Ok i was going out of town this past weekend. About a hour away from home the car stated to run hot. So we cut the AC off and rolled down the windows. Then it started to get hotter. So I turned on the heat, well that help but didnt do much good but burn me up. I dont know what could be wrong, No thermastat (sp) So it should run cool. But it didnt. My fans are coming on,no leaks. But it only runs hot when going out of town. But every day driving it is ok. Anywho i done a raditor flush today it had a bunch oh junk in it, but any other suggestions? TIA

 

Also i don't get something, the is a soft knock coming from the engine i dunno where it started last week. But the thing is every since the rebuild with it boosted it hasnt ran right at all. So i just drive it normal. I have been saving up for my hondata,fpr etc. Well i got everything togather except my 720's. But i dont understand why the car is doing what it is.I dunno i am getting it worked on in a few weeks so i guess i can find out what is wrong then

 

When you boost... does it tend to overheat? Honestly, i think something was installed incorrectly when it was rebuilt. Are you mixing oil and coolant at all? You can get a carbon monoxide tester at NAPA and that will tell you if you are, which will be a good trace of a bad headgasket or a warped head/block. Let us know how it runs now that you flushed the coolant, all that junk in there could have been the problem.... What other things are occuring that makes you believe the engine isnt running "right"?

 

Well i will have to try that test. The thing is it really wasnt boosted when it was running hot we where just going about 75mph or so(speed limit 70 ) Before the balance shaft blew it the car ran great! I loved it. But after the shaft blew out, i thought i'd go ahead and rebuild the engine. I went with je pistons 9:1,crower rods and resleeved block. I also had the turbo rebuilt. Well after the break end period i try WOT , it just sucked ***. It would fall flat on its face after 3500 to 5800 rpms. So after being disapointed. I asked some people from FI what could be wrong. Well the thing is, most said get it dynoed and tuned. Well there isnt one around me in like 200 miles i think. I figured it would run them same as it did before minus a little power loss from compression. Also people was screaming hondata fuel pump and stuff to that nature. I knew that those are the things to achieve my HP goal, so I started saving my money.They guy that works on my car is got 25+ years working on honda's and is certified by honda and all that. He done a great job but really don't know jack about FI on honda or ant FI cars. I think at the time after the rebuild the compresion numbers were like all around 195 or so i think. So I am pretty much lost still.

 

It's odd that it would run hot on the open road. This pretty much rules out radiator issues.

My first guess (and it's just that, a guess) head gasket improperly seated, or head not seated right. It's just wierd that it'd overheat on the open road, and not in traffic.

Does it use any coolant? Does it push any coolant out?

There are only a handful of basic problems that will cause a car to fall out like that. Tuning should take care of most of it. The car is either not getting enough fuel, or not getting enough spark.

First: Do you have an A/F meter? If not, go get one... ASAP. It should run stoich most of the time, but go rich when you stand on it.

second: make sure the timing is set properly and the cams are set in time. I had a mechanic that was a "Honda certified" 20+ years "Honda God." He blew up my motor cause he thought he was right on all accounts and NO WAY he could be wrong... he wasn't open to the fact that I know H22A's like the back of my hand and the company that I bought my cams from gave VERY specific instructions, so **** what instructions were given, he was going to do things HIS way.

Mistakes happen... so I'd check to make sure that all the timing equipment is working the way it should be... such as the tensioner (which is hydraulic on the H22A unlike the manual tensioners on all the other Honda/Acura cars...) If the tensioner hasn't been installed correctly, then the belt won't have enough tension and it'll flap around, and retard the timing STUPID amounts, and your car will run.. well, just like it does now. After doing that, I'd adjust the timing and play with it, see what happens.

Now, when it falls on it's face, does it make any noises? Ticking? Pinging? Knocking? Sound like a few small pebbles rolling around in the bottom of a tin can? If so, then try retarding the timing, and add some race gas... if you can't find any, add octane booster.

Now, it could also be an issue with the turbo. Maybe a boost leak? If you have a boost gauge make sure it's running the boost level that it is SUPPOSED to be at. A hose that leaks or has a clamp thats loose or other such issues can cause a turbo car to run like this.

Good luck.

 

Ok any specs that i can tell my guy to set them at? Right now its pretty much just a stock head, but built bottem end. As in a A/F meter i been meaning to get one but since i just baby the car i havnt really got one yet but i do know i need one. I hear Autometer isnt good any suggestions. I would like to get greddy like my other gauges but 220 a pop is crazy.

But when it falls on its face it does make some pinging noise kinda like a small backfire.


It also did over heat in traffic, but thats after it got hot on the open road.

But here soon i am going to get all my stuff installed and do a major tune up.

Any suggestions on spark plug wires?

Thanks for all the info guys

 

noises like back firing... I'd replace the spark plugs and plug wires. NGK plugs, and if you want to get NGK wires, they work great, if you feel like spending more cash, then get the Magnicore 8.5mm. I got the 10mm and honestly, it doesn't do a damn thing.

Also, run something with a much higher octane... see what happens. First time I ran race gas my car loves me and hauled *****. I've been addicted ever since.

 

yes, do everything todd recommended, i forgot to mention that advanced timing can cause an engine to overheat, my bad. Another thing, how HOT does your radiator/engine feel when the temp gauge is overheating? It is possible your ECT sensor went bad... this sensor is located on the housing that your thermostat is installed into. a buddy of mine had a problem overheating over and over, it turned out the deck of the head was warped and he ended up melting a few of his pistons (detonation!) due to improper fuel management and tuning. hopefully this didnt happen to you though.

 

Man thanks for the helpfull info and speedy response. I wish there was a place close buy me that new this kinda stuff. Around here there is nothing. I run 93 oct and some booster doesnt make to much of a difrence. But there is a place that i can get some true blue racing fuel around here. After i install the hondata,etc i think i am going to get me some

And i just saw you setup Cool same year and make and color


[Modified by Pro-Lude, 10:07 PM 7/1/2002]

 

It felt pretty hot But the turbo makes the engine bay pretty hot also. I have noticed since the rebuild my ext temp was around 600 at interstate driving and now its like 750. But i do have a bad O2 sensor right now, So like i said i am getting all my parts and tune up done asap!

 

yeah, replace the o2... maybe try an oil cooler now. not that I think that's the problem, it just might help down the road.

 

Oh boy changed my spark plus today the first 3 had oil on them, and the last plug was pretty much gone. That dosnt sound good dose it? Is that my rings?

 

no that does not sound good, make sure it isnt excess gas that has mixed with build up on the spark plugs that you are mistaking for oil. personally, compression tests suck in my opinion, but go ahead and try one out, maybe that might tell you a few things. are you mixing oil with coolant? sounds like the rings are going bad or maybe you did some damage to your pistons...

 

Well it was thick like oil and felt like it, i just dont see how i could have damaged my pistons by the way i drive it. But anything can happen. There is no oil in my coolant or vis versa. I might go by a compression kit if it isnt so expensive just to satisfy my curiosty, untill i can get it to my motor guy. Compression range should be around 190's right?

 

Man this really gets me down, the car was great untill that stupid shaft blows out. Then about a year latter i get the stupid recall thing about it. All this money in rebuilding it from the damn shaft seal. Now this

 

Well i done a compression test today, i dunno though most all 4 were around 180 if noit around right on it. I done a search on here and only one post came about compression test. And the numbers i saw were 225-240 180 dosent sound good compared to those numbers. I got a Chitons but i seem unable to find the numbers in there its not in the index. I am going to look though some chapters.

Any input?

 

so the numbers you got were 225-240-180- and what was the 4th? if these are the numbers, then something is wrong internally, do another test though just to be on the safe side.

 

No all 4 were around 180, the 225-240 is what i found on this forum using search

 

which motor are you running? stock pistons?

 

h22a, 9:1 je pistons crower rods, resleeved block etc

 

yep those are the numbers you should be getting, it seems that your compression is fine. did you put your thermostat back in yet? have you tried replacing your radiator cap?

 

No i will do so this weekend, hard for me to do stuff due to my job. I work a 2nd/3rd shift.