Intermitant rough idle with smoke
#1
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Intermitant rough idle with smoke
I just bought a 1992 civic lx with an auto on saturday. It has 135k on it. 95% of the time the car runs great but I have had three times now had the car run rough with smoke (bluish-white) come out of the exhaust. The problem seems to go away after a half mile or so of driving.
The first time was just after I filled up the tank at the gas station on monday. It was running rough I put the car in neutral reved it up a bit and noticed the smoke. After a bit of driving it was idling fine and no smoke. This was on monday.
Second time was this morning. Pulled into the grocery store parking lot, was idling in park for a few minutes when it started to run rough again. This time it billowed a ton of smoke (it was/is a lot colder now than monday, single digits). My first thought was oh great the head gasket. Drove the rest of the way to work as its not far. Went away again. I let it idle for about 15 minutes and it seemed fine nothing out of the ordinary.
Third time was on my way home from my morning shift, had to stop at the drug store. Same deal as monday only it took a bit longer to "clear out".
So I have looked at the oil, no coolant mixing in with it ( I did that when I bought the car as well). I have a combustion leak block tester that tests for combustion gasses in the coolant. It passed that test. I looked at the plugs. Plugs were in ok shape, the only exception was that the #2 had oil on the outside (in the spark plug hole not oil fouled) was a good amount.
Any ideas on what to do next?
The first time was just after I filled up the tank at the gas station on monday. It was running rough I put the car in neutral reved it up a bit and noticed the smoke. After a bit of driving it was idling fine and no smoke. This was on monday.
Second time was this morning. Pulled into the grocery store parking lot, was idling in park for a few minutes when it started to run rough again. This time it billowed a ton of smoke (it was/is a lot colder now than monday, single digits). My first thought was oh great the head gasket. Drove the rest of the way to work as its not far. Went away again. I let it idle for about 15 minutes and it seemed fine nothing out of the ordinary.
Third time was on my way home from my morning shift, had to stop at the drug store. Same deal as monday only it took a bit longer to "clear out".
So I have looked at the oil, no coolant mixing in with it ( I did that when I bought the car as well). I have a combustion leak block tester that tests for combustion gasses in the coolant. It passed that test. I looked at the plugs. Plugs were in ok shape, the only exception was that the #2 had oil on the outside (in the spark plug hole not oil fouled) was a good amount.
Any ideas on what to do next?
Last edited by jnk111; 02-08-2012 at 09:23 AM.
#2
Honda-Tech Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Morgnafield, KY
Posts: 477
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Intermitant rough idle with smoke
1. blue-white smoke is oil burning, not water.... so my guess would be wither valve seals or piston rings.
to test to see where you are leaking from, you need a leak down tester... heres a video on how to do a leak down test:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgrfT0LFMhc
2. the oil in the plug tube is cause by a leaky gromet on the valve cover... pick up the valve cover gasket set that come with the 4 plug tube gromets and the seals for the valve cover bolts. also when you change the cover gasket, you need to put a dab of RTV sealent on the corners around the cam shaft. when you pull the cover, youll see what im talking about
to test to see where you are leaking from, you need a leak down tester... heres a video on how to do a leak down test:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgrfT0LFMhc
2. the oil in the plug tube is cause by a leaky gromet on the valve cover... pick up the valve cover gasket set that come with the 4 plug tube gromets and the seals for the valve cover bolts. also when you change the cover gasket, you need to put a dab of RTV sealent on the corners around the cam shaft. when you pull the cover, youll see what im talking about
#3
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Intermitant rough idle with smoke
I should have said white with a bluish tint (more white than blue). This early morning the smoke was REALLY thick and in large amounts. The best way I can describe it is: It looked like someone was doing a seafoam treatment on it. It looked that way until I got moving.
Whats getting me is that it is that is intermittent it runs absolutely fine, good idle and no smoke except for those three times. I would think valve seals and rings would be fairly consistent, or am I wrong on that?
Whats getting me is that it is that is intermittent it runs absolutely fine, good idle and no smoke except for those three times. I would think valve seals and rings would be fairly consistent, or am I wrong on that?
#4
Re: Intermitant rough idle with smoke
I should have said white with a bluish tint (more white than blue). This early morning the smoke was REALLY thick and in large amounts. The best way I can describe it is: It looked like someone was doing a seafoam treatment on it. It looked that way until I got moving.
Whats getting me is that it is that is intermittent it runs absolutely fine, good idle and no smoke except for those three times. I would think valve seals and rings would be fairly consistent, or am I wrong on that?
Whats getting me is that it is that is intermittent it runs absolutely fine, good idle and no smoke except for those three times. I would think valve seals and rings would be fairly consistent, or am I wrong on that?
Also, check the oil levels see if you are burning off oil.
I have the same thing, except I am not billowing too much smoke yet, but I can run it and then it will run rough after I restart it.
#6
Honda-Tech Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Morgnafield, KY
Posts: 477
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Intermitant rough idle with smoke
they could just be starting to wear and when they warm up and expand, it seals back off... I would start by just doing a compression test, seeing as how most autopart stores will loan out a comp tester. test all 4 and post results
#7
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Intermitant rough idle with smoke
I am thinking rings, check the back bumper do you see black or oil spotting?
Also, check the oil levels see if you are burning off oil.
I have the same thing, except I am not billowing too much smoke yet, but I can run it and then it will run rough after I restart it.
Also, check the oil levels see if you are burning off oil.
I have the same thing, except I am not billowing too much smoke yet, but I can run it and then it will run rough after I restart it.
Trending Topics
#8
Honda-Tech Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Morgnafield, KY
Posts: 477
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Intermitant rough idle with smoke
The only positive way to test milage is to top off the tank, reset the tip meter, dive liek you normaly would then full back up. divide the gal. you added to full up by the miles driven and that will give you your mileage
#9
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Intermitant rough idle with smoke
It actually only seems to happen when the car is warmed up.
#10
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Intermitant rough idle with smoke
LOL, I actually have that going now. Just have not refilled yet.
#11
Honda-Tech Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Morgnafield, KY
Posts: 477
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Intermitant rough idle with smoke
another quirk about the fuel guage... it will drop by as much as a 1/4 tank on right turns and raise on lefts... nice was to con friends out of gas money right after a high speed right hand turn (off/on ramps work real well)
#12
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Intermitant rough idle with smoke
It was the head gasket. Took it apart the previous weekend sent the head out, put it back together this past weekend.
#13
#14
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Intermitant rough idle with smoke
Yeah, it was more white, but in the bright sunlight it looked to have a bluish tint, I guess I was just hoping. lol
It was weird because it was like someone just threw a switch. It would start to smoke while idling or after just starting. I would start driving and it would go away. It did however start doing it all the time.
Temp gauge was ok until it would get low on coolant, I could see the gauge climb very quickly. I would pull over and add antifreeze, and restart and the gauge would be reading normal. Either it was hot air/vapor or exhaust gasses causing that.
It was weird because it was like someone just threw a switch. It would start to smoke while idling or after just starting. I would start driving and it would go away. It did however start doing it all the time.
Temp gauge was ok until it would get low on coolant, I could see the gauge climb very quickly. I would pull over and add antifreeze, and restart and the gauge would be reading normal. Either it was hot air/vapor or exhaust gasses causing that.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
philly10psi
Honda Civic / Del Sol (1992 - 2000)
10
09-20-2011 05:19 PM
sliderjeff3
Honda Civic / Del Sol (1992 - 2000)
8
04-06-2008 12:56 PM