I am having a problem and can't figure it out so I would like to see if anyone can help me out. I just rebuilt a 92 LS B18A1 engine and put it into my 90 LS Integra. On first startup, everything seemed fine. I changed the oil and filter, cut the filter open, and it looked fine.

Yesterday, I took the car out again to do some at load acceleration to help break in the piston rings. The problem is that white smoke is coming out of the exhaust, and when the spark plugs are removed, it looks like oil or water is in the cylinder in a small film on the top of the piston. I say water because this is a track car and the coolant is pure water with WaterWetter. Oil also was weeping down the engine block behind the header.

Therefore, I thought the head gasket was leaking so I removed the head and installed a new Fel-Pro head gasket with the copper spray sealant. I started the car up again, and essentially the same problem is happening. There actually seems to be more white smoke coming from the exhaust, while the oil/water in the cylinder is about the same. Another interesting problem (maybe un-related but I don't know) is that there is a very high pitch whistling noise coming from the engine compartment when the hood is closed and the engine speed is less than 1500 RPM.

I am confused where the oil/water is coming from to get into the cylinder. I would appreciate any ideas anyone may have to help. Thanks.

 

Anybody have any ideas?

 

can you please explain this rebuild you did.

-What was done exactly
-did you check tolerances and specs? ie..new piston ring clearances
-what did you do with the engine exaclty

 

- Complete teardown and rebuild. Replaced all consumables (seals, gaskets, o-rings, belts, rod bolts, etc.) and re-used existing parts like block, head, crank, rods, valve cover, intake manifold, cams, etc.
- All build tolerance/clearances/specs were fine during build. Things like main bearing clearance, rod bearing clearance, crank endplay, etc. Two different shops surfaced the block and deck and said they were straight.
- Engine was bored out .020 over. Has new Supertech pistons w/ Supertech included rings (NPR). Pistons increase compression by 0.5 point, so I am now running 93 octane. New valves, stem seals, guides, springs, and keepers.

 

sounds like a head gasket for sure to me.

 

Any other ideas?

 

it does sound like the head gasket OR the head wasn't torqed properly causing the water to leak into the cylinders giving you the film on the pistons and the smoke! have you checked to see if there was oil in the coolant/water overflow bottle?

 

No oil in the water overflow bottle. There may have been some oil in the water when I drained the water, however, not very much since it was very hard to tell. When I drained the oil from the engine it didn't seem like it had water it it.

 

This might sound way out there, but, any chance you routed one of your coolant lines, maybe one that would go into you FITV into a vacuum port? That would explain water getting into the intake and cylinders. OK, I said it was way out there.

 

if you reused the headbolts or they aren't torqued in order or to spec that might be it too

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Sam92Teg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">This might sound way out there, but, any chance you routed one of your coolant lines, maybe one that would go into you FITV into a vacuum port? That would explain water getting into the intake and cylinders. OK, I said it was way out there.</TD></TR></TABLE>


i dont think that would be it. It didn't smoke the first time. but i think it would be the head gasket. something shifted or something

 

I actually was worried about routing a water line wrong as well. I actually removed the FIV valve yesterday and blocked off the water passages to test this (will be starting the car again this afternoon). I thought maybe the seal that separated the water from the air had a leak. I'll know soon enough.

Yes, the head bolts were re-used. They have now been torqued 3 different times in the process of figuring out what the problem is, so torque isn't the issue, but worn out bolts could be.

Thanks for the ideas. More are welcome.

 

what about the intake manifold gasket? Check it

 

BTW, I can laugh at my situation a little after seeing your sig. 300K on your RS and runs like a champ. My engine essentially has 0 and pours white smoke.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Savannahdc2 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">what about the intake manifold gasket? Check it</TD></TR></TABLE>

Anything in particular, or general sings of contacting water? I know water doesn't pass through the manifold like domestic V engines. But I know there are a couple of passages from the head, through the manifold flange, then to hoses.

 

Upside down head gasket.

 

did you follow this break in method?

Oil changing schedule:
Startup - 30w non detergent, change after warm up
after 20 miles - your favorite non-syn
after 100 miles - your favorite non-syn
after 500 miles - your favorite non-syn
after 1000 miles - your favorite non-syn/synthetic (it is now safe to run synthetic)

 

I started to. As you may have guessed, I only made through your 1st 2 points. For more ideas, what would be a problem(s) that you migth expect to show my symptoms from wrong break-in procedure?

 

After reading your thread...It is clear that you didn't resurfaced your head, thus creating imperfections and causing what you are currently expirencing...Resurface the head, then put a new head gasket on....Oh yeah, and make sure that you are installing the head gasket on right, it might be upside down...GL

 

You mention the deck, but was the head checked out?

I think the upside down headgasket is still a good bet.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by My95SlvrBlt &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">You mention the deck, but was the head checked out?

I think the upside down headgasket is still a good bet.</TD></TR></TABLE>
that's what I said///good looking out!

 

check for loose nuts, leaking, or any gaps

 

When you torked down the head, did you use the correct sequence, and correct torked pounds?

 

Sorry, I mistyped. I had 1 shop deck the block and a different shop deck the head. They said it was good, but that only matters if you trust them. I am sure there is a chance that the head is still not flat, or maybe warped.

Thanks for the ideas. Keep them coming if you got them.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jdm_bones &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> that's what I said///good looking out! </TD></TR></TABLE>

Ah, quicker on the post button than I.

You didnt answer, are you 100% sure the headgasket is right side up? Its NOT hard to put it on upside down...