Oil leak between head and block?

[SVOboy]

Since my head swap it seems I have an oil leak between the head on the block that is dripping down under the timing belt cover...Does this make sense? What would cause this? I don't really want to have to redo this damn thing,

[TomO]

Leak could be due to a warped head...did you check it with a straightedge before you installed the head?

Otherwise a faulty head gasket, nick in the mating surface, or leftover material on the mating surface could be culprit.

I see two ways for fixing this problem:

1. Go to the auto parts store and get "Great Stuff" and seal the outside area of the head where it's leaking. I see people that make LS/VTEC motors do this since the B16 head leaks oil externally near the upper radiator hose connection all the time.
2. Pull the head off get the head and block checked for being true and replace the gasket again.

Either way, I'd get it done ASAP as motor oil on the timing belt wears it out extremely fast.

[Daox]

The head could be warped enough to cause the leaking. It could also be that the block is warped too. If the mating surfaces weren't scraped clean they could also cause leaks.

I don't think there is a way to fix this without removing the head. When replacing heads I always have them resurfaced and pressure tested to ensure they seal correctly (usually costs around $30). There is also a spray on product you can buy for head gaskets that help them seal better.

[SVOboy]

On further looking, it might be the valve cover gasket...I will play with some RTV tonight and see where that gets me.

And just so everyone knows, TomO is a most helpful chap.