I have seen numerous times in various topics here on Honda-Tech where people say:

"My head gasket is leaking oil on the corner where the tranny side is..."

Well I'm here to tell you that it's more than likely NOT the head gasket, but merely the VTEC valve gaskets/o-rings and/or the exhaust cam plug leaking oil, which runs down the ledge of the engine, then pools at that very corner on the engine where the headgasket tab can be seen sticking out.

Anyone here who thinks his head gasket is leaking oil here needs to first check the VTEC valve gasket and cam plug - if they are wet, replace the gaskets/o-rings/plug and clean the area thoroughly.

If both are dry try loking at the distributor too - the o-ring where the distributor key meets the camshaft can leak, or the distributor internal seal can leak too - causing the appearance of this infamous "head gasket oil leak" I see being discussed here.

The VTEC valve gaskets are an easy repair, but the cam plug will require the removal of the exhaust cam rocker assembly and readjusting the valves, but it's certainly WAY easier than ripping a head off to replace a head gasket only to still see the same oil there after all that trouble.

Questions? Comments?


Modified by B18C5-EH2 at 12:24 PM 11/15/2006

 

isn't that kinda obvious? because if there's oil on/above the head it wouldn't be from something the headgasket right?

Heres a pickle: Why is oil leaking out of my oil cap when I got a brand new Honda oil cap/gasket? too much crankcase pressure?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SkoundrelUSA &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">isn't that kinda obvious? because if there's oil on/above the head it wouldn't be from something the headgasket right?

Heres a pickle: Why is oil leaking out of my oil cap when I got a brand new Honda oil cap/gasket? too much crankcase pressure? </TD></TR></TABLE>

I'd say the sealing surface is dirty or scratched. there's the valve cover vent which makes it impossible to build any sort of pressure.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SkoundrelUSA &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">isn't that kinda obvious? because if there's oil on/above the head it wouldn't be from something the headgasket right?</TD></TR></TABLE>

It's not obvious because the oil pools on the ledge where the head, block, and tranny casing meet and the head gasket tab sticks out. The oil does continue to run down from there too, whcih is commonly mistaken for "my head gasket is leaking oil."

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Heres a pickle: Why is oil leaking out of my oil cap when I got a brand new Honda oil cap/gasket? too much crankcase pressure? </TD></TR></TABLE>

Did you install the gasket right side up? I believe there is a rounded edge, and a flat edge to the gasket itself, and the round edge is the part that meets the valvecover, while the flat dge tucks into the cap.

Is your valvecover painted in any way?

 

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

I'd say the sealing surface is dirty or scratched. there's the valve cover vent which makes it impossible to build any sort of pressure. </TD></TR></TABLE>

How is it impossible? I feel that that one hole from the VC to the intake isn't enough vaccuum. Also this is a gsr bottom/b16 head with 11.6:1 compression.

The gasket was already on the cap when I got it so I didn't really touch it or anything.

Valve cover is painted but I covered up the threads so paint isn't on it.

 

It doesn't necessarily need to make vacuum. All it does is let out pressure. If you've got enough pressure building inside your valve cover you've got a lot bigger problems than oil coming out of the cap.... if a lot of pressure is getting into your valve cover, your pcv may be clogged or your compression rings are shot to ****...

 

The oil caps on the end of the valve cover tend to leak a lot. When I had my integra, it did as well, and I changed it with a new one that had two o-rings instead of 1.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by miahmouse &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">It doesn't necessarily need to make vacuum. All it does is let out pressure. If you've got enough pressure building inside your valve cover you've got a lot bigger problems than oil coming out of the cap.... if a lot of pressure is getting into your valve cover, your pcv may be clogged or your compression rings are shot to ****...</TD></TR></TABLE>

You mean piston rings? How would that cause it? (not being wiseass, actually asking)

 

exhaust gas slipping by the compression rings (going into crankcase) pressurizes the crankcase, pressure comes back up through oil passages into head/valve cover. Same with a clogged PCV. A small amount of pressure is meant to be handled/negated by the PCV, if it's clogged the pressure has nowhere to go/it doesn't pull vacuum.

edit: that's my theory at least. take the oil cap off of a healthy engine while running, you'll feel a very small amout of air flow at best. take the oil cap off an unhealthy (low compression/oil burning) engine while running and you'll feel puffs of air... Maybe this is caused by something else but it's something I've noticed with a high level of consistency...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SkoundrelUSA &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Valve cover is painted but I covered up the threads so paint isn't on it.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I'm not curious about the threads, but the actual surface of the valvecover where the gasket on the cap meets the valvecover itself.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Marauder &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The oil caps on the end of the valve cover tend to leak a lot. When I had my integra, it did as well, and I changed it with a new one that had two o-rings instead of 1.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

I've always used the OE rubber ones that are not the plastic with the o-rings.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by B18C5-EH2 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I'm not curious about the threads, but the actual surface of the valvecover where the gasket on the cap meets the valvecover itself.</TD></TR></TABLE>

that whole "polished" area was taped off when I painted it.

 

I currently have this problem also. I don't know if its because of cold weather since it never appeared during the summer. I thought it was my head gasket that was blown and leaking coolant in that corner but my car isnt overheating or losing coolant. I then let it sit for 3 weeks since I went away to college. Checked it last weekend, and I saw oil dripping down from the Vtec Soleniod. Cleaned it off and around the cam cap. I guess mine is slowly leaking over a long period of time.

But can somone clarify that it cannot be coolant thats leaking in that corner?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EM1_ChRiS &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
But can somone clarify that it cannot be coolant thats leaking in that corner?</TD></TR></TABLE>

This might sound too obvious, but coolant and oil look completely different. I also don't typically see head gaskets ever leaking coolant on the outside of the engine - when they leak it usually leaks into the cylinders and the coolant burned through the exhaust and you'll not see it on the floor.

 

Ok, that had me worried. I knew it couldnt be coolant because my car was running fine. I guess I need to find where its really leaking from. Good thing it's not leaking a whole lot.

 

could be the oil cap but I got my headgasket repleced and that stopped it every b series I know it comes like that I would say change the head gasket and the cam seal cap like pictured above on page 1 I guess and your straight

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Markb16a &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">could be the oil cap but I got my headgasket repleced and that stopped it every b series I know it comes like that I would say change the head gasket and the cam seal cap like pictured above on page 1 I guess and your straight</TD></TR></TABLE>

Are you kidding me?!

Well I hate to dissappoint you, but here's a pic of my B18C5 in all of it's non head gasket oil leaking glory:





Gee I guess I must not have a b-series then since mine doesn't have that "every B-series comes like that" oil leak from my "head gasket."

Oh and before any contraversy insues the first pic is with my then newly-purchased brand new ITR tranny, which won't have a VIN plate, and the second pic is from years ago with my original ITR tranny with the matching VIN plate. That just illustrates even further that my **** doesn't leak!

For good measure my wife's B16A2 never leaked oil there either. Must not have been a real b-series, eh?

 

Damn here I come with another b-series that doesn't have oil leaking from the corner of the head gasket!



I mean I could go on and on, but get the point - they do not all leak, and even if there is oil in the area where the block code is stamped I would be willing to be you it's not even coming from the head gasket. Why in the fuuck would I even bother making this topic if I hadn't seen countless of these b-series engines in my shop with leaky cam plugs/VTEC valve gaskets when customers came in telling me "my head gasket is leaking oil." I'm just trying to help people from doing a bunch of bullshit extra work to fix an oil leak.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Markb16a &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">could be the oil cap but I got my head gasket replaced and that stopped it every b series I know it comes like that I would say change the head gasket and the cam seal cap like pictured above on page 1 I guess and your straight</TD></TR></TABLE>

This is completely wrong. I have worked on to many Civics and Integras, and that "leaking head gasket" is always the dist. o-ring or the VTEC solenoid gaskets. I'm not trying to be mean, but to say all B-series have leaking head gaskets is absurd. Get a good flashlight and look a little harder for the leak.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by B18C5-EH2 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I mean I could go on and on, but get the point - they do not all leak, and even if there is oil in the area where the block code is stamped I would be willing to be you it's not even coming from the head gasket. Why in the fuuck would I even bother making this topic if I hadn't seen countless of these b-series engines in my shop with leaky cam plugs/VTEC valve gaskets when customers came in telling me "my head gasket is leaking oil." I'm just trying to help people from doing a bunch of bullshit extra work to fix an oil leak.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

Your right on!!!!!!1 Keep spreading the truth
How much money would these guys waste changing a bunch of head gaskets. OMG!!

 

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

Your right on!!!!!!1 Keep spreading the truth
How much money would these guys waste changing a bunch of head gaskets. OMG!!</TD></TR></TABLE>

The crazy part is I've had customers INSIST it's the head gasket to my face! I'll sit there and tell them I've seen this countless times before, and it wasn't the head gasket, yet they insist! I mean if I was a crook I'd charge them $800.00 for a head gasket, fix the cam plug, VTEC valve gaskets, or distributor o-ring and call them and tell them it's fixed.

See I'm not about to make fun of someone for being ignorant in this situation, but when I've clearly pointed out common leaks commonly mistaken for a leaky head gasket and a guy STILL wants to argue I cannot help but tell the guy what an idiot he is.

 

:sarcasm:
dude, my headgasket is leaking oil soo hard it's getting squirted up onto the dizzy/solenoid.... seriously... it's all over the side of the head... The shop I took it to kicks ***, they had the headgasket changed in under an hour!!!!
/:sarcasm:

 

I have an oil leak but mine is on the corner by the power steering. I replaced the cam seals and the crank pulley seal; I even retorqued the head and I am still dripping oil everytime the engine runs. Please help? for the record I have a b16a1

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by slimisred &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I have an oil leak but mine is on the corner by the power steering. I replaced the cam seals and the crank pulley seal; I even retorqued the head and I am still dripping oil everytime the engine runs. Please help? for the record I have a b16a1</TD></TR></TABLE>

Tough call.

Could be the cam towers/caps on the very end of the head - they need Honda bond between them and the head itself when reassembling.

Could be the big allen plugs that hold the rocker rods in place - if they are leaking remove them, add some plumbers pipe thead sealer gunk on the threads, and reinstall them. These are not a common leak, but it can happen.

Could be the valvecover itself if the grommets are worn out and need to be replaced.

Could be a pinched cam or crank seal - I'd recheck them too.

 

I have seen a few that leaked from the headgasket. They have things in common:

They were rebuilt
Most were LS/gasket (used the proper HG)

But most of the leaks do come from the dizzy, vtec assembly.