Ok so my prelude shut off on me the other day as i was cruising at 2k rpm and wouldnt start up, i noticed that the cams were 180 degrees off when i removed the valve cover and the crank would turn over but the camshafts werent.(stripped timing belt). I removed the head and this is what i find. All the cylinder walls look ok except one which has some minor scoring. Im wondering if that cylinder needs to be honed? and i was expecting many bent valves but i dont see any indication of that. There is also a wierd splatter pattern on piston 3 that i cant explain.. that cylinder is the one with massive oil on the valves. The engine has 133k on it. It had some ignition problems at high rpm for the last 500 miles and besides that burned 1 quart of oil a week. Although it had oil leak on the vtec solenoid... There is a lot of what i assume to be carbon buildup on the valves and the pistons. perhaps my ignition was very weak and i wasnt getting a proper combustion in the chamber? perhaps the oil in cylinder 3 is from bad valve seats? I had a slight ticking for about 3k before this happened. Please give me any advise you can!! I need my baby back on the road!!!

Cylinder 1,2,3 all look fresh!!






Cylinder 4 has some scoring.. how bad do you think it is?








Now Cylinder 3 has these splatter patterns





this same cylinder has this awfull looking topend. there looks like the spark plug has a growth on it!!! wierd!!!



uburnt carbon buildup?






THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP AND ADVISE GUYS!!

 

The build up on the spark plugs, looks like you possibly had bad valve seals and they were leaking. Thats usually what the spark plugs look like from that. Was your car smoking?

 

it was smoking a little bit at high rpms of wide open throttle. mostly on vtec engagment never around town etc. and i have no cat

 

Exhaust valves on that one cylinder look shot. Much signs of pre-combustion pitting and eating of plugs. There's some debate about whether the VTEC cylinders should be honed or not due to their makeup. If you want to go "on the cheap" which appears to be your preference, hone the cylinder, new valve seals, clean things up, new timing belt w/improved tensioner.

 

goooooooooo!!! u have a ton of carbon build up. what octane were u running? looks like u had some pre ignition problems too. i personally would look into getting a hone and new rings and crank and rod bearings. i would replace the valves and clean the head up too. thats really bad lookin man.

 

If you're going to hone the block might as well replace the rings and bearings. Also look into new valve seals just how everyone above listed.

 

yea definatley...some new seals and wrings. If you decide to hone, i would get main and rod bearinds while your at it!!

 

Make sure you take the block to a shop that has delt with the FRM cylinders before. 99% of machine shops can't touch it.

Does the scoring on the cylinder wall catch your fingernail? Or is it surface only?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 92TypeR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Make sure you take the block to a shop that has delt with the FRM cylinders before. 99% of machine shops can't touch it.

Does the scoring on the cylinder wall catch your fingernail? Or is it surface only?</TD></TR></TABLE>

exactly.. make sure they know about FRM sleeves. and damn that head looks like a fossil it has so much buildup... looks like you dug it out of a coal mine... get it all cleaned up and new valve seals. possibly guides. while you're at it if you have the money get some type-s pistons. not too expensive and it will make great power.

 

thanks guys! i dont mind shelling out some money for new pistons etc! I dont want to sleeve thats for sure, and i cant seem to find a dam shop that can hone FRM sleeves. Im gonna replace the valves have a valve job done, new seals and go from there! Im also gonna put in a msd ignition. if anyone knows of a place that hones FRM PLEASE CONTACT ME!!!!!!!

 

I would bet money you got a cracked ring land. I've since this twice. Once on my car and on another car here. 1 quart a week is very high for just valve seals.

 

u must use cheap gas in this motor!!

 

for the last 35k on the engine i have used nothing but 93 octane. I dont know of what was used in it before, although it obivously doesnt look like 93