B20 VTEC headgaskets?

[CivicB20B]

I have the Golden Eagle VTEC conversion kit on my B20B and it's working great. The headgasket though is leaking in the corners. Everything was torqued correctly using ARP studs. I have head that it is better to use the B20 head gasket instead of the Golden Eagle which is a B16 (P30) head gasket modified to 84mm. Which is better? Stock or modified. This oil leak is pissing me off.

 

[Bl6CRX]

oem b20 gasket is holding down my setup, along with a couples friends cars, one boosted and one very built allmotor, id always prefer stock over something modified to fit the larger bore and over some after market ones like cometic, to cometic gaskets in particular

 

[CivicB20B]

The Golden Eagle is a factory OEM Honda gasket but they use a B16A gasket laser cut to 84mm. I'm gonna rebuild it and get a different gasket. Which should I use, the modified Golden Eagle or the B20B gasket?

 

[artyk]

Man this thing drove me crazy too!!!

my head came off 5 time before we had a working solution.

basically i followed everyones advise (which was very helpful) but it eliminated everything and then i was left with nothing.

What i did was port match the B16 head to the b20 head gasket (factory one).
I looked at golden eagle and also a cometic one, they did jack sh*t!!

The port matching worked out awsome cos usual there is only 2-3mm of contact for a few of the oil galeries before it leaks. Now i have a good 5mm.

I have some picks that i will try to post up of it in the next few day so you can check it out..

Do a search on b20/vtec and you'll see what other had to say whilst i had this problem.

cheers
ARtyK

 

[CivicB20B]

I'm gonna tear it down tonight and see what's going on. I'm also gonna check the straightness with a machinest edge. I'm gonna use a P8R B20B head gasket so we'll see what happens.

 

[Import Builders]

I have 1 question before we decide what sucks and whats good. 1 simple question.

Does your head gasket that is leaking have the NUMBERS imprinted into it on that stainless steel middle layer TAB that sticks out on 1 side?

OR

Is that tab smooth, with no numbers?

That will tell me everything I need to know to answer.

Jeff

 

[CivicB20B]

It has the Honda numbers in it. P30XXXX. It's from Golden Eagle and came in a Honda bag. I took it apart tonight and noticed oil in the fron corners of the gasket. The plug that was tapped isn't leaking.

 

[Import Builders]

ok, if it had the numbers its good. Its not the gaskets fault then. Something is uneven or not torqued properly, its as simple as that.

Jeff

 

[CivicB20B]

I checked the clearences on the head and the head was perfectly straight. The block was only .002 off and the service limit is .004 minimum. I redid everything with a B20 gasket and it's doing alright. I have a slight oil leak from the distributor side of the head but the gasket is dry and is coming down the tranny, I'm almost certain it is the distributor seal.

 

[CivicB20B]

OK I finished it and it is still leaking oil. This time it is ONLY on the distributor side of the engine. It is going down the tranny and back of the motor. I did everything correctly. I made sure it was all straight and this time I did the torque on the ARP studs in the steps. 22-44-65. I did everything as instructed and it is still leaking. I used a B20 head gasket and removed the copper rings and enlarged the dowels. I don't know what to do now.

 

[Import Builders]

its the distributor I bet. Its easy to tell, clean that sucker.

 

[Johnnylawless]

I had kinda the same prob and pulled my head twice (B18C5) and it ended up being the distributer O-Ring itself. it would leak down to the front on the headgasket then onto the motor id plate, so as if to be a head leak. once I replaced that damn o-ring prob solved

JIM

 

[Import Builders]

Seriously, in all my life I have only seen 1 motor, EVER with oil leaking out the head gasket and that was because the guy put the head gasket on upside down.

Jeff

 

[CivicB20B]

The distributor isn't leaking though. There is no oil running down from it. It's totally confusing me now.

 

[Johnnylawless]

check yor camseal on the exhaust side cam and also check your VTEC activation oil switch. I have seen those 2 be a problem too. heres good way to find the leak,
get some carb cleaner or Brakleen (just be carefull around painted surfaces as Brakleen will take off paint)spray clean the areas where the oil is coming from so that you see none, then run the motor for 5-10 mins and inspect again. chances are that it will start dripping or releasing from the leak area. if not. try it again.
Thats the only way I found mine

Good luck,JIM

P.S. Make sure no oil was spilled when filling the engine. the valve cover will drip that shit right down where you seem to be having the problem.

 

[NotUrAverage_Si]

did you torque the head bolts down in the correct sequence?

 

[CivicB20B]

Yes, the were torqued in the right sequence. I drove the car for about 200 miles and the leak has let up a little bit. I'm gonna have to keep an eye on it though.