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Head Gasket

Tiny
EDDLOPEZ
  • MEMBER
  • 1998 HONDA CRV
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 118,051 MILES
This Car had a blown head gasket and was replaced with OEM head gasket. The Cylinder head was taken to a machine shop to get resurfaced and to replace the valve guide seals. After the job was done the car started smoking massive amounts blue/grayish smoke(burning oil)only on start-up. After the car was driven for about a min or two the smoke would go away. I checked all cylinders and found oil on top of the number 2, 3, 4 cylinders but 1 was bone dry. Checked the compression and all cylinders checked out in the high 170's no major difference in between. My question is, could there be a problem with the head gasket? I've been told that it could be either the rings or the valve guide seals. Any suggestions would be gladly taken.

Thanks.
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Sunday, January 9th, 2011 AT 11:56 PM

7 Replies

Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,815 POSTS
After repair to the cylinder head, you would have to run the engine to clear any oil that were applied while installing components. Smoke should go away after some running.

If it is any problem, it would be with the valve seals. For piston rings, unless they are in very bad condition, if not they would not produce smoke at low engine rpm.
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Friday, April 23rd, 2021 AT 9:33 AM
Tiny
EDDLOPEZ
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Thank you for the reply. The car has been driven for about two weeks now and it still does the same thing so I kno it's not the exhaust that's contaminated. I'm almost 100% sure it's not the head gasket. There is no oil in the coolant or coolant in the oil. The compression checked out good and the car runs perfect. I'm going to replace the valve guide seals, which I believe is the more reasonable thing to do. I spoke with the guys at the machine shop and they did not use oem seals. They used a universal set.
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Friday, April 23rd, 2021 AT 9:33 AM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,815 POSTS
I would agree that the valve seals are more likely to be the cause.

Ensure the valve guides are not worn allowing the valves to have too much side movement.
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Friday, April 23rd, 2021 AT 9:33 AM
Tiny
EDDLOPEZ
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
I replaced the valve stem seals, and the car still smokes. Any suggestions? I don't know what else it could be. I believe it's either going to be the piston rings or I did something wrong with the installation of the cylinder head. I'm lost.
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Friday, April 23rd, 2021 AT 9:33 AM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,815 POSTS
The head gasket should not be a problem as any fault would result in either compression, coolant or oil leakages but not heavy smoke.

After replacement of the seals, how much running time have you covered? Could it be residual oil in exhaust shyatem? I would suggest monitoring the oil level after some running time, maybe 1000k and see if there are any oil consumption.

As I mentioned before, piston rings would smoke at high engine rpms and is not likely to smoke at start ups, which are normally from valve seals.
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Friday, April 23rd, 2021 AT 9:33 AM
Tiny
EDDLOPEZ
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Well the car hasn't been driven a lot. Maybe 60 miles, but I doubt it's left over oil in the exhaust because Ive taken the plugs out and I can still see oil on top of the pistons. I took it to a shop to get another opinion and they said its the rings. I guess they said that the blow by from the engine can force the oil pass the bad rings and into the combustion chamber. It sounds plausible to me, but I don't know. What do you think? Also, I used a can of Seafoam, I'm sure your familiar with it. Anyhow, I've read about rings sticking after a car has been overheated. So I got the idea of using that Seafoam stuff to see what it would do. Next thing I know the damn thing just stops smoking for a whole week! I couldn't believe it. Then from out of the nowhere it started smoking again. It began with a rally small amount, then it got to where it was before. Huge cloud of the tail pipe. Just after the car sat for a few hours and was started again.
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Friday, April 23rd, 2021 AT 9:33 AM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
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Under such circumstances, I believe it is from the piston rings. It is true that overheating can cause damage to the poistons and rings. Seafoam could have helped to create a temporary sealing which wears off after some time.
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Friday, April 23rd, 2021 AT 9:33 AM

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