I was told all ls/vtec engines leak coolant at the head gasket. One guy showed me on his. It had antifreeze at the corner below vtec solenoid where the head bolts to the block. Is it true that they all do that?

 

no...probably used the wrong head gasket...

 

I was thinking that it shouldn't. A guy who told me has a CRX with a stroked ls/vtec, Turbo, making almost 700 hp. He sais it has the golden eagle swap head gasket. I didn't know what to think.

My fiance' and I bought a B16 head with cams. We also bought the B18a1 head gasket. I was reading on various sites about need to remove two of the brass rings that hold the gasket together. After reading it I looked at the head and see that whoever had the head before torqued it down without removing the brass rings. Must be why we got it pretty cheap. They must have not been able to get it to seal. Also it had dowel pins in it in the exhaust side. The back side was drilled out. After taking the head off a B18a1 we bought I used the dowels from the block to see if they fit in the head as they should an the holes were too big. I have decided to use dowels in all 4 places. The two in the rear should center the gasket and using Golden Eagle adapter dowels in the front will center the head. I do believe I need to enlarge the 2 front holes where dowels will go. I was concerned about a possible constant coolant leak though since a guy told me that.

By the way, we had the head checked and it is in good condition. I was concerned that the head may have been craked or something after being torqued down with the little brass rings still there.

 

I read that about the brass rings once too, but can't find a single source now any chance of a link?

I left mine in a I burn coolant really bad, but i've been told that's not the problem, and from feeling around the block, I don't really think they'll be a problem but you never know.

 

I did read it in a "how to" site. Don't remember which one. I will try to track it down.

I can say that the previous owner of the head did torque it down and it left impressions. I believe it would keep the gasket from sealing as it should. I will remove the rings.

 

Yeah I was thinking it would too on mine. I'm yet to remove the head on mine to check it out, but only the head interferes with the rings, so perhaps they are just displaced a bit.

However, in another thread I was informed that the rings were to be left in. I don't really believe it, but if so many people leave them in, could they really be the problem?