I am not very familiar with these motors. I get in tonight and something tells me to check the oil(I don't6 normally drive her car). I check it and there isn't a lick of oil on the dipstick. I go get some. Go to drive the car somewhere and it is missing and blowing an enormous amount of smoke out the exhaust. I don't get far and turn around and go home. I pull the plugs and #4 lug looks ok. #1,2,3 lugs have a nice coat of oil on them. Cyl #2 releases some smoke when I pulled the plug. This sounds like a head gasket but what other problem might I be looking at. I don't think there are any bent rods or anything cause it runs and isn't clanking just smoking worse than cheech and chong.

 

Valve guides and seals will make it smoke and use oil.

Do a compression test (the testers are cheap or free if you rent one from autozone). That should help figure out whats going on with it. Also, a mighty-vac gauge can tell you alot of what is going on with a vehicle.

 

What color is the smoke?

 

the smoke appears to be pretty dark in color. it is dark outside so I couldn't really tell.

 

Could also be rings but did the oil light ever come on? Usually the first thing to go with no oil is the bearings and if the light never came on it should be ok. If it didnt you have other problems like years of neglect.

 

No oil light came on. I am about to do a compression test and see what I get. I abandoned the honda for a while and started tracing a short I had on my Bronco. I found the problem there so she can just drive it for a while. At least gas prices have come down. it is only $1.65 around the house so my 10mpg won't kill me with her driving it around. Oh well.

 

compression test done.

On one stroke cyl #4 reads 125psi building on successive strokes
#3 = same
#2= same
#1=75psi on one stroke building to 175 on successive strokes



equals rings


right?

 

if youre leaking a good amount of oil, those compression numbers wont be very accurate, as some of that compression COULD be oil. happened to me last friday. i was throwing 185+ psi, yet didnt have enough compression to even start my car, and my plugs were dripping oil. head gasket was swapped, and it fired right up.

 

I am going to go clean up tools and eat dinner and drink a beer or three. i will put it up on jack stands tomorrow after work and see what the heck is going on. I may just see if I can get a stronger motor and put in it. Any suggestions for a cheap motor swap? I don't have a problem swapping tranny with it as they both have 160,000miles. I have considered this before but figured I would let her run it into the ground before I go through the trouble.


what motors can I run with the same transmission?

 

or you could do a leakdown test to see whats leaking and save your self a good amount of money to buy her a better car (think you can convince her to drive an s2000?)

 

In terms of easy swaps D16Y7 or D16Y8 (you have one of those 2 engines now. Both are more or less drop in replacements. Other older D-series engines can be made to work, but will require more work. If you want something bigger a B-series engine will swap in quite easily, but you need to use a B-series transmission, also note unless you're up for a ton or wiring and fabricating you need to run a manual tranny if you with a B-series.

 

OK so I spent most of the weekend working on my boat($100 investment that needs alot of work....but it is a boat) and haven't layed a finger on the Honda. My question is what should I be looking for when i start taking the top end apart? Anyone have pictures of a motor with bad valve guide seals or a bad head gasket?

 

Just found this and waiting for him to get back to me.
http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/pts/934940368.html


is it worth it cause I could just hook it up to the auto tranny that is in the car.