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Discussion - causes for head gasket leakage

Old 12-06-2015
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Re: 2001 Head gasket Again?????

Didn't have much time but went out and played with the car for a little bit. Did a leak down test and all cylinders were 15% or less, that's the good news. Did a pressure test an all cylinders and they seemed ok. Did it again and let each cylinder sit for about 15 minutes. All were good except cylinder #4 had a slow leak into the radiator. So it pretty much confirms head gasket is going to be changed again. I appreciate everybody's comments and advice. Car will have to last until Christmas when I am off for 10 days. I will make sure I get the OEM HG this time and I will changed out the water passage while I am at it. It is running ok and it is a slow leak so I will just top it off in the morning and try to use it just for my son to go to work.

Ed
Old 12-06-2015
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Re: 2001 Head gasket Again?????

Mine lasted for months after diagnosis, you caught it early too, so you likely safe.

Ok, case solved, discuss to your hearts content
Old 12-06-2015
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Re: 2001 Head gasket Again?????

Just additional datapoint, but I drove from Quebec to TN, 1200 miles, after months that I diagnosed the gasket, and it was still not overheating. You going to be safe
Old 12-06-2015
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Re: 2001 Head gasket Again?????

Originally Posted by sdaidoji
Just additional datapoint, but I drove from Quebec to TN, 1200 miles, after months that I diagnosed the gasket, and it was still not overheating. You going to be safe
As long as the radiator is kept full.
Old 12-07-2015
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Re: 2001 Head gasket Again?????

Originally Posted by sdaidoji
Mine lasted for months after diagnosis, you caught it early too, so you likely safe...
So, for the rest of us who tend to panic at any sign of oil in the coolant, or the mere mention of a headgasket, and quickly hide our head in a bucket of oily rags... at what point does it become imperative to pull the head and do the job?
Old 12-07-2015
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Re: 2001 Head gasket Again?????

@ezone: Is the current OEM headgasket, or gasket set, significantly different from the factory original?
Old 12-07-2015
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Re: 2001 Head gasket Again?????

Originally Posted by PMI
So, for the rest of us who tend to panic at any sign of oil in the coolant, or the mere mention of a headgasket, and quickly hide our head in a bucket of oily rags... at what point does it become imperative to pull the head and do the job?
99% only seep from the combustion chamber into the cooling system. Fluids don't mix and you don't lose compression.........Maybe AFTER it's been allowed to overheat bad enough to warp the head and become a disaster, but not initially.

Come to think of it, I haven't even seen one flame cut the gasket, head, or block so far. Lucky, I guess?

Originally Posted by PMI
@ezone: Is the current OEM headgasket, or gasket set, significantly different from the factory original?
The Honda part number suggests there have been revisions.
Old 12-07-2015
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Re: 2001 Head gasket Again?????

Originally Posted by PMI
So you are saying that the typical failure is ONLY between combustion chambers and cooling system, and not oil passages? Otherwise pressure in the cooling system would push coolant into the oil after you turn the engine off.
The leak typically begins as a teensy little breach in the fire ring. Not the oil passages.



(that is exactly how it went on a different 4-cyl motor I had).
Different engine is different.

This isn't your other motor, the rules everyone is used to don't always have to apply.



In the past I noticed that Honda changed a p/n when the part came from a different supplier, but did not necessarily signal a material change or improvement.
Any change is a change. Supplier or improvement are still changes. I have no way of knowing what the changes were, all I see is the part number has apparently changed since introduction.
Is there a higher quality aftermarket part??
I don't know.....I use factory with no problems that I'm aware of.

Apparently for Scout1 it isn't Felpro.
Old 12-07-2015
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Re: 2001 Head gasket Again?????

Originally Posted by PMI
So, for the rest of us who tend to panic at any sign of oil in the coolant, or the mere mention of a headgasket, and quickly hide our head in a bucket of oily rags... at what point does it become imperative to pull the head and do the job?
the first time it overheats is the cut line. better do it before it does, and when it does, quick action (stop, park and let it cool.)
Old 12-07-2015
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Re: 2001 Head gasket Again?????



All cars have 4 wheels, therefore they are all the same.


Everyone with a shoebox full of tools has the exact same abilities and talents.
If I speak louder and slower you will understand better.

Wait, that's all management thinking.





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Old 12-08-2015
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Re: 2001 Head gasket Again?????

Originally Posted by ezone
At least you seem to understand a used car can have issues and problems just like any other car.

Too many people expect every used car (hell, every car) to be absolutely perfect and never ever wear out or break.....and nobody would ever knowingly sell a used car that has a major problem.

At work we have a saying: The used car window sticker says "AS IS", not "as if".
Originally Posted by turd_ferguson
My car turn out to be a costly wench..but, i still love 'er.

Amen to y'all
(Darn, multiquote missed PMI post...)

So, the lingering question from scout1 seem to be the tty bolts?
Old 12-08-2015
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Re: 2001 Head gasket Again?????

Originally Posted by sdaidoji
So, the lingering question from scout1 seem to be the tty bolts?
I've never found any but I didn't go further than the Honda parts catalog, It's entirely possible some other manufacturer uses a similar size but I have not pursued that avenue.

I believe Kinakoes contacted ARP and did some other searching without success, before he left the forum.
Old 12-09-2015
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Re: 2001 Head gasket Again?????

Wow 4 pages. Didn't mean to take up everybody's time but discussion is good. I have started to plan my course of action and have checked at the dealer for the OEM gaskets and can have them in a day. Price of the OEM head gasket is $44.70 but will get it anyway. I just want to do this right and make it last this time. I did everything I could to do it by the book last time. Had the head professionally redone. I checked and cleaned the surface of the block and found no issues. Used a Felpro gasket set which I thought was good but will not use this time. Cleaned the head bolts and holes. Put oil on threads and torqued according to torque spec and pattern from the manual. I did not put any kind of sealer on the gasket and as far as I know I put the gasket on right side up. I can't remember but I think it was marked this side up but will double check that when I take it apart. The only thing is I have a cheap torque wrench. That is the only thing I think may be the problem. This time I will borrow a better one and compare it to mine and see if mine is off. Thanks again and I will report back when I tear into this job.

Ed
Old 12-09-2015
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Re: 2001 Head gasket Again?????

Originally Posted by Scout1
...The only thing is I have a cheap torque wrench. That is the only thing I think may be the problem...
So do I, it is one of the new-ish Sears wrenches that nobody seems to like. However, I did an informal comparison with an older and more expensive SK Tools wrench, and it was right on, except at the very low end of the scale, and even there it was still within spec.
Old 05-20-2018
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Re: Discussion - causes for head gasket leakage

Okay so i have an 03 honda civic lx 1.7, i just replaced the head gasket, and had the cylinder head reman, put it all back together and replaced the coolant temp sensor, and the t-stat, and the fan switch, also the water pump and belt were put new as the head was off. Ive done all this and the car still overheats, ive notice that even though i just replaced the fan switch in idle the cycle fine, but i text drive it and come to a stop and let it idle again the fans wont turn on anymore and the car will overheat again, also ive tried bypassing the fans and drive it like that, the car was still overheating, im a complete loss, and very frustrated please help.
Old 05-20-2018
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Re: Discussion - causes for head gasket leakage

You listed everything but the actual radiator which certainly could be plugged up inside.
Old 05-20-2018
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Re: Discussion - causes for head gasket leakage

I took the rad out and had it check it wasnt plugged nor cracked and i cleaned the condenser
Old 06-26-2018
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Re: 2001 Head gasket Again?????

Originally Posted by ezone
Pressurizing each cylinder to 150-175 PSI should prove or disprove a combustion chamber breach (head gasket).

The results of that test would dictate the next step.
first off...
thanks for all the great advice.
Ive been working on the sister in laws Civic.
Replaced the simple stuff. It has the coolant into the overflow symptom. Not all the time.
All the head gasket tests were negative.
Until I did the pressure test WITH THE ENGINE HOT.
#4 cylinder. Pushing fluid out of the radiator.
Everything was fine with the engine cold.

Now...
Is the repair going to last?
What is the consensus on the graphite head gaskets?

Thanks!!!
Old 06-27-2018
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Re: Discussion - causes for head gasket leakage

use an oem honda gasket, DO NOT use an aftermarket gasket
make sure you get the head checked by a machine shop to make sure its not warped
make your you bleed the cooling system properly afterwards
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Old 06-27-2018
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Re: Discussion - causes for head gasket leakage

That is the plan.
I'm just hopeful that I get more than a couple months out of the repair.
Another 100k would be nice.
Old 06-13-2020
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Re: 2001 Head gasket Again?????

[QUOTE=PMI;4699680]Any idea why so many engines need a headgasket?

The last car (diff make) I had that had headgasket issues, first overheated which was caused by sludge and poor oil circulation. This in turn was the result of a sub-par crankcase venting component, a $5 one-way valve. End result was first a bad turbo, and later, bad headgasket.

So, more than likely, there will be an underlying cause. Deck gets warped eady bad engine design,,
Old 06-13-2020
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Re: Discussion - causes for head gasket leakage

Deck get warped easy bad engine design no meat around the cylinders
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