sorry, pretty much just want to vent. as some of you know, i've been installing a skunk2 manifold on my b20 in an EF. i finished everything up tuesday afternoon, but i still had a high idle of around 1500 rpm with the idle screw all the way down. i took the car to my local mechanic, and he advised me there was a leak between the manifold and the head right under the number 3 runner. i was like well, i guess i'll try changing the gasket and retorque..tried that, and still, a big ol vacuum leak in the same spot. i called skunk2 up and asked them if i needed a special gasket or something, but they said they had never heard of that problem before. i guess the next step is to pull the manifold BACK off, and check with a straight edge. if the manifold has a warp in it, i'll have to take it completely off again, and have it milled flat. such a pain in the butt..i really wanted to take it to the local track tonight, but instead my car is gonna be out of commission another week. damn.

 

Man that sucks...makes me kinda wonder what problems I am going to have when mine comes for my b16a.

 

did u clean the head when u took the old gasket off?? and is it a new gasket that ur using from honda? i found that other gaskets are ok but not great....also did u use hondabond? or any sealer...sounds like there is coolant leaking possibly into #4 cyl?? which would cause a high idle also

 

yeah, i'm curious if there are any others with the same problem, or if mine is just a fluke. i'm friends with a guy who recently installed a skunk2 mani on his GSR..he ALSO has a mysterious 1500 rpm idle, but i haven't had a chance to look at his yet..

 

i originally used the old gasket (it was new when i put the b20 in my car a month and a half ago). my honda certified mechanic installed the new gasket at his shop..we know where the leak is because he sprayed carb cleaner right in the same area and the idle dropped way down. i don't think there's any coolant leaking in, as there is no white smoke or smoke of any kind. he recommended we NOT use honda bond or any type of sealant.

 

im about positive reusing the old gasket is ur problem did u tell him u did this??? I have dont it before thinking oh itll be ok and had a leak with a 3k idle...i was wondering if u used the hondabond around the coolant hole thats all ask ur mech what he thinks but im sure reusing the old gasket is the problem. good luck

 

no no..i originally used a month old gasket. the very next day my mechanic and i took the month old gasket off and installed a brand spankin new gasket. still got the same result, which meant the first gasket was fine.

 

oh ok misunderstood u...u get that bottom bolt torqued down good i imagine....the middle one...hope u figure it out

 

yeah, we torqued and retorqued. we're pretty sure it's a warp in the manifold face, but we'll know for sure on friday when it gets taken apart, AGAIN.

 

Those are notorious for coming from skunk with leaks in them. This one shop who installed one on a customers car, it came from Skunk with a leak in the coolant line next to cyl 4 and skunk would not replace it because it had already been installed, so it had to be jbwelded shut. Some of skunks stuff is just plain crap.

-Todd

 

that pisses me off. the guy at skunk said they had NEVER heard of anyone having this problem, and assured me that all their manifolds are properly milled to 0. they HAVE to know how much of a pain it is to install, deinstall, reinstall, deinstall, ship back to them, wait for a new one, install..not to mention the down time of my car.

 

damn dude that sucks....ive already had problems just doing the install....onthat middle bolt hole that sits between 2 and 3, I had to shave off a little bit of the aluminum on the outside just so i could get that pos nut threaded on
hopefully it doesnt have any leak

 

If it turns out it IS the manifold, you can have it shaved at a machine shop for around $20-30. Of course, thats if skunk gives you **** about replaceing it.

 

pretty sure that's what i'm gonna do. i just don't want to have the hassle of taking all the studs out again, taking the fuel rail off again, and waiting 3 weeks or more for skunk to receive this manifold and get another one out to me. i want to drive my freakin car!

 

UPDATE: crap, the manifold was fine all along. turns out the kid who was working part time at the honda shop when my B20 was installed went a little crazy with the air tools when he was cleaning the old gasket off my B20..he cut valleys into my head!!!! should be fixed by the end of the day, my apologies to skunk2, their manifold was fine after all. skunk2 part time helpers

 

Oh man that sucks big time. How bad was the head damaged when the old gasket was cleaned off??

 

i don't know the extent..i just talked w/ my mechanic, and he said the head was definately the problem, and not the manifold, but that he could fix it for me the only possible was the head could have been damaged was that kid grinding away on my motor.

 

shitty man i dont see why someone could do that must have been really new to do such a thing id have his *** for it

 

he got fired.. yesterday. big surprise.