The headgasket saga continues...

[kouki-gymkhana]

Disclaimer: Below you will find my futile attempt to vent the 6 months of frustration I've been dealing with as a result of a string of unfortunate luck, getting ripped off, and not having nearly enough time to work on my car. If you don't care to continue reading, I understand, but if I don't get this off my chest, I'm going to go postal.

Now, awhile back, I learned my HG was blown so I decided to swap it out myself in April of this year. I pulled off the head and sent it out to SpeedLab in Miami, FL to have the head checked, planed, valve seals changed and valves reground. To make a long story short, Mark, the proprietor of Speedlab and, (as I unfortunately have come to realize) absolute ****ing douche bag, broke my intake cam in the process of disassembling the head and refused to compensate me for the loss. He did change the valve seals but did not grind the valves, leaving me with a partially dissasembled head, a broken cam, and a $200 hole in my pocket. I had no time to argue with the ****er back and forth so I cut my losses and have vowed to demonize him on the internet. I hope his business burns to the ****ing ground because he's ripped off ALOT of people.

Anyway, I decide to use this opportunity to upgrade and I pick up some sweet Poncams from Nengun. Now, I'm a medical resident and I work 80+ hours a week so I had to leave the car up on jackstands the engine in pieces in my parents garage since I had to go back to work. I was only able to get vacation for the first time since then this week so I flew down to Miami (from Boston) to put the car back together. My father and I spent Sat-Wed. putting the head back together and swapping in a fresh HG. Last night we finally started it up and it fired on the first crank but was missing pretty badly. We ran it for a few mins while the computer adjusted itself and the missing cleared up a bit but was still present. Took if for a brief run up the block and it's still missing.

This morning, we pulled the plugs and it looks like cylinder #3 is getting too much fuel so we figure it's an ignition problem. We check the harness wires and coils and everything looks peachy. On a whim we break out the compression tester and I have no ****ing compression in that cylinder! AAARRRRGGGGHHH! I know the rings and bottom end are fine so it must be something in the head. I'm thinking that ****er Mark from Speedlab either bent an intake valve or the valve was sticking and is now bent since we ran the motor for a little bit. Regardless, the Looks like I'm going to have to pull off the ****ing head AGAIN for the second time AND I have to buy ANOTHER HG AND my vacation time is up until February. AAARRRRGGGHHH!!!

I'm so pissed right now, I don't whether to laugh at the absolute insanity of this situation or cry myself to sleep. Anyone have tips or advice about how to remedy the valve problem. One person I spoke to said to just drive it and hope that the valve somehow magically will come unstuck or seal itself (I doubt it).

Seriously, I don't know what to do at this point...

[eh?]

I personally would just buy another long block instead. I picked one up from venus last year for $500.

I've been through far far worse... trust me. I spent a year trying to figure out a misfire problem. I've pulled the head so many times I could do it blind folded. I said F it, pulled the motor and installed a new long block. Problem solved. There's a point where you just want a properly running car and do anything to get there. That point is not too far from insanity..

[skillzilla]

Damn sounds like he did mess something up besides the cam. I would have sent the head to a machine shop before a performance shop but thats in the past so no worries about it now. As it is, I know someone that can maybe help you out if you can get the car to AUgusta, GA (either towing it or shipping it). He is my room mate and just finished with a DSM that had a broken exhaust valve so I know he has the time to do it.

[kouki-gymkhana]

So we rigged up a little device to pressurize cyl #3 with compressed air and just as I suspected, air is rushing out of the cylinder into the intake manifold because one or both of the intake valves are toast. Is there any down side to just driving the ****ing thing as it is? My major constraint at this point and always is TIME. I appreciate the support.

[Darius]

Join the club. I pulled the head three times and I finally had to rebuild the block to get it to seal. My advice is to never go with a Cometic gasket. NEVER! They are flawed from the beginning. Albeit I still installed one, but their a$$ is on the line if it fails to seal this time. I will slam them as bad as you are slamming speedlabs and worse.

As for a valve problem, you can't tell without pulling it apart and surveying the damage. If the valve was stuck in the open position, it would have been slammed into a more closed position at first crank. What are your leakdown numbers for the other cylinders?

[kouki-gymkhana]

Compression is 145 across the remaining cylinders. I didn't perform a leakdown test on the other cylinders as a result.My most optimistic theory is that the valve was not stuck open and is now bent but rather that it is not sealing correctly due to grit along the valve stem. If I were to run the engine for a bit, potentially the valve may slide more easily and start to seal properly. I remember looking at all the valves along the bottom of the head while it was on the bench (supported at the ends of the head, not laying flat of course) and I don't remember seeing any problems at the time.

Anyone know where I might be able to source a couple of intake valves for a SII RB25 in good condition?

[gawdzilla]

damn sounds like that guy really screwed you over. did you check valve lash before installing the head?

Join the club. I pulled the head three times and I finally had to rebuild the block to get it to seal. My advice is to never go with a Cometic gasket. NEVER! They are flawed from the beginning. Albeit I still installed one, but their a$$ is on the line if it fails to seal this time. I will slam them as bad as you are slamming speedlabs and worse.

never had a problem with cometic. they make good stuff... i wouldn't bash them for user error on the install your first go around.

[Darius]

hahaha I'm not bashing them quite yet. I admit that I didn't install it exactly to manufacturer's specs the first go around, but I have noticed a coolant leak again after my final install and it appears initially to be coming from the head gasket again. That's why I said, "if it doesn't seal this time..."

I don't agree that viton is a smart material to use for a seal in an engine application. Engine temperatures do not regularly see temps above 350 and if they did, you'd be screwed anyways. EPDM seals 10X easier than viton, is cheaper and is, therefore, better for head gasket material.

[kouki-gymkhana]

No, I didn't check the valve lash before I reassembled everything. I sent the head out to be worked on at SpeedLab because I am not very well versed in valvetrain issues. Shame on me for realizing this early and sending the head to a supposed "professional" to do things properly. My father and I have done everything else for this swap aside from the wiring and in retrospect, we should have ****ing done the head work ourselves.

Still despondent and trying not to start drinking myself stupid tonight...

[Shocker]

Sucks I know man, cars can be the biggest headache and the best reward. Just remember no matter what its just a car... there are worse things in life that can happen. Waiting is probably the worsttttt, I hate ****ing waiting myself, but you gotta stay positive you have have a healthy RB sometime! Id suggest what Eh said, just look for a new block, unopened, and start there. More n likely she will fire up. good luck, sorry to hear.

[S14-NEO]

i would try RB motoring for parts ..they had a TOB in stock that i couldnt find anywhere else...and they are able to get anything for RB's period!!

if and when you call there , talk to a guy named Kenny. here is the number.......1-(626)961-9213 they are open till 7pm pst and he is there right now cause i just got off the phone with him

[Yellow4g63]

BnE usally has stuff in stock and won't give you the run around like RBmotoring will. My 5 month tensioner deal with them burns in my memory.

[theboz]

You should take the head off the RB and shove it up that guys @$$!! I hate getting ripped off especially when I a: don't have time to work on it and b: can't afford to pay other people to do it and do any ways. Sorry to hear about your problems. I spun a bearing in my SR 460 miles after a complete rebuild. It is out of the car right now and I need a head gasket to get it all back together. Good luck with your motor........