Okay, so I just rebuilt my LS VTEC and I purchased a Golden Eagle head gasket for the LS VTEC's.

I ran the car for just a few minutes without coolant (did NOT overheat because it only ran for about a minute at a time.)
Everything seemed Kosher, until I put coolant in it to go drive and tune it. Well I went to start it and it cranks over and wont start. I also noticed whitesmoke coming from the back of the car so obviously coolant is getting into the cylinders. I pulled the spark plugs out and found jcoolant on all 4 plugs.

The head gasket is brand new, I have ARP head studs, and everything was assembled correctly, and torqued to factory specs.

Another thought I had was maybe the intake gasket is leaking, but Im pretty sure its the head gasket ( I have yet to tear it down and assemble it to verify).

I need help. Is this a head gasket issue?
Thanks in advance!!

 

are u sure you didnt put the headgasket on upside down?

 

What dowels did you use? Was the block decked or the head resurfaced at all? If so, did you check to make sure the dowels weren't protruding too far(sometimes they need to be filed down with freshly machined surfaces). Are you absolutely certain the head gasket was installed right side up? From what you described, I highly doubt it's an intake manifold gasket issue, since the bypass is only adjacent to one cylinder, and if it was leaking it'd probably leak externally and possibly into cyl #4, not all four cylinders. Sounds like you need to pull the head and see what's going on

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by inspyral &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">What dowels did you use? Was the block decked or the head resurfaced at all? If so, did you check to make sure the dowels weren't protruding too far(sometimes they need to be filed down with freshly machined surfaces). Are you absolutely certain the head gasket was installed right side up? From what you described, I highly doubt it's an intake manifold gasket issue, since the bypass is only adjacent to one cylinder, and if it was leaking it'd probably leak externally and possibly into cyl #4, not all four cylinders. Sounds like you need to pull the head and see what's going on </TD></TR></TABLE>

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by hotrod99 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">are u sure you didnt put the headgasket on upside down?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Im positive the head gasket is on correctly. 200% sure of that. Ill have to pull the head and check the dowels I guess. I reused the old ones so maybe thats where my problem is? Ill just order some dowels and then reinstal the head and see what happens.
The block is completely flat, and I had no issues like this before hand either.
Thanks for the input!
I appreciate it guys!
-Dale

 

I'm embarrased to say I have actually put on the head gasket upside down on my gsr ... no white smoke or anything, just the exxon valdez II on my driveway

I'm curious to see what it was ...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by LOVEthatDC2 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I'm curious to see what it was ... </TD></TR></TABLE>

Me too. lol