kane.s2k

Check the Group Buy section. I've got a special going on for them for a limited time only.

The squeeky spark plug seals can only be fixed by either lubing the seals, putting on a THIN layer of oxygen safe sealant carefully around the seals, or having harder seals made.

I looked into having and selling upgraded seals made of harder rubber however the cost of it is too great due to the few that would get sold.

The oxygen sensor safe sealant can be applied via a syringe carefully around the seal. You would need to take any and all grease off the seals and the tubes first though.

You can also always get a louder exhaust I honestly never hear mine. Then again I also never hear it on my stock civic...which still hasn't burnt a drop in several thousand miles and 2 oil changes and 190,000 miles on it now.

s98d7fs

Sounds like I'm going to be trying out the gasket maker/sealant fix. I'll pick up some Permatex Ultra Black gasket maker and give it a go in the next few weeks.

kane.s2k

oxygen sensor safe sealant can be applied in a very thin layer where as most permatex sealants are too thick for a syringe. You don't want to not ever be able to remove the valve cover...you just want it to stay sealed when it is on.

s98d7fs

Permatex makes a gasket sealant, but it definitely doesnt come in a syringe... how thin of a bead are we talking here like 1/8th of an inch in diameter? Do you think I could apply the sealant without removing the valve cover? Just taking off the ignition coils and using an extension on a syringe to get down around the seals?

kane.s2k

yes, that is what I was implying. I know permatex makes a sealant. However it is too strong/thick to go through. You want just a tiny seal to just seal it down but not glue it down.

If you go to a hobby shop, you can pick up special sealants that are very watery. It's called oxygen sensor safe sealant. That is what you want and just leave it to dry over night. It provides a decent seal and can come off easily so it doesn't exactly glue it down.

s98d7fs

I checked the datasheet for that Permatex stuff and it sounds like what you describe. It's got a specific gravity of 1.3 and works by solvent evaporation. If I remember my chemistry classes right, the specific gravity of water is 1.0 (at room temp).

There is also this high-temp silicone sealant. Little bit thinner SG though at 1.26. This stuff lists in its product benefits that it's oxygen-sensor safe and oil resistant.

kane.s2k

the one that is linked would be thin. I think applying an extremely small bead around each one after they are installed would help.

BTW, the real cause of the problem is the flexing. You may even be able to fill up the "U" portion of the seal. To strengthen it and keep it sealed tighter around the tube.

Cross-sectional represent of the seal and tube would be like this:

U| |U

Filling the seals on the inside would keep it from flexing. Of course you would need to do this with the valve cover off at first. That was my solution and what I would mainly strengthen on a set of aftermarket seals I would make and sell. However the cost of them just wouldn't be worth it.

s98d7fs

Interesting idea regarding just filling in the seals. That really addresses the issue of the seals moving enough to release the vacuum (and make the squeak noise). Just sealing around the gaskets, I'd worry about the flexibility/tensile strength of the silicone and it's durability. But then again, I'm not an expert in that field by any means, and I'm sure that these sealants were designed with similar applications in mind.

I'll put trying that fix out on my to do list. I've bookmarked this thread, so that I can post some results. Thanks again for your help.

scareyourpassenger

I have been researching the effects of a vacuum in the crankcase over the past day or so. From what I have read a litle bit of vacuum can make a difference. Dragsters use vacuum pumps on the crankcase to create the negaive pressure.

They also mentioned that anything vacuum greater than 15inHG could be bad on the wrist pins. If my asumption is right the crankvents maintain the same vacuum as the intake manifold at 20inHG. Am I right in this assumtion? Has anyone measured the vacuum in the crankcase?

I also am slightly worried that the lack of positive pressure reduces the ability of the intake manifold to remove blowby gases. With a positive pressure the pvc can open up and the intake manifold can pull more through than it could when hitting a vacuum that is equal to itself.

If I am wrong correct me. I would love to see some numbers and a oil test to see if the blow by (even if there is less) is effecting the oils lubricating capacity.

Jeremy

SpitfireS

scareyourpassenger Posted on Jan 30 2007, 02:42 PM
Did "they" also explain why?
Do you have a link to a website?

Not measured it but did notice a "hissss" when I pulled out the dipstick after a drive with the the engine still running.
The dipstick felt "stuck" and was IMO sucked back in by the vacuum.

Wouldn't the blowby itself create a positive pressure and flow?
I guess you get the most blowby during WOT, at those situations I think the vacuum in the intake isn't that high anyway as the throttle valve is wide open.
During shifting you close the throttle and the then short period of vacuum in the intake manifold will suck out as much blowby as it can.
That's how I think it works... correct me if I'm wrong.

My first UOA showed a lowered flaspoint (most likely due to fuel dilution) but the old oil was not much thinner (viscosity) after 10800 km.
At that time I didn't have the Krank Vents.
Now I do and I will do another UOA in time to see what happened.
So far the oil consumption has dropped.
Most of the km driven with the new oil is with Krank Vents.