i have a 93 USDM H22a1 block and a 97 H22a4 head. i used a h22a4 gasket and its leaking oil where the block and head meets near the firewall. compression is 180 all across and there isn't oil in the coolent. am i using the right head gasket or is it something eles?

 

bump

 

I am not sure if using the H22a4 HG is ok, but the H22A4 gasket is for open deck blocks like the H22A4, the H22A1 is a closed deck block. No personal exprience on this so I don't have much else to add.

 

I agree as well the h22a4 is open deck and the earlier was closed deck.

 

bump

 

I'd use an H22a1 gasket if thats the block you got. AFAIK the heads are all the same(in that respect), so as long as the gasket matches the block you're good to go.

 

I believe you want to use the headgasket that goes with your year block.

 

ok now i know im using the wrong head gasket. but does this explain why the blcok/head is leaking oil?

 

It could explain the oil leaking.
I have also had an oil leak due to the dealer deciding that even though I asked for a prelude vtec head gasket they decided to give me an h23a1 gasket which leaves one corner with a leaky spot at an oil drain gallery at the back corner nearest the driver.

 

Thanks for the info v4lu3s. But has anyone have any exprence with using a open deck HG on a closed deck?

 

how many times has the head bean resurfaced? If the head has been resurfaced tomuch you might need to shave the dowl pins down.

 

i agree with the headgasket should match the block, but the the only difference is the open deck design, and as far as all the other oil passages, they should all be the same so using that gasket shouldn't be any more prone to leaking oil than on a regular h22a4...

 

somewhere i had read that the 97+ head gasket did somethign that offered support for the open deck, though i do not recall details....i woudl think that if it offers support it would be something similar to an integrated o-ring in the gasket....??