I didnt assemble the entire car / i assembled the block and helped him bolt it up in the car then i went home . The only sealant i used was rtv gray on the oil pump and pan gasket / everything else has nothing to do with me i did the job i was requested to do ,(ASSEMBLE A SHORTBLOCK) whether the motor was clearanced and plastigauged prior to my assembly im not sure, i assumed everything was done at the machine shop thats what i was told , the motor is very tight thats the bottom line ( ive built countless amounts of motors from Chevy"s to big block fords < all still running to this day . so gather your intel properly before pointing fingers / No offense Rang but your are not the only person on the planet that builds hondas < sorry