Honda Civic / Del Sol (1992 - 2000) EG/EH/EJ/EK/EM1 Discussion

black smoke in b16a2. how hard to fix?

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Old May 13, 2009 | 07:27 PM
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Default black smoke in b16a2. how hard to fix?

i know some 1 that is selling a b16a2. motor has about 120,xxx miles on it.
he is selling it pretty cheap. the only thing wrong with it is its missing some sensors(but i can use my y8 sensors) and its throwing out black smoke. i searched and i found out it black smoke means to much fuel. also found that it can be cause by a vacuum leak.

my question is, how hard is it to fix this problem?
what is the most common culprit that makes this happen on the b16a2?
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Old May 13, 2009 | 08:13 PM
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Default Re: black smoke in b16a2. how hard to fix?

black smoke is unburned fuel (running rich)
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Old May 13, 2009 | 08:33 PM
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Default Re: black smoke in b16a2. how hard to fix?

There are a bunch of causes for an engine running rich, but with the help you have at HT, you should not have a problem fixing it. Assuming that the engine is otherwise in good condition, I think you should buy it if the price is right.

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Old May 13, 2009 | 08:47 PM
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Default Re: black smoke in b16a2. how hard to fix?

yea, thats not a engine problem. either a oxygen sensor or something simple that control fuel delivery. not a engine problem.
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Old May 13, 2009 | 10:02 PM
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Default Re: black smoke in b16a2. how hard to fix?

Originally Posted by RonJ@HT
There are a bunch of causes for an engine running rich, but with the help you have at HT, you should not have a problem fixing it. Assuming that the engine is otherwise in good condition, I think you should buy it if the price is right.

that is some good quality sh*t right there! lol. where do you get these
images from?
and the owner says the engine is good. just smokes black.
but he says he recommends replacing the piston rings.
but i dont know why if black smoke means too much fuel.
and has nothing to do with the piston rings.
cuz if it was the piston rings then it would be blue-ish smoke
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Old May 14, 2009 | 06:43 AM
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Default Re: black smoke in b16a2. how hard to fix?

bump
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Old May 14, 2009 | 07:15 AM
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Default Re: black smoke in b16a2. how hard to fix?

Spend more time figuring out whether the piston rings really need to be replaced as this might be a deal breaker for you.
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Old May 14, 2009 | 07:37 AM
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Default Re: black smoke in b16a2. how hard to fix?

Is the engine currently in a car or sitting in a garage?
I would suggest doing a compression and leakdown test just to give you piece of mind.
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Old May 14, 2009 | 09:08 AM
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Default Re: black smoke in b16a2. how hard to fix?

a couple of things..mostly mind games here and not mechanically related...

-YOU did research on black smoke. (did owner say what black smoke means?)
-YOU know about black smoke due to owner of the motor telling you. (pretty good honest answer from owner)
-owner thinks motor needs rings. (what does he know here that you will find out eventually?) will you find out owner is dumb and thinks smoking (any color) is rings? will you find out it does in fact need rings?

ask him why he thinks it smokes black? see what he says.

a compression test will verify if the motor is solid or not. kind of a pain to do while the motor is outside the car but doable

Last edited by waaBAAH; May 14, 2009 at 09:14 AM.
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Old May 14, 2009 | 09:19 AM
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Default Re: black smoke in b16a2. how hard to fix?

and do you know anything about how much oil it consumes per 1000 miles?

that info would be useful
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Old May 14, 2009 | 01:34 PM
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Default Re: black smoke in b16a2. how hard to fix?

Originally Posted by RonJ@HT
Spend more time figuring out whether the piston rings really need to be replaced as this might be a deal breaker for you.
well it may not be a deal breaker because i may upgrade the rods for a turbo set up. but i would like to drive it stock for a while.
is there anyway in finding out if the rings are out? since the engine is not in a car. its on a dolly

Originally Posted by B16AGUY
Is the engine currently in a car or sitting in a garage?
I would suggest doing a compression and leakdown test just to give you piece of mind.
no. engine is on a dolly. but a b16a2 for $500 is a steal
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Old May 14, 2009 | 01:39 PM
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Default Re: black smoke in b16a2. how hard to fix?

Originally Posted by waaBAAH
a couple of things..mostly mind games here and not mechanically related...

-YOU did research on black smoke. (did owner say what black smoke means?)
-YOU know about black smoke due to owner of the motor telling you. (pretty good honest answer from owner)
-owner thinks motor needs rings. (what does he know here that you will find out eventually?) will you find out owner is dumb and thinks smoking (any color) is rings? will you find out it does in fact need rings?

ask him why he thinks it smokes black? see what he says.

a compression test will verify if the motor is solid or not. kind of a pain to do while the motor is outside the car but doable
-yes i did research on what black smoke means. and owner did not say what black smoke means.
-yes. owner told me straight up that its throwing black smoke. and more and more smoke as the RPMs increase.
-owner did mention that it might need new rings and new seals. but im stuck. if the owner does not know what black smoke means and he thinks all smoke is ring related then piston rings may not be needing change.
-how can i do a compression test while the motor is outside?
step by step would be AMAZING

Last edited by Unseen Racer; May 14, 2009 at 02:40 PM.
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Old May 14, 2009 | 01:54 PM
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Default Re: black smoke in b16a2. how hard to fix?

take off spark plug wire
take out spark plug
hook compression gauge up
turn the crankshaft by hand at least 3 times completly around.
good luck..your arm will get tired.

to make it easier you can take out all four spark plugs.
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Old May 14, 2009 | 02:42 PM
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Default Re: black smoke in b16a2. how hard to fix?

Originally Posted by waaBAAH
take off spark plug wire
take out spark plug
hook compression gauge up
turn the crankshaft by hand at least 3 times completly around.
good luck..your arm will get tired.

to make it easier you can take out all four spark plugs.
does it matter how fast i crank it?
or just as long as i turn it around?
and what is good compression?
like 150psi?
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Old May 14, 2009 | 03:43 PM
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Default Re: black smoke in b16a2. how hard to fix?

125psi is min.
220psi is max.
28psi is the variance between one cylinder to another.

post what you find
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Old May 14, 2009 | 03:58 PM
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Default Re: black smoke in b16a2. how hard to fix?

Originally Posted by waaBAAH
125psi is min.
220psi is max.
28psi is the variance between one cylinder to another.

post what you find
thanks.
ill post the results as soon as i get them
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Old May 14, 2009 | 09:19 PM
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Default Re: black smoke in b16a2. how hard to fix?

i asked the guy to check the compression of each cylinder and this is what he said.
and i quote
************************************************** ***********************
"does it matter if spark plugs are in other cylinders not being tested? if not i got 70 on all cylinders"

then i said
"no it does not matter if the spark plugs are on/off the other cylinders. you got 70psi across all 4?
thats really really low. did you turn it atleast 3 times?"

then he said
"yeah. i cant get it to go higher. i know thats low. i dont know why. engine was running good before it was pulled"
"only thing wrong was it would throw black smoke when you pushed it hard. like i put in the add you would need rings
and then it would be perfect"
"lmk if your interested and ill cut you a deal"

************************************************** ************************
now, i dont know about your guys but that is SUPER low

Last edited by Unseen Racer; May 14, 2009 at 09:25 PM.
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Old May 14, 2009 | 09:29 PM
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Default Re: black smoke in b16a2. how hard to fix?

Based on the low compression, it must have been blue smoke when he pushed it hard.
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Old May 14, 2009 | 09:32 PM
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Default Re: black smoke in b16a2. how hard to fix?

Originally Posted by RonJ@HT
Based on the low compression, it must have been blue smoke when he pushed it hard.
yes i thought that. but can it be anything other than piston rings?
bent valves? head bolts not torqued right?
blown head gasket?
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Old May 14, 2009 | 09:36 PM
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Default Re: black smoke in b16a2. how hard to fix?

Given the ability of the engine to run prior to removal and the even compression values across all four cylinders (if this information is reliable), then I think worn rings is the most likely scenario. You might ask him whether putting a teaspoon of motor oil into the cylinders during the test increased the compression values.
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Old May 14, 2009 | 09:49 PM
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Default Re: black smoke in b16a2. how hard to fix?

Originally Posted by RonJ@HT
Given the ability of the engine to run prior to removal and the even compression values across all four cylinders (if this information is reliable), then I think worn rings is the most likely scenario. You might ask him whether putting a teaspoon of motor oil into the cylinders during the test increased the compression values.
ok. so you want me to ask him to put a teaspoon of oil into the cylinders and do another compression test?

and how long and how much would it cost and take me to replace the worn piston rings?
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Old May 15, 2009 | 07:23 AM
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Default Re: black smoke in b16a2. how hard to fix?

so what would you guys do in my situation?
buy the engine for $500 or move on?
its a complete motor and head except for the distributor and intake mani. but i already have an intake mani from my other b16 head
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Old May 15, 2009 | 01:36 PM
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Default Re: black smoke in b16a2. how hard to fix?

what did the wet compression yield for psi (wet compression means what was said with the teaspoon of oil in the spark plug hole)
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Old May 15, 2009 | 02:03 PM
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Default Re: black smoke in b16a2. how hard to fix?

Originally Posted by waaBAAH
what did the wet compression yield for psi (wet compression means what was said with the teaspoon of oil in the spark plug hole)
i dont think he has done it yet
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Old May 15, 2009 | 08:46 PM
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Default Re: black smoke in b16a2. how hard to fix?

ok so i asked his
Originally Posted by Unseen Racer
can you do a wet compression test for me?
get 1 tea spoon of oil and drop it into the cylinders then do the compression test again.
give me the results once completed. this will determine wheather i pick it up
and he said
I just did it. It still gave me 70psi but it hit 70 fast. Is this good or bad? Whould it of been better if the psi went up higher?
now is this good or bad?
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