Mdaily90

Hi guys I am new member but on my second Honda. I had a 91 hatch with a ZC for about a year sold it a few years back. Now I have a 97 civic non-v-tech with 213K i got it at 193k everything was fine until 210k thats when things got hairy. I have recently replaced the rear main seal and a radiator hose. The car was running fine after those. About 2 or 300 miles ago the mpg dropped from an avg of 28 to 20, then the check engine light came on- cylinder 4 miss fire. The plug looked a little old so we swapped it. This whole time the car was running about like it always had been, not supper smooth but as long as the AC was off at the stop light it was fine. So the light didnt go off for a few days so I pulled the negative on the battery and reset the comp. Light came back on later that day. So the auto zone guys told me it could be a bad post inside the distributor cap. So i took the cap off checked it, they had a little build up on them and some dust in the cap but not bad. Put the cap back on and thats when the trouble started. I get in the car to go back to autozone to ask what they thought next steps would be. Now the miss fire was unbearable the whole car was shaking I had almost no power. I limped down to auto zone and we check the cap again, we check the wires all fine, we put two new plugs in, the plug in 4 (only a week old) was all black was not in good health after only a week. We then attempted a compression test but under the expertise of the autozone staff got the piece that screws into the spark plug whole stuck and spent an hour and half before getting it out. So then we thought maybe its the fuel so I was going to try a new fuel filter tonight (This tank of gas also has a fuel injector cleaner in Lucas run about 125 miles through) but autozone nor I have a 19mm wrench that fits between the filter and bracket. I then hopped on hear read some forums (thats where I should have started I know now.). If I pull the plug wire or the fuel injector connection it does bog down more. I have an exhaust leak right where the pipe comes off the head and connects to the cat.

So that is where I am... In need of help. I bought the car for $1500 and now have about $3500 in and dont really care to sink another $500 in it at this point, it has a salvage title. Any insight or tips you guys can give would be greatly appreciated. I have not done a compression test yet and dont really want to attempt it in the Auto Zone parking lot again... If you have picked up by now I dont have a shop to work in or much in the way of knowledge or tools. I just need something to get me to work and home 300 miles a week and be good on gas I hope Toby can be saved... Thanks guys!

B_Swapped93

I'm willing to be bet burnt/warped valves you NEED to compression test it ppl at AA/AZ are idiots most of the time. sounds like you went threw the ignition system pretty good. it's VTEC btw not a toy/phone company

needs cliffs btw

HondaPartsHero

I'm pretty amazed they compression tested it. But yes you'll want to do the comp test and check back with us.

B_Swapped93

FIFY lol

Mdaily90

I had a compression test done. Burnt valve... only like 55lbs in that cylinder. $900 estimate to fix it, with all the other things that come with taking the head off, new timing belt, water pump, seals, ect... What do you guys think? Is it worth sinking another $900 in a car I paid $1500 for? It has a salvage title and 213k miles, i just spent $500 on a new rear main seal and oil pan gasket. I have an offer on for $1200 but they havent test drove it or anything so who knows if they would actually pay up.

B_Swapped93

What ! I replaced my valves all in for under 100$ tool=30$ all 16V=60$ if the timing belt and all that don't need to be done yet don't do them. do you have 10-19mm sockets and extensions and a day or two as a beginner ?

Mdaily90

I have the cheap socket set from AZ lol like $10 not sure what all it has in it 17-19 are doubtful. The other problem is I do not have a place to even begin working on it. I live in an apartment and have the parking lot for a work shop... But $100 sounds way better than 9. Did you put new valves in or send it to a machine shop?

B_Swapped93

put them in myself you may not even need a 17 or 19 to pull the head.

if you want to save not buying the tool see this video
all you have to do is remove the head, got the valves off ebay