Set O' Nines

My buddy and I are in the process of tuning the 98 SH I just bought, and we found that there was oil all over the plugs and PCV valve and into the hose leading back to the intake manifold. We checked the valves, and the rings are still good, so we assumed it's oil vapor condensation.

So we tried shrouded plug extensions and I'm going to check it out again in a few days, but what about the PCV valve? Just replace it more often? Doesn't seem to be affecting functionality much, but it will eventually.

I'm also assuming this is a common problem for such a shallow block. Has anyone else dealt with this? I'm considering trying an oil cooler, but I don't think an oil cooler is going to cool the oil enough to completely prevent the oil from vaporizing.

Also, compression on cyl 1 and 2 are at 120lbs, 3 and 4 at 90lbs, so a valve adjustment is in order. We're just going to do a valve job, but we're conflicting on what cylinder pressure should really be. I'm saying 125-130, he insists it should be 145-150. He's used to working on V6 and V8s. What's a good max for VTEC?

Thanks,
Ike

minilogoguy18

The car already has an oil cooler, and for a car of that year it's normal for the PCV valve to be shot if it is the original one, just get another from Honda and that'll slow down the oil consumption. If you really want to cut back on oil consumption through the PCV system I'd suggest checking out this thread, lots of good info...

https://honda-tech.com/forums/showth...ight=oil+catch

You said there was oil on the spark plugs? If so just get a valve cover gasket kit, aftermarket ones always leak oil into the plug tubes so make sure to get one from Honda.

Set O' Nines

Yeah, the PCV valve is still good. It gets wet, but it continues to work correctly.

Valve gaskets are recently changed, actually, but they were indeed done with aftermarket non-fitters, but they're in good shape. They'll be done in about 2000 miles. We could be wrong, but we're pretty sure that it's not a sealing problem, just oil vapor condensing on the plugs and in the valve. It's because the gaskets are good that we think that. Didn't know I had an oil cooler, but it might be shot.

Extensions are $8 anyway, I hope it's just an $8 problem.

minilogoguy18

There should be NO oil on the plugs a, oil can ruin the spark plugs.

I don't see how the oil cooler could go bad but on an SH I can imaging it wouldn't work very well being above the ATTS unit which I'd imagine can get hot.

Set O' Nines

Yeah, that's a real good point. I didn't know where the oil cooler was, but my ATTS light is on. I should change (or put some) oil in the ATTS. Man, I knew I was in the right place. Thanks mini!

BlackCatt

You can also run a simple catch can setup to limit the amount of blow by gas
going into the intake manifold. Just run a hose from the pcv to the catch can
(preferably baffled) then from the catch can to the intake. It is surprising
how much you collect in just a few months.

Here is an old pic of my setup:



I have done a lot of work since then cleaning my bay up and replacing lots of the oem hardward
and have a prettier catch can now but its shows you want i am talking about. It collects
about 65-85 ml every 6 months, thats a lot a **** not going through the plenum and runners. Also
i am running a sml k&n filter on top of the vc, instead of the original pipe that connects to the
air intake air.

Here another old pic.

sde780

sounds like your rings are shot. compression number's don't matter as long as they're within 10% of each other.

minilogoguy18

BlackCatt, the way you have it makes it so that the PCV system isn't relieving the pressure that it should, you need to hook the hose back up from the intake to the valve cover. Air goes INTO the valve cover from there to circulate air, you're not preventing oil in the intake by blocking it, just making the PCV system less effective.

BlackCatt

That not how i understand it. The filter still enables air to be drawn in and through
the system. I did a lot of research before setting it up this way and even checked
with others on honda-tech, and they are running there setups exactly the same way,
with no probs. BTW my catch can has been collecting approx the same amounts of oil
before i had the filter on the vc and now that i do.

cissac

hello i also think i have blow by in my car as well i have a 89 prelude with a misfire in cylinder 1 and 2 i could be something else but by my understanding i think its blow by i have replaced the pcv valve 2 times and both times there was oil in the valve and lots of air coming from the valve cover also when i replaced the spark plugs there was lots of build up on sp 1 and some on sp 2 none on the others sp so i i think it might be blow by also no codes pop in the car lastly it only happens occasionally and when it does the car runs like crap where should i start next with the car? also today i found out it only happens when i start the car up after it is warm and it will go later on not a real given time, i also think it could be a bad valve seal so i am going to do a leak down test soon, maybe i will find my problem there would anybody else know what it might be?