new headgasket, cooling systems repair

NYSpeed Automotive
1

this is for a 95 acura integra w/ a b18b

i’m installing a new headgasket and arp headstuds/headbolts on my motor tomorow because i am pretty 90% sure i have a blown headgasket
(fuck it i already bought the parts anyways, and im boosting; rather be safe than sorry)

My only question is are the torque specs the same as would be for oem headstuds/bolts? maybe it’s a silly question but cannot hurt to ask

The car was doing this: which lead me to believe a bad headgasket

-Overheating
-Burning coolant, can smell coolant thru the heater
-blowing white smoke out of exhaust

There was no oil/coolant mixed together in either the oil or the overflow, which i guess is a “good sign”

Also, i am guessing there is something wrong with my radiator fan, as it has not moved, i cant remember it actually ever moving since i’ve owned the car.

I got a new slimfan, along with a half size radiator that i will be throwing in as well because i need to, but should i also replace the fan fuse/relay? since it is not working? or is it something else

Supposedly my waterpump is new, so i am not going to attribute that to my problems, and i trust the guy, but i did purchase a new thermostat/gasket since i have to replace the whole cooling system, and its only a 12$ part.

-Upper radiator hose was extremely hot, i forgot to check the bottom one, i cannot remember what it means, but either way leads me to believe it is malfunctioning/stuck

What else should i check while im doing all of this that could attribute to shitting cooling?

My idle is F’d, so im going to be cleaning my FITV & IACV, as well as replacing the intake manifold gasket and checking all vacuum lines

i have brake cleaner, what else would u recommend for cleaning the iacv/fitv that would be better?

And last but not least (lol sorry), which type of coolant would you suggest me running?

Thanks if you actually read this!

2

Throttle body/choke cleaner but Google says brake cleaner should work just as well.

3

the studs should come w/ torque specs, if not do it to whatever oem bolts are…something like 65 or 75 ft-lbs?

also, coolant in a B-series runs from the top of the rad to the bottom, so the upper will always be hotter than the lower.

but yeah sounds like classic blown headgasket from ur other issues.

might wanna use a precision straight edge to check the deck and head are straight before u put the HG on…otherwise you’ll blow it again if they are warped or anything.

4

yeah i was gonna do this as well, i wish this would have happened when it was warmer out because i dont really know how long it has been “blown”

how much does it usually cost to get the head milled if it is warped?
would i just be better off just buying a new motor then
id jus scrap the block n save the internals if that were the case, i only plan on running this motor until like november

5

If you want I will do the HG for $150, can have it done in an hour.

6

no thanks, but thank you for the offer

7

an hour!? you’re hired! Seriously, you can’t do this in an hour.

Eric- top hose hot bottom hose not…either air needs to be bleed from the system, or your thermostat failed (which will quickly cause overheating)
Another very common thing - check your lower radiator hose where it clamps to the radiator, they are known to rot and when the system is pressured, it fucks shit up and doesn’t completly hold the hose on

coolant - regular green prestone, mix it 50/50 with distilled water. you can actually go a little heavier on the water because water cools better than coolant but don’t go too crazy because you lower the boiling point of your mixture

torque specs are different - call arp and they’ll let you know - be sure to use the moly lube when assembling and when you are using the torque wrench do it in steps, and when you get to the final tightening phase try to sweep the wrench consistantly so it clicks (or however your wrench indicates) while you are in the sweep. if you stop when it’s pretty tight, your wrench will probably click trying to restart a new sweep.

8

Mr Barton had my b16 head off my lsvtec integra back in the day decked and jet washed and back to me in like 3 days Id give him a shout about it if yours is warped or off, He knows where to take that kinda stuff.

9

the studs are hand tight with loctite into the block and i believe theyre around 80ft/lbs for the nuts.
they should come with specs though just to be sure.
and if you dont have the specs, i have them in my garage. just let me know

10

Pretty much, I was just in your shop last week talking to Paul, I had the jeep( you guys put the tires on my jeep, very happy with them by the way, and paul is a pretty cool guy, much respect), I can do a d15 1 hour, b18 might take a little longer withe the cams, but i think I can do it pretty quick, I have done a shit load of them, that how I get most of my cars I sell either with blown motor s and I swap em or blown head gaskets. Not saying im a genius or anything just saying im pretty quick.Anyway, I think I could do a b18 under an hoour no prob.

Actully, I have done it on my old SIR. I might go as far as saying I have done it as fast as a half hour on my B16.

11

LS is easy to pull the head…VTEC heads are a BITCH

12

I agree LS heads are easier to pull off, but 1 hour is still crazy. draining and filling/bleeding coolant take like 20-30 minutes right there. an hour is still fast as hell. And seriously I guess you’re hired. :wink: I remember you, you were mad cool and your jeep was pretty cool (for a jeep). Enjoy the tires and thanks for the business.

13

i’ve never done this before, so it may take some time

14

copper spray the fuck out of the HG

15

ARP head studs should be installed in the block after the threads are cleaned out, use ARP moly lube on the threads of the stud going into the block, not Loctite unless you want them in permanently. They should be installed hand tight only. Coat the threads with a thin layer of moly lube, run the nuts up and down the stud a few times to spread the moly lube out, this will equalize the torque when you go to tighen the head. Torque the cylinder head in three steps using the factory sequence to ARP torque specs. Those head studs should be torqued to 70 ft. lbs.

16

-if you can smell coolant through the heater your heater core is leaking.

-definitely get the head checked and decked. I cant remember what I paid to have it done to my civic, but do not skip that step.

-fuses dont go bad unless they are blown and you can check/swap relays.

-if you are changing the hg change the water pump and timing belt, cheap insurance.

-bad idle could be because your car is trying to burn coolant.

Get a haynes manual from autozone if you dont have one and follow it step by step. It does go relatively quick once the intake manifold is off. Also, make sure you have a quality torque wrench.

17

↑ IM is not necessary to take off.

18

i pulled everything, well i drained the cooling sytem and got all the hoses off and was about to pull the valve cover to pull the head but i stopped because it was getting dark/food, came back on and decided that it’s going to need a few more things looked over than a simple headgasket swap, none of which i can do, and i cannot bring the car anywhere once the head is off, and i dont want to fuck up the new headgasket

i threw everything back together and went to go pick up food and it starting overheating and smoking so i said :fu: and pulled over and nothing was leaking, everything seemed fine etc etc

i HATE this car

19

it is (or very well should be) if the head is getting checked and decked…

20

↑ Ya, why? Do you need to make sure the IM is straight? Waste of $8 for IM gasket, dont waste your time, you do not need to remove it unless it is leaking.