Blown Head Gasket/Oil leak

[khai_tuan_nguyen]

What is the difference/ symtoms of a blown head gasket and an oil leak between head and block?

I have a small oil leak between the head and the block on the dist side? How do I know if it a blown head gasket? I just replaced the head gasket.

Is there significant power loss or any problems i can run into with a head leak?

Khai

 

[jamesA]

Do a compression check. Wash off your engine and then drive it around.

 

[94RedSiGal]

Originally posted by revolution8k@Aug 15 2004, 04:03 AM
Do a compression check. Wash off your engine and then drive it around.

[post=377059]Quoted post[/post]​

After you drive it around, check your coolant level, your oil level and the quality of your oil. Make sure that the coolant isn't mixing in with your oil. Also check your exhaust fumes for white vapor trails.

 

[Johnnylawless]

It Could be your distributor o-ring leaking. Very common,drips down the head,then flows onto the headgasket then onto the spot that has the gasket id #'s on it. looks just like a gasket leak.
Hell it's worth a shot to check!!!!!!
Good luck,JIM

 

[Bl6CRX]

yeah its probably the dizzy o-ring or vtec solenoid leaking

 

[khai_tuan_nguyen]

How can I check if it is a dizzy seal or vtec sole seal? Will there be oil around the side where the dizzy is or where the vtec sole is? If it is not easy to see can someone show me a picture?

Thanks
Khai

 

[Arachnid]

yeah, there will be oil around and really close to the dizzy and/or the solenoid. a headgasket leak shouldn't get oil up there.

 

[Johnnylawless]

Look right under each. If its leaking, there should be some oil and maybe some dust on the oil.you can clean the oil off using some spray brake cleaner on the area under your Vtec solenoid and the distributor, also spray the area around the head gasket that has the suspected leak to clean off any oil. Then just keep an eye on that area for oil to appear. Are you using oil more than usual?

 

[posol]

you've got the exact same leak that 80% of built B-series motors get. I have it too. its just a little moistness right in the very corner by the dizzy. it happens to the best of us. The head just never fits PERFECT.

i'm losing less than a tea spoon a week it seems... so its not a big deal to me. if your loosing more, look into getting some sort of sealent on the corner.

 

[khai_tuan_nguyen]

Here is the thing. I was leaking a lot of oil before and just a tiny (hardly noticable) coolant. There was no white smoke It was leaking everywhere, cam seals, distributor side around the header area.

I took the head off, got it decked to make sure it was flat then put it back on. I was assuming the block was flat. I put new str cam seals and a str seal around the vtec solenoid (sp).

It stopped the leaking everywhere except on the distributor side. I have no smoke and am not losing any coolant. I am still losing quite a but of oil. If I take a trip for about 200 miles I lose about a quart, it may be because it is a long trip and it is getting hot, because other than that I am losing a quart every month or so. I also notice more of a leak when i drive hard, hitting vtec and so on.

 

[khai_tuan_nguyen]

hey B,
my leak is not really on just a corner though, it seems to be a lot all along the gasket. I looked for the leak around the distributor and so some dust buildup, but not a whole lot.

Is it possible to have a leak from the gasket, but not have a blown head gasket (ie no white smoke or missing coolant)?

 

[khai_tuan_nguyen]

???

 

[GSRCRXsi]

did you reuse the head gasket when you pulled the head? or did you get a new one?

 

[ohmstable]

Just a wild guess.. but couldn't it be something as simple as the valve cover seal?

 

[khai_tuan_nguyen]

I used a new one. Valvecover does not leak.

Khai