Over 18 months ago, I pulled my head off my d17a2 single-cam VTEC 16 valve engine and got it machined because the head gasket was blown. I went through the head , replaced all the valve stem seals , and ground the valve seats for each individual valve. New head gasket set went on and it's finally all assembled.

2 things remain an issue. The radiator is cracked and because of the design, the crack is covered by the fender cover. So maybe that's why the engine overheated and blew head gasket in the first place.

Second, I was getting a LOT of smoke from the seal between the downpipe and exhaust pipe. I think that seal is fried but I'm not sure that I tightened the clamps right. The welded on nuts snapped off on disassembly.
The way the smoke flowed, it looked like the smoke was coming from the radiator too... But I don't think it is. I think that was just the shroud (bumper cover) making the smoke flow that way.

Has anyone changed a head gasket after getting the head machined and had the block warp enough to make the new gasket leak?

 

Anybody?

BUMP

 

Partially covering the radiator is unlikely to blow a headgasket, or really cause overheating unless the engine is driven for a long time in temperature above 100F with not enough coolant, then you can warp or crack the block as well.

Time for a compression check.

How many miles and how many years of ownership

Our 05 blew the headgasket due to "natural causes" it seems that some models were poorly done.. but at 180K it was OK, we were lucky no head warping after checking with a straight edge... Now at 215K

The plastic radiator ends are know to separate or crack after a while, usually in the 200K or about, we did it on the 2001 coupe same issue, the plastic did not weather good it was spewing coolant in multiple holes.

 

The comment about the leak being covered is just that I didn't catch it and drove it with a cracked radiator for like 11 months. It was indeed the plastic croaking at 22 years and 200k miles. It was overdue for replacement.

I got the head resurfaced and hand lapped all the valves. Cleaned up the block carefully by hand with a razor blade mostly and a few some single-pass wipes with 1000 grit sandpaper.

I swapped the radiator and cleaned up the exhaust seal, making sure to tighten both bolts a bit at a time. No more exhaust leak.

First tank got 29.5mpg and that was half old gas. No change in coolant level. I may do a compression check and change the plugs, but maybe not. It drives great and got better Mpg than ever. It used to be about 24.

A few days ago, I got a p1259 vtec error code. I had no driveability issues until this morning. I felt like the VTEC was cycling on and off around 3300rpm while getting on the freeway. It only did it once, but now I have a symptom I can feel.
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I fiddled with the connector for the pressure sensor last night and think that the sensor may be one that dies if you unplug it.
I did replace the gasket for the VTEC housing since I removed it for the head machining. I may make a new thread for that.

​​​​​​​Unfortunately, I can't see any data on the oil pressure signal the sensor reads through my basic elm327 obd2 readers. Thing a special Honda tool could read it?

 

Fixed it!

I found 2 other Forum posts with this issue across the internet.

The M10x1.0x12mm plug bolt fell out. I put it back in with thread sealant. Torque is 14 in-lbs.

 

Torque is 14 Ft-lbs not inch-lbs.
Bolt part number is Honda 95701-10016-08 Bolt, Flange.