Re: '93 Civic CX - DIED in parking lot?!?
 

> If the brother-in-law used sandpaper to clean the block face when
> replacing the head gasket, you engine's days are numbered. Grit falls
> into the bores and chews up the rings extremely hastily.

I would estimate this repair at somewhere around 2 years prior to my
purchase of the car, so we're talking 4-5 years. My mechanic doesn't
think that the head gasket is to blame.

> There is one more possibility for the low compression: A warped head, or
> a burned valve. If the valve seats are not dead square to the valves,
> they won't seal completely. If the clearances have not been maintained,
> the exhaust valve can burn, also leading to leakage.

> There is a (remote) chance that soft carbon buildup is propping one of
> the valves open, something that can happen to cars that spend much of
> their time doing short-hop, low-speed city driving. In that case, an
> "Italian tuneup" will usually cure that.

We consistently bring (brought, I suppose, is the correct term now)
the car up to 120-130 km/h during highway driving, which for us is at
least once per week (minimum). Good 300-400 km round trips would
happen at least monthly.

> JDM is a good idea. However, be prepared for possible glitches, such as
> having to drill new holes or fabricate brackets. Non-North American
> engines have some stuff in different places.

Good to know; I'll be sure to ask the mechanic once the car is ready.
Fortunately, I haven't yet done my annual rustproofing, so any new
holes/brackets/etc will get hit when I get the work done. (I use Krown
- no one that I know has had a bad experience with them.)

> All the D and B-series are prone to oil leakage if the gaskets are not
> changed occasionally. Oil leakage is exacerbated if oil changes are
> neglected, which I suspect was the case before you bought the car.

That's also good to know.

My car should be roadworthy again by Saturday - update to follow!

Re: '93 Civic CX - DIED in parking lot?!?
 

madmanguruman@gmail.com wrote in news:1180649039.430754.72360
@w5g2000hsg.googlegroups.com:


>
> We consistently bring (brought, I suppose, is the correct term now)
> the car up to 120-130 km/h during highway driving, which for us is at
> least once per week (minimum). Good 300-400 km round trips would
> happen at least monthly.


That's good.

My thinking about the valves being burned or not seating correctly has to
do with the oil consumption. If your rings were that badly worn as to cause
severely low compression, I'd also expect you to have to add a quart of oil
every gas fillup, and be laying down a smokescreen as you drive.

But since you're reporting 3K/qt, I think there is a possibility your rings
aren't really that bad, and that it's actually the valves that may be the
problem.

If they are, it would be a sight cheaper to have the head remanned rather
than replacing the whole engine. Hence my recommendation to perform the
air-hiss test.


--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

Re: '93 Civic CX - DIED in parking lot?!?
 

madmanguruman@gmail.com wrote in news:1180649039.430754.72360
@w5g2000hsg.googlegroups.com:


>
> We consistently bring (brought, I suppose, is the correct term now)
> the car up to 120-130 km/h during highway driving, which for us is at
> least once per week (minimum). Good 300-400 km round trips would
> happen at least monthly.


That's good.

My thinking about the valves being burned or not seating correctly has to
do with the oil consumption. If your rings were that badly worn as to cause
severely low compression, I'd also expect you to have to add a quart of oil
every gas fillup, and be laying down a smokescreen as you drive.

But since you're reporting 3K/qt, I think there is a possibility your rings
aren't really that bad, and that it's actually the valves that may be the
problem.

If they are, it would be a sight cheaper to have the head remanned rather
than replacing the whole engine. Hence my recommendation to perform the
air-hiss test.


--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

Re: '93 Civic CX - DIED in parking lot?!?
 

Tegger wrote:
> madmanguruman@gmail.com wrote in news:1180649039.430754.72360
> @w5g2000hsg.googlegroups.com:
>
>
>> We consistently bring (brought, I suppose, is the correct term now)
>> the car up to 120-130 km/h during highway driving, which for us is at
>> least once per week (minimum). Good 300-400 km round trips would
>> happen at least monthly.
>
>
> That's good.
>
> My thinking about the valves being burned or not seating correctly has to
> do with the oil consumption. If your rings were that badly worn as to cause
> severely low compression, I'd also expect you to have to add a quart of oil
> every gas fillup, and be laying down a smokescreen as you drive.
>
> But since you're reporting 3K/qt, I think there is a possibility your rings
> aren't really that bad, and that it's actually the valves that may be the
> problem.

yes, but most unlikely it's all of them. more likely the timing belt's
slipped. valve timing affects compression numbers.

>
> If they are, it would be a sight cheaper to have the head remanned rather
> than replacing the whole engine. Hence my recommendation to perform the
> air-hiss test.

nah, can't even get the head off for the price of a jdm motor, let alone
doing any work on the head once it's off. if there's any mechanical
problem, unless you're doing the work yourself, replacement is just too
cheap to be not done.

Re: '93 Civic CX - DIED in parking lot?!?
 

Tegger wrote:
> madmanguruman@gmail.com wrote in news:1180649039.430754.72360
> @w5g2000hsg.googlegroups.com:
>
>
>> We consistently bring (brought, I suppose, is the correct term now)
>> the car up to 120-130 km/h during highway driving, which for us is at
>> least once per week (minimum). Good 300-400 km round trips would
>> happen at least monthly.
>
>
> That's good.
>
> My thinking about the valves being burned or not seating correctly has to
> do with the oil consumption. If your rings were that badly worn as to cause
> severely low compression, I'd also expect you to have to add a quart of oil
> every gas fillup, and be laying down a smokescreen as you drive.
>
> But since you're reporting 3K/qt, I think there is a possibility your rings
> aren't really that bad, and that it's actually the valves that may be the
> problem.

yes, but most unlikely it's all of them. more likely the timing belt's
slipped. valve timing affects compression numbers.

>
> If they are, it would be a sight cheaper to have the head remanned rather
> than replacing the whole engine. Hence my recommendation to perform the
> air-hiss test.

nah, can't even get the head off for the price of a jdm motor, let alone
doing any work on the head once it's off. if there's any mechanical
problem, unless you're doing the work yourself, replacement is just too
cheap to be not done.

Re: '93 Civic CX - DIED in parking lot?!?
 

Now that I think about it (hindsight being 20/20) there were a few
other signs that I should probably have looked into...

1) On cold days, after a cold start the idle RPM would surge up and
down a few times before settling down. I thought that my Canadian Tire
remote starter was acting up until normal keyed starts would do the
same thing.

2) I would perceive a change in the idle RPM when idling at a light
and the turn signal was blinking. It sounded like the idle was just a
bit faster when the light was off, and a little slower when it was on.

Re: '93 Civic CX - DIED in parking lot?!?
 

Now that I think about it (hindsight being 20/20) there were a few
other signs that I should probably have looked into...

1) On cold days, after a cold start the idle RPM would surge up and
down a few times before settling down. I thought that my Canadian Tire
remote starter was acting up until normal keyed starts would do the
same thing.

2) I would perceive a change in the idle RPM when idling at a light
and the turn signal was blinking. It sounded like the idle was just a
bit faster when the light was off, and a little slower when it was on.

Re: '93 Civic CX - DIED in parking lot?!?
 

Delay getting the JDM engine ... sigh ... so much for the "local"
supplier. The clown car is still at the garage. Fingers crossed for
tomorrow.

If I didn't trust my mechanic I'd have towed the carcass somewhere
else by now (perhaps the scrapyard) - blasphemous words, I know ...
I'm letting cooler heads deal with things (the wife) :)

Re: '93 Civic CX - DIED in parking lot?!?
 

Delay getting the JDM engine ... sigh ... so much for the "local"
supplier. The clown car is still at the garage. Fingers crossed for
tomorrow.

If I didn't trust my mechanic I'd have towed the carcass somewhere
else by now (perhaps the scrapyard) - blasphemous words, I know ...
I'm letting cooler heads deal with things (the wife) :)

Re: '93 Civic CX - DIED in parking lot?!?
 

sell it and get a monkey!

Re: '93 Civic CX - DIED in parking lot?!?
 

sell it and get a monkey!

Re: '93 Civic CX - DIED in parking lot?!?
 

On Jun 4, 10:56 pm, Gauntlet <a...@b.com> wrote:
> Delay getting the JDM engine ... sigh ... so much for the "local"
> supplier. The clown car is still at the garage. Fingers crossed for
> tomorrow.

Replacement engine installed. It's a D16Z6. No VTEC for the time
being, still using the stock wiring and ECU.

At least the car is running now!

Re: '93 Civic CX - DIED in parking lot?!?
 

On Jun 4, 10:56 pm, Gauntlet <a...@b.com> wrote:
> Delay getting the JDM engine ... sigh ... so much for the "local"
> supplier. The clown car is still at the garage. Fingers crossed for
> tomorrow.

Replacement engine installed. It's a D16Z6. No VTEC for the time
being, still using the stock wiring and ECU.

At least the car is running now!

Re: '93 Civic CX - DIED in parking lot?!?
 

madmanguruman@gmail.com wrote in news:1181246700.151211.216550
@q69g2000hsb.googlegroups.com:

> On Jun 4, 10:56 pm, Gauntlet <a...@b.com> wrote:
>> Delay getting the JDM engine ... sigh ... so much for the "local"
>> supplier. The clown car is still at the garage. Fingers crossed for
>> tomorrow.
>
> Replacement engine installed. It's a D16Z6. No VTEC for the time
> being, still using the stock wiring and ECU.
>
> At least the car is running now!
>
>


Running well hot, cold and during warmup? Good power and pickup?

Was it a straight drop-in ,or did the mechanic have to monkey around with
the brackets and fittings?

Did all your engine sensors fit properly?

--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

Re: '93 Civic CX - DIED in parking lot?!?
 

madmanguruman@gmail.com wrote in news:1181246700.151211.216550
@q69g2000hsb.googlegroups.com:

> On Jun 4, 10:56 pm, Gauntlet <a...@b.com> wrote:
>> Delay getting the JDM engine ... sigh ... so much for the "local"
>> supplier. The clown car is still at the garage. Fingers crossed for
>> tomorrow.
>
> Replacement engine installed. It's a D16Z6. No VTEC for the time
> being, still using the stock wiring and ECU.
>
> At least the car is running now!
>
>


Running well hot, cold and during warmup? Good power and pickup?

Was it a straight drop-in ,or did the mechanic have to monkey around with
the brackets and fittings?

Did all your engine sensors fit properly?

--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/