I was wondering if Honda-Tech can help me with two problems. So I wont hit you with too much at one, I decide to make it two threads. Here's thread #2

Background info:

Car: 88 CRX Si

Block:
-84.5mm B20b
-ITR style pistons
-stock rods w/ arp rod bolts
-KMS block guard
-KMS girdle
-arp mainstuds (for gsr + the matching gsr components)

Head:
-b16 head
-3angle valve job
-KMS valvetrain
-CTR cams

Bolt ons:
-Skunk2 intake manifold (1st gen)
-70mm Omni tb
-3in AEM CAI (with BPi V-stack)
-Hytech Replica
-no cat
-2.5in exhaust
-AEM fuel rail
-DSM injectors (440cc)
-adjustable fpr

-Motor has about 4k on it
-Tuned on e-c-tune


Problem #2
So I decided to tackle my 1st headgasket since it appeared that I had a oil leak coming from the head. Now my car is smoking white :/ So I want to know where did I go wrong with my head gasket job, and can it be corrected without basically doing another head gasket job.

This is what I did.
-pulled the head (using the Honda manual) and left the arp studs in the block
-took the head to a machine shop
----------got valve job & resurfaced
-Ordered a GE 84.5mm headgasket
-clean the surface of the block with multiple shop towels (the block surfaced dried for about a week)
-kept dowel pins in the block
-place head gasket on clean block surface (no copper spray)
-greased arp studs with arp lube
-tried to place head on block, but had trouble with the dowels
-put dowels in head, then place head on block
-started following "How to build a "reliable" lsvtec/b20vtec"
-put arp washers and bolts on
-torque to 25ft/lb then 50ft/lb then 65ft/lb

Assembled the rest of the motor, checked timing, then started it. The results was a car smoking white. Took it to a shop, they did a compression test which came back fine (220s across the board) added dye to the coolant but couldn't find a leak, so they ruled it as just condensation due to the cool weather. I drove the car 50miles, and had to put about a quart of coolant in my radiator :/ . Soooo it seems like I'm burning coolant.

Sooooo....
I heard with arp head studs your suppose to retorque them after 500miles. I also heard that some people torque their studs down to 80ft/lbs. So my question is... 1st, is it the head gasket (which I believe it is)? If so, can I can save my self a head gasket job by just doing the recommend re-torque, and torquing the studs down to 80ft/lbs rather than the 65ft/lbs I did originally. Thanks for your help, and sorry for being a noob.

 

help i have the same problem as him **** it suck mine leak from the bottom of the coolant hose in the corner where the edge of the head and block sit together have u find out how to fix bigdare????? it cuz my leak back it dripping oil so much when u drive it

 

the tq specs depend on what lube you use on the arp's. I do 80 ftlbs with the arp moly lube after going in steps of 25ftlbs.

 

Did you guys shorten your alignment dowels?............... Depending on how much you surfaced the head, the dowels might be putting pressure on the head. Keeping if from sealing properly.

 

Sorry to hear that dude.

 

I used arp lube also. Now I kind of wished I torqued the head tighter than 65ft-lbs now. :/


If the reason why my headgasket is leaking is because I didn't torque the head down tight enough, can I still save my headgasket but tightening it down?!?

 

No I didn't shorten the dowels. Also, the machine shop didn't inform me how much material they removed, so I assumed that it was just a "basic" resurface.

 

if its not head gasket. then IM related?

 

did you put the gasket in upside down?

i did that once...

 

Perform a leakdown test to rule out the headgasket

 

That's what the shop I took it too is thinking now. I'm taking it back today so hopefully it's a easy fix.

 

I high doubt we put it on wrong. Days before, I assisted with a hg job on my friends b16b, and I caught that his was on wrong. So when I did mines, I double and triple checked mine.

Just to be sure, is there anywhere to check to see if it's on wrong? I know right by the transmission (toward the front of the car), there's a spot where I can read the oem part #. Is that in the right spot?

 

I'm not 100% sure, but I believe that was done. If it wasn't, I know a compression test was done, and I had around 220 across the board.