Team 4R

so i thought i got a great deal on a 99 b16a2 motor swap only to drop it in and find that it smokes crazy. now i need help. i'm worried that my piston rings aren't sealing. the symptoms are as follows:

- blue smoke from header and engine bay in general at any rpm (including idle)
- compression numbers: 195 - 195 - 190 - 180
- the car starts fine, and idles at about 600 rpms
- no overheating
- spark plugs all suggest motor is running rich

there is a dc sports 4-2-1 header on the motor which is cracked at the number 3 runner-to-head flange joint... coming through that crack is some black carbon-looking fluid.

any advice or thoughts would be very appreciated. what to do? what to look for? i know i can count on h-t to save the day...

thanks in advance.

Team 4R

by the way, i took it for a test drive before i realized it was smoking... the engine has good power below 3500 rpms. after that it seems to fall on its face.

Lord Helmet

the compression numbers are within specs but have you checked the valve seals yet? any blow by will cause the engine to smoke from that place too. Do a leakdown test to pin point the actually location of the leak. a compression test is too broad of a test to find the problem. a leakdown test will find it quickly.

stock_honda_coupe

Was the engine smoking or was it coming out of the exhaust? On acceleration? Or deaceleration/idle/cold start? And A leakdown is probably the first step in locating your problem.

Team 4R

i've been looking for a leakdown test tool but i just can't find one... i'm sure there is some ghetto way to do it with duct tape and toilet paper, as soon as i find the procedure i'll get it done.

i have not checked the valve seals. i'll start with the leakdown test, and go from there.

the engine is smoking from the header for sure. since it's not connected to the cat the smoke just rises all around the engine bay and in the cabin. i haven't noticed if it's smoking from another specific place. will look again and post.

EDIT: it smokes a bit at idle and off gas, and heavily under acceleration.

Syndacate

I'd check the valve seals first...but it could be a headgasket w/ blue smoke?? Sounds like it...

jsw_1986

I say replace head gasket and valve seals. both are cheap if you do your own labor. good luck with diagnosing the prob.

qfast817

autozone has a leakdown test for rent

stock_honda_coupe

Smoking under acceleration means rings. Smoking at idle or right after a long idle would mean valve guide seals

Team 4R

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by qfast817 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">autozone has a leakdown test for rent</TD></TR></TABLE>

my autozone doesn't...

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by stock_honda_coupe &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Smoking at idle or right after a long idle would mean valve guide seals</TD></TR></TABLE>

this is almost exactly the case...

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jsw_1986 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I say replace head gasket and valve seals. both are cheap if you do your own labor. good luck with diagnosing the prob.</TD></TR></TABLE>

that's the plan, i'm off to honda right now... here's hoping it's a simple fix.

thanks very much guys.

Team 4R

well........ interesting news.

ordered the right parts, came home, and had a lightbulb moment. i swapped ecus and the car ran fine without smoke.

i had my dad follow me in his corvette to see if it would smoke on the road. first thing he tells me is my car is slow... then he tells me it is smoking very slightly at the top end (in vtec), but i believe all hondas burn some oil in vtec.....

don't know what to say. i didn't think the ecu would have a factor in the burning of oil, but swapping it out made my life easier. now to see if it stays that way...

thanks for all the input though. im going to keep the headgasket and valve seals as a back-up plan. almost time for an overhaul anyway.

drumminforev

Explain how te ecu would cause oil burning?

Eg Fool

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Team 4R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">ordered the right parts, came home, and had a lightbulb moment. i swapped ecus and the car ran fine without smoke.</TD></TR></TABLE>
What ecu were you running before?

Team 4R

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by drumminforev &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Explain how te ecu would cause oil burning?</TD></TR></TABLE>

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Team 4R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">don't know what to say. i didn't think the ecu would have a factor in the burning of oil...</TD></TR></TABLE>

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Eg Fool &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">What ecu were you running before?</TD></TR></TABLE>

i had a p2t before, and swapped it for another p2t. the other ecu was also having trouble priming my fuel pump. after ordering the parts i went to start the car one last time but had the injectors disconnected. i swapped the ecu thinking my car wouldnt start because of the fuel pump issue again, and then remembered to plug in the injectors but didnt change the ecu back...

so, in the end the only change was the ecu, and now the car is running fine. just had it smogged today too.

had a similar problem with my mr2 turbo last year, by the way.

Si_chRis

I had the same exact problem on my 2000 SI B16 A2 except i didn't have blue smoke. But i was having black carbon liquid residue shooting out my exhaust. Check ur cam gears and Crank and see if theyre line up at TDC by the timing marks on the cam gears. If ur head gasket, valve seals were no good, u would have sucky compression. check ur throttle is it adjusted properly? fully closed at idle? Check ur coolant resevoir to see if The coolant is all green or what ever ur coolant color is, if ts brown mixed with it , ur head gasket is blown. Also, are u throwing anycodes for the Check engine light???? Although for the b16 a2, compression should be around the 200 psi area.