fperra

Coolant can leak into the cylinder, into the oil passages, and/or to the outside of the block. The head gasket seals all three areas.

jyeung528

OK,

but if coolant were to leak from the head gasket, wouldn't it be mixed with oil? or at the least be burning and causing white smoke?

if it were to only leak by itself (just green coolant) without smoke, I presume I can rule out that its coming from the head gasket, correct?

trich1687

No, You presume wrong. I have seen head gaskets on other cars leak clean coolant to the exterior. Depends on which area of the gasket is leaking. Did you pull and replace the head yourself or have someone do it. What was your method to torque it down?

jyeung528

Long story...

did the assembly on my own with a friend.

long story > short:

torqued cylinder head bolts to 22lb.

drove for 2 weeks.

found out had to have 2 quarter turns after 22 lb.

lifted valve cover and removed cams. torqued one bolt with beam and it moved at 25 lb. torqued it 1/4 turn...it went to 70lb.

torqued the rest of the bolts to 70lb.

torqued first bolt another 1/4 and measured to be at 105 lb.

torqued the rest of the bolts to 105 lb.

drove home....coolant leaked at that point.

all hoses were dry, coolant leaking from bottom of oil pan/transmission.

saw puddle below intake manifold so tightened the intake manifold..and it stopped leaking.

jyeung528

also, why were these cars leaking from the head gasket?

jyeung528

and...thats a nice picture of chick with s2000 tank top.

Stratocaster

Sounds like you installed the head gasket wrong.

Step 1.
Torque head bolt in pattern to 22lbs.
In the same pattern, turn each bolt 90 degrees
Again, in the same pattern turn each bolt another 90 degrees
If the headbolts are new, turn them, again in the same pattern, another 90 degrees.

Sounds to me that you have warped the head by installing the bolts wrong. Did you install it as I described?

Slows2k

The cylinder head was not torqued properly

jyeung528

I did not torque the head as described in the manual.

Manual:
1- all bolts to 22lb in sequence.
2- all bolts, in sequence 90 degree turn.
3 - all bolts, in sequence another 90 degree turn.
4 - IF NEW, all bolts, in sequence another 90 degree turn.

WHAT I DID:
1 - all bolts to 22lb in sequence.
2 - drive for 2 weeks. no leaks.
3 - remove valve cover, remove cams.
4 - 1st bolt torqued another 90 degree. using beam-type torque wrench, the bolt moved at 25lb and after 90 degrees reached 70lb.
5 - continued to 2nd bolt and the rest in sequence to 70 lb, all were approximately 90 degree, but definitely to 70 lb as I used a click type torque wrench for the rest of the bolts.
6 - 1st bolt torqued another 90 degree. using beam-type torque wrench, the bolt moved at 70 lb and reached 105 lb after 90 degrees.
7 - continued to 2nd bolt and the rest in sequence to 105 lb, all were approximately 90 degree turns, but definitely to 105 lb as I used a click type torque wrench for the rest of the bolts.

In the end, all my cylinder head bolts are torqued to 105 lb.

jyeung528

not as the manual prescribed...

but i figure since i set them all to 22lb and drove on it...I would add 2 additional 90 degree turns...measure the lb/ft and apply that same amount of torque to all the bolts.

the coolant was leaking from the intake manifold gasket, as I installed a hondata. after re-torquing the intake manifold, the leak is gone.

so far, the head gasket is not leaking...