leak from vtec solenoid area

[migoreng]

less than 2 weeks ago my old/brittle vtec gasket was changed(the one with a mesh in the middle. there was still some oil that wasn't cleaned up properly.

i decided to clean under and around my engine today.
5mins later i check again and i notice this under my vtec solenoid.
wtf??!!

i've check the bolts and they are tight.
is there another seal that goes between the vtec solenoid and the engine block?
i can't really see anything leaking from the black o ring at the top.
http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff47/migoreng1/leak/DSC07255Medium.jpg
http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff47/migoreng1/leak/DSC07256Medium.jpg
http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff47/migoreng1/leak/DSC07258Medium.jpg
http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff47/migoreng1/leak/DSC07259Medium.jpg

[vinnY]

http://img103.imageshack.us/img103/1378/vtecfelloffvc4.th.jpg (http://img103.imageshack.us/my.php?image=vtecfelloffvc4.jpg)

you gotta replace the seal there, it's leaking

oh wait you just changed it? well loosen the bolts and tighten each slowly
maybe give it a thin layer of liquid gasket too

[SHOGUNOVDDRK]

Needs more Vtec Fluid Jason ;)

[xntrik]

before or after rocker cover respray

[migoreng]

yes gasket was changed 2 weeks ago by hannys.
i painted my rocker cover a few days ago but there's nothing leaking from it.
after the vtec gasket was changed i actaully did see oil spread out under it and thought it was just oil that leaked before.

i'll see how the car goes again today.

[peejayy]

before or after rocker cover respray

what xntrik was getting at is that even though you might not expect it, it could indeed by a little leak somewhere along the valve cover edge.

What did you do when sealing up the valve cover? Did you liberally use some gasket goo around all the bends/corners on the gasket? because it took my mech a second go (normally doesnt work on hondas) cos the POS gasket doesnt do its job properly.

[migoreng]

my mechanic helped me put the rocker cover on
we used plenty of red rtv gasket maker or something.
there doesn't seem to be any oil at all leaking from the edge/corners of the rocker cover.
for sure it's coming from under the vtec gasket. checked it this morning and oil has spread out again overnight.
i will take my car back to hannys
=_=

[migoreng]

maybe it doesn't leak when the engine is warm...
they gave the area a clean with brake cleaner? (now my dizzy/oilcap/intake etc is brown what's the best way to clean it =_=)

i will see if it leaks down again like the pictures i posted above in the next hour or so.

[migoreng]

crap.
now it's really leaking heaps
nothing is leaking from my valve cover. i sealed it properly when i painted my valve cover a month ago. it's not leaking from the dizzy seal or cam seals or whatever from what i can see.
there's no oil on the sides of the vtec seal. it's leaking from the bottom.

oh well gotta go back to hannys to get it fixed

my oil change is due in 200-300km more...i might as well get the oil/filter changed too.

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff47/migoreng1/leak/DSC07268Large.jpg
http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff47/migoreng1/leak/DSC07271Large.jpg
http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff47/migoreng1/leak/DSC07272Large.jpg

[peejayy]

damn that sucks balls.

[migoreng]

what could of happened :S
faulty vtec gasket?

well the mechs seemed pretty cool. that day they gave the whole area a blast with brake cleaner...
they said bring it back if it leaks again

[vinnY]

take it off and torque it up again all at once
don't do one bolt at a time otherwise it won't seal properly
if anything add a tiny bead of liquid gasket to help it seal
thats what fixed my issue

[bennjamin]

..and dont do it while the block is HOT.

do it on a dead cold engine otherwise you risk a big leak of oil , and also risk snapping the 10mm bolts or snapping into the alloy head.

[migoreng]

well i'm not doing it myself. gonna take it back to hannys.
but when the seal was changed a few weeks ago the engine would have been off for at least 4 hours.

[migoreng]

from looking at the pics what do you guys think is leaking??

[vinnY]

wait so which seal did they replace? because afaik there are two seals for the vtec solenoid

if you refer to my pic in the second post, theres that large one
and then theres another one under the cylindrical thing on the right

[migoreng]

it could be from the black o ring.
they didn't change anything. was told it's best to do everything in one go when i change my timing belt sometime next year.

apparently it's not from the vtec gasket. when they change things they are 100% sure they do it correct the first time.
so i've got a leak under the vtec solenoid. gasket was changed 3 weeks ago but it's still leaking...
therefore it's the black o ring that's leaking? is that right?

[vinnY]

that black o-ring = gasket
which one did they replace?

[migoreng]

only this was replaced before

http://img103.imageshack.us/img103/1378/vtecfelloffvc4.th.jpg (http://img103.imageshack.us/my.php?image=vtecfelloffvc4.jpg)

[vinnY]

probably just not torqued down properly

mine was leaking before, got another replacement and it didn't leak
ended up using the old one on another car and it didn't leak either

[migoreng]

probably just not torqued down properly

mine was leaking before, got another replacement and it didn't leak
ended up using the old one on another car and it didn't leak either

you see the pics i posted yesterday with heaps of oil right?
well i got there and they were like where's the leak?

well when an engine warms up the oil runs down and you can't see it clearly until the car has been parked overnight...


makes me look like an idiot.. lol:zip:

i do think they are great with hondas but can i say?

'you guys didn't torque the gasket down properly last time'

lol

[vinnY]

just let them do their job
they won't like people accusing them or telling them how to do their job

just tell them that its still leaking and you want them to fix it

[migoreng]

yeah i didn't say anything. i just accepted what they told me.

well for now i will deal with this leak and see what happens when the o ring is changed next time.
:S

[migoreng]

hey just want to know what you guys think when someone says 'vtec housing reseal'
i got that done 9 months ago and had a cost of ~$40

[vinnY]

it's either the one in my first post(filter gasket for spool valve)
or solenoid base gasket(located under the cylindrical thing)

[Sir_vtec]

bump!

Does anyone know the part number for the gasket under the cylindrical thing?

very small gasket. its located on top fo the vtec solenoid once u undo the top three 10mm bolts on the head of the solenoid.

I was suppose to replace mine today but i brought the b18c7 gasket which didnt come with a little piece of mesh, and they are all not the same. The jdm b16a one should come with a piece of mesh to filter the oil.

shitting me now.

[vinnY]

thought all vtec solenoids were the same? guess not.

me to the rescue (http://www.ozhonda.com/forum/showthread.php?t=70938&highlight=vtec+solenoid+gasket) again ;)
wanna sell me that gasket? hehe

[Sir_vtec]

yep, theyre different.

Always saving me from punching the car vinny haha

I tried squeezing the new gasket into the vtec solenoid and there is not much of a difference from this gasket to the old one slight difference around the edges and the mesh part.

started the motor and oil leaking out quicker then when having the old seal lol.

If i take it out and u are happy with it then yes u can buy it lol

[Alexx]

yea the differences are subtle, but they are there

The pr3 one is the one you are after afaik. It was what i used in my b16 anyway no problems at all

left to right: B16a1 Soleniod, 15825-PR3-005, 15825-P08-005
http://metahacking.org/webpics/civic/oct10/EF_PR3_vtec_solenoid.jpg

[vinnY]

thought you wanted the smaller one under the cylindrical thing not the actual vtec solenoid gasket?

[Alexx]

reading owns me :o

Then the part you are after for the internal gasket under the cylindrical thing is 36172-PR3-005. Again, im using one in mine with no issues.

[vinnY]

+rep for the pic post anyway :p good to see the subtle difference side by side