5th Gen Prelude Head Gasket

[d16hatch]

So I bought a prelude about a month ago. Now I realize why he was selling it. There is a slight leak in the head gasket. I've already put about 3k miles on it since I got it, so the leak is getting worse. There doesnt seem to be any emulsification in the head (no milky substance on the dipstick). But there is a ton of pressure in the head as its forcing oil out past my oil filler cap (the cap is a brand new password jdm cap). The rad fluid is also being depleted. I popped my hood yesterday and there was some green rad fluid on the valve cover (which i assume came out from the oil filler cap, but its strange it was still green). Yesterday while driving, the car also started to smell like gas and i've been getting steadily worse gas mileage.

All that being said, its time to tear the engine apart and get this head gasket replaced.

Does anyone have any recommendations as to where to buy a head gasket for cheap? What are the benefits to a "performance" gasket? I will also need the intake/exhaust manifold gaskets, the valve cover gasket, etc. I will also be doing an oil change and flushing the cooling system. Anything else I should consider?

Thanks

[ThePrimerSuspect]

pressure test the coling system. doesnt sound like a hg by your description.

[The Alchemist]

If your just replacing the gasket yourself, it should be a simple job.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/97-01...Q5fAccessories

Your going to have to set your timing as well so I recomend that you switch your auto tensior out for a manual

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/PRELU...Q5fAccessories

Dont buy that one, but thats what you need. plus all the parts that go along with it. You could go to a junk yard and pull the parts off if you want, should be easier.

[The Alchemist]

Originally Posted by ThePrimerSuspect

pressure test the coling system. doesnt sound like a hg by your description.

I agree as well, sounds strange to me.

[d16hatch]

yeah i'm taking it to my friends shop so we can test it out to make sure, because as you said, not everything lines up directly with a head gasket issue, just some of the things.

[james_ls]

Sounds like you've got a pinhole in a coolant hose somewhere, or a stuck-open thermostat.

[OutToWinPAHC]

Test cooling system at 1.5 bar for at-least 20 minutes. If that passes, check engine compression. No intermix is good, but your loosing coolant. Now if you do find an internal leak (IE HG), don't be the guys who just replaces it.... get the head checked.

[ThePrimerSuspect]

check your rad cap too. i see so many people think they have a bad HG because they cant see a coolant leak. if the rad cap is bad it will evaporate so you will never see a leak.

[420sx]

Originally Posted by OutToWinPAHC

Test cooling system at 1.5 bar for at-least 20 minutes. If that passes, check engine compression. No intermix is good, but your loosing coolant. Now if you do find an internal leak (IE HG), don't be the guys who just replaces it.... get the head checked.

Ill second this. Some guys will tell you to just run a straight edge down the head to make sure its still flat.. I can tell you from experience that this is not an effective way of testing the head. We did this on a Volvo that I did a HG on, and it passed the straight edge test, but when we took it to the machine shop, they still had to take .020" off it. Dont just trust that the head is good, have it verified by a professional.

[SovXietday]

If you do figure out that it is the headgasket, but an OEM HONDA ONE. They are not that expensive, and they are THE best for Honda applications period end of sentence.

As for intake manifold gaskets, OEM works, or the Hondata one is a really nice one to have too.

Also, doing HGs in these cars is a biiiiiitch. So make damn sure it is before you go having fun. Good luck dude.

[d16hatch]

Thanks for your help guys,

I may have to take the car into a shop to have it diagnosed because I can't figure out whats going on. The radiator exploded on friday... the bottom blew apart so I installed a new one on saturday. (perhaps a slow leak that finally blew) I chemical tested the new radiator for exhaust fumes being forced out while running and the fluid stayed blue. However, when the car is running and I take the oil filler cap off... there is a large amount of pulsating air coming out of the filler hole. I dont ever remember this much coming out of any of my other hondas. A lot of my oil loss is definitely being that it is being forced out of the oil filler cap.

Any good reputable shops in the south jersey area that any of you know of? I'm tired of diagnosing/worrying and I need to get it fixed.

[The Alchemist]

So how does oil get forced out of the oil pressure cap?

I would imagine that it gets sent back out teh PVC into the intake mani and burnt from there.

Sucks if you were in the Trenton Area I could probally take a look at it for you.

Water pump might be bad, did you check oil pressure on the block and in the head to see what you are at?

Could be a handful of things, sounds like it actually might be the water pump. If the fins on it broke off it could be clogging up the coolant trails in the head itself.

Might want t pull off the the water pump and take a look.

[d16hatch]

Trenton is not far from here... about 30 mins, I'd be willing to drive if you'd be willing to give it a look when you are free. I'm free Friday after work (I get out at 5).

The whole thing has me confused and I don't know what is a symptom and what is normal anymore haha. May be a stupid question but how would I go about checking the oil pressure in the block/head?

[ThePrimerSuspect]

Oil pressure won't have anything to do with it. What engine is in it? Oil loss is probably rings or valve seals. Does it smoke?

[d16hatch]

doesn't smoke one bit... once, about a month ago i had a puff of white smoke when i put the car in reverse... i've never seen it smoke since.

motor is h22a4 with about 122k on it

[The Alchemist]

Yeah, Im pretty busy. I have today off. Lol

A quick look. Nah, Id be taking it apart to see what the issue is. Free, I like free too, like Free Money.

Nah I dont mind helping people with the cars, I like the experience that I get out of it and making a new friend. Unless you want to pay, Im cool with that.

[ThePrimerSuspect]

Id replace the pcv valve. There's gonna be pressure, but the pcv allows that pressure to escape. But if the valve is stuck closed pressure obviously can't escape. Also if its stuck open it could be forcing fresh air from the throttle body into the valve cover, depending where the pcv is on the intake side.

[d16hatch]

Originally Posted by The Alchemist

Yeah, Im pretty busy. I have today off. Lol

A quick look. Nah, Id be taking it apart to see what the issue is. Free, I like free too, like Free Money.

Nah I dont mind helping people with the cars, I like the experience that I get out of it and making a new friend. Unless you want to pay, Im cool with that.

Oh I certainly never insinuated "free" as a monetary term, only an availability. I would gladly pay to have my car running right.

I have been waiting for a not rainy day to replace the pcv... i also have a new thermostat and also spark plugs to stick in as well. (i don't have a shelter so i'm not getting rained heavily on).

after i replace those things, I planned on getting it compression tested and a leak down if possible. If I'm still having issues maybe we can set something up to meet up, make a friendship, and fix a car haha

[OutToWinPAHC]

You forgot the cooling system test.... very important

[SovXietday]

Something you might want to try.

Take off the rad cap, and using a compression tester fill each cylinder one by one with air. If you start getting bubbles out of the rad, headgasket 100%.