Hi guys,

New to the Honda world here... (see my intro thread).

Anyway, I picked up this car as a new DD. Very fun car, but one issue is that it burns oil doing VTEC... blue smoke comes out of the exhaust when it engages. Previous owner said about every 900 miles it may need a quart.

I have a feeling this is an oil ring issue, as we did a compression test and it is 210 across the board. Car runs great. I noticed a bunch of threads on this, and all lead to rings.

I am debating on rebuilding the engine, and just seal everything up good in the process...

Is there a "engine rebuild kit" that I can get, that includes everything? Like valve seals, head gasket, piston rings, etc.? I can find some for my firebird, but hard to find one for this B18C.

Thanks all

 

You can try some cleaning products like Marvel Mystery oil. I know I had that same issue with a swapped b20b, poured one bottle in during oil replacement and after that my oil issues were gone. I'm unsure of the miles you racked up but after 2 uses, meaning 2 oil changes you should see improvement. Its worth a shot and better than tearing down and doing a complete rebuild.

 

I never believed in that "magic" stuff haha, but if it worked for you... hey... maybe ill try it. Definitely easier than an engine rebuild.

Mileage is unknown on the motor.

 

Engine rebuild? For 1qt/1k miles?

Thought about just adding oil? YOLO. You only lubricate once.

 

What ECU is in there? If it's some chipped junk...you may be running too rich and just washing the walls of the cylinder off. Running too rich can cause some of the issues you're describing.

You may have some stuck oil control rings too. I would try running a good synthetic oil for a while to see if you can loosen them up a bit.

 

LOL! when we I was picking up the car, we fixed a TPS issue (its a OB2 car with a OBD1 PCM e-mail tune... he effed up the harness and the TPS was reading backwards LOL)... I said "YOHO" you only honda once. I swapped the wires at the TPS and fixed it. I'm a honda A tech now!!!

I don't mind oil consumption, but when you see smoke during VTEC out the exhaust, that worries me.

He said its a OB1 e-mail tuned ECU. He recommended a real tune. Maybe it is running rich, but I got 40MPG doing ~80mph back from NJ, so it may be running ok.

I will do an oil change asap and put good 10W-30 oil in

 

5W30. Use something with good film and good volatility numbers.

Castrol Edge 0W30 is super thick and should help. Pennzoil platinum 5W30 is another great option. Those are if you're going synthetic.

Castrol GTX 5W30 worked well in my ITR when I used conventional.

 

LOL!!! omfg.

 

I love Castrol. My father used it when he used to race all the time at the local speedway. I use it in all my cars, 0 issues.

Not sure if synthetic will help with the oil usage issue. what's your input on the mystery oil?

 

If you bought this car second hand than its a safe bet the motor wasn't really maintained and that the oil rings are probably stuck.

 

wouldn't surprise me. he got it from a wrecked integra. hope the mystery oil works.

still bears my first question, if I do have to rebuild it, is there a "rebuild kit" I can get?

 

40 mpg doesn't sound right. Is your odometer in Kilometers or inaccurate?

Your tune at WOT/VTEC may be on the rich side either way.

I have no experience with the mystery oil stuff. I can't really say anything good or bad. I'd feel a little weird pouring something that is literally a mystery into my engine, though.

 

If you decide to rebuild, use as many genuine honda components as possible. Those don't come as a kit, but you can find put what other people ended up needing. Your problem is very common.

 

the MPH is 3MPH faster, so that would make sense of the 40mpg lol. It is an LS trans so the RPMs are kinda low at 75mph (72).

Honda parts sounds good. I was thinking rings/hone stuff/valve seals/head gasket/valve cover gasket.... guess Ill have to make a phone call once I drop the ball. hopefully my uncle can get them through his shop lol

 

sounds like your VTEC actuator may have failed...

 

It actually doesn't make sense to me at all but if you say you are, than you are.

 

I was driving from Indianapolis to NJ. Route 70 East at about 75-80MPH the whole time. 5th gear lol. Stopped once in 300 miles. so lol :p we shall see under my commute driving now.

VTEC actuator failure?

 

He's trolling you, bro.

And stopping once in 300 miles could mean any amount of MPG. How many gallons used over that 300 miles? 7.5 gals would make 40mpg. Thats legendary MPG. At 75-80mph....the LS trans makes almost 0 difference. So....idk man....

LS trans :'(

 

yeah LS trans major :'( :'( lol.

288 miles on 7.305 gallons

 

Again...that's legendary MPG. So I guess that tune must be ultra lean at cruising throttle position.

 

TPS was disconnected, and I had a bottle of techron in that tank. lol. who knows. next tank was 35mpg. lmao

 

TPS being disconnected would give you worse MPG. It defaults to 100% if you unplug it.

There's something very wrong with that tune...and it may be wrecking that poor engine.

 

It runs great though. Hm. I have no idea of a Honda tuner in my area that could check it out (Flemington nj area)

 

I'm just saying that the things you are describing are unusual...and may be connected to each other somehow through that tune.

But hey. Crazier things happen. An airliner went missing once.

 

Haha very true. I'll see where he got the tune from. I'll throw mystery oil in this weekend when I do the oil change. If that fixes it I'll be damned. But I know its not gonna lol