Cleft_Asunder

iTrader: (1)

Happy 4th ay? Pic showing blue radiator fluid. Gasket seems to be leaking in between IM and block. Gasket looks worn. It's weird though, I haven't had any issues with ANY leaking prior to replacing my thermostat, but it isn't coming from that area. Any tips on this job? I have the shop manual but sometimes it doesn't mention certain things. What do I need from honda, a gasket? Anything else?

civicsrcool

are you sure thats a coolant leak? could just be residue of some sort.. i dont think there are any coolant passaged in that area of the head. unless im looking at it completely wrong.

it wouldnt hurt to get one of those UV test kits. you pour in some special liquid wherever you wanna find the leak, then drive it around like you do normally. the next night while the lights are out wear the glasses the kit provides you and it makes the liquid you poured in the radiator or wherever glow in the dark. hence showing you where your leak is coming from.

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

wipe that clean and see if it comes back. may be false alarm

Cleft_Asunder

iTrader: (1)

It's not. I ran my finger under there and it is a constant leak. It has been coming out hard and resovoir goes empty every day.

I am so ****ed. I removed the manifold but the 4 top screws that secure it, well, I broke all 4. I took a big breaker bar and wasn't thinking about which direction I was going, and I turned clockwise. Holy ****! I thought I loosend them but I tightened and broke them!

Cleft_Asunder

iTrader: (1)

The only thing I can think of is to degrease bolts perfectly, then take red auto loctit to a nut and screw it on. Wait a day for it to secure, then torque it suing the nut counterclockwise to remove it. IF it is threaded on the other side. Oh it better be threaded!

greeen01civic4d

iTrader: (7)

take 2 nuts and screw them on, tighten onto each other, and the use to loosen the studs, they are removable and threaded

Cleft_Asunder

iTrader: (1)

Hmm, another option is to weld a nut on.

Cleft_Asunder

iTrader: (1)

Thanks so much! Very simple I willl try it!

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

ouch sucks man. im about to work on the car right now i hope i dont break any bolts lol.

greeen01civic4d

iTrader: (7)

u got it man, has worked for me tons of times

Cleft_Asunder

iTrader: (1)

Thanks again, but all I had room for was 1 bolt on 3 of the scews. Yet that's all it took. I torqued on the stock nut to adequate force, then unscrewed and the screw moved out very easily --all 4 did. Now I wonder if honda stocks those bolts...

I would say do red loctite if you only have room for one and it's NOT going with one nut. You will break the nut before the loctite gives, it's so strong.

greeen01civic4d

iTrader: (7)

no, i doubt honda stocks these, i had to do the same thing

Cleft_Asunder

iTrader: (1)

So what did you do, majestic honda? They take forever to ship to me.

I also wanted to ask if you know an easy way to take off the old gasket. It is stuck on there in many places and doesn't want to come off easily.

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

they sell a great heavy duty gasket scraper at the auto store.

greeen01civic4d

iTrader: (7)

yea, use a scraper, and majestic should have this, when u said stock it, i thought u meant in stock, but yea, they arent that expensive, u could get them from ur local honda dealer for cheap, i think they are like 4 bucks a piece at most.... but yea, scraper ftw, then use a die grinder to get rid of the rest

Cleft_Asunder

iTrader: (1)

Thanks.

God, I hope it's not my cylinder head that's leaking... is that possible? The fluid doesn't run through a gasket in there, does it?

greeen01civic4d

iTrader: (7)

its possible that the headgasket is leaking, but i doubt it

FGCOUPE

Both oil and rad fluid flow through the headgasket just to answer that question. I never read the entire thread but many things can or cannot be
seen with problems arising from this gasket.

~Fluid foam over through the resevoir ~ Cracked headgasket
~Loss of Fluid but no leak ~ Burning up in the cylinder(s) Sometimes noticed by white smoke from the exhaust and/or a sweet odor (Rad fluid)
~ Oil greyish in color or merky - Rad fluid in oil

just a few examples?

greeen01civic4d

iTrader: (7)

dont forget coolant pushing backwards into the overflow tank

FGCOUPE

im assuming you alreaedy knew this but i thought id bring it up anyhow...
the hose right above the problem has no clamp? was this picture taken after the fact?

Cleft_Asunder

iTrader: (1)

That's what I originally suspected was the problem, but the thing is on there so tight that there's no way it could be leaking. So I never took it off.

Cleft_Asunder

iTrader: (1)

Well looks like nothing is in stock, so I have to wait till tuesday to get everything. I hate how they charge twice as much as majestic, but shipping is much quicker.

Cleft_Asunder

iTrader: (1)

Does this look like a blown headgasket to you all? I ran 3 oz. of acetone for a full tank to see if it would boost MPG. If it's a blown gasket, the acetone is probably the culprite since it did boost engine power, but not MPG. But then again, last summer I was going up the usual steep incline back to my house, and I was pushing the car pretty hard, I noticed that something odd happened. It felt as if pressure got released.

Another thing is that when I replaced the thermostat with a non-oem one last year --I don't know if this was after or before the above situation-- the radiator fluid was boiling in the resovoir. The problem went away by itself until now.

I wonder if this is related to the engine sound I'm hearing, which everyone says might be caused by detonation.

Cleft_Asunder

iTrader: (1)

I also want to ask about the thermostat. I replaced it with a Honda one, but I remember reading something about not exposing it to air or something like that? It said something along the lines of "If it's exposed to air, do not install." *shrug*

Cleft_Asunder

iTrader: (1)

I'm wondering. If I am going to replace the HG, why would I want to add factory parts again? The stock HG obviously sucks, at least the one I have. I've read that Honda used a problematic HG on one of the 6th gen years, but I'm not sure if that's what I have in my car.

I was thinking I can upgrade to a steel HG and ARP bolts. Bad or good idea? I know I'm not racing, but I want something that is reliable. I don't want to do this **** again. If it's a good idea, what brand of headgasket should I get? What about the head gasket kits? They come with valve stems and stuff...

Jza

I had no idea you could see the actual gasket like that.

FGCOUPE

if you are going to replace the HG and replace it with an aftermarket one, i highly recommend using Steel HG and ARP studs FTW!

Cleft_Asunder

iTrader: (1)

Even though I don't race? Reliability is my concern. And what particular steel one do you recommend? I would also like to get the ARP bolts. Expensive! Oh well... much cheaper than taking it into honda and getting stock components. It's like a 500 dollar job. I wonder if the torque is the same for ARP bolts as stock, or will I have to torque them more than 55ft/lbs?

And how many mm is a D16Y7? 76?

Cleft_Asunder

iTrader: (1)

Mmmm, I think it's normal, but I don't think the protrusion is normal. It should be flush with head and block from what I know.

Cleft_Asunder

iTrader: (1)

The people at honda tech are telling me to go with a stock HG and stock bolts.