit simply states what stage it is. exapmle: 63404 is a vtec stage 4 non racing.

 

allright here it goes.

first off you should have used copper spray!!

which is directly contrary to what cometic states in there instructions, but it is absolutely needed.

honda bond should not be on the HG, b/c of one important reason it is reactive with copper!!!! says right on tha back of any tube of hondabond.

however, if you have a very small extraneous leak a very fine coat of the right stuff can be applied with out harm. i have only done this once and it did work well.

finally, all honda motors sometimes even when they are freshly decked, which is deffinatelty not required unless, the head suffered from lifting due to boost, or was subject to overheating. will leak small amounts of oil until the engine has broken.

i also never torque loosen then re-torque, i allways use molly assembly lube or 50w oil, on the head studs and then torque in 2 stages all in the reccomended pattern.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by realis9 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Can anyone tell me what is the correct order to tighten the head studs/bolt and what are the torque specs?</TD></TR></TABLE>
bingo. that's why you're leaking. get yourself a manual ASAP.