Hello Everybody,

Was looking for some advice. My girl has a 98 accord 2.3L 4cyl. It has 108k on it, automatic. Body is in nice shape. Got the car for like 2300. Have about 2300 into it already. Now the car burns about 2 quarts of oil every 2 weeks. I changed the PCV Valve and plugs. Black soot covers the tail pipe. Power seems okay still. Does not appear to have any visible leaks. Now when you start it up the smell of burning oil is strong, appears to dissipate when you drive. Also the car shakes at idle and under load from pulley accessories.

Now I am reading this is likely the rings(I assume cylinder rings) or Valve seals.

What are my options?
Valve job?
New Head?
Replace the whole engine?
Find a junk yard drivetrain and swap that in?
Get rid of the car and cut losses.

It difficult to say. Any feed back is appreciated. I am looking for some direction and opions.
Thanks

 

You bought the car for $2300 and have another $2300 in it?!

Smell of burning oil and the start and it going away after a while sounds like bad valve seals.

Oil from the seals is leaking from the top into the cylinders and burning upon start up.

If you decide to keep the car. Go ahead and pull the head off and have a shop verify the seals are bad and get the head re surfaced and new seals and maybe a valve job.
If the shop determines the seals aren't bad, might have to replace the rings.

at this point if you are going to be spending some serious cash and the car will run good when it's all done but you won't get your money back when you re sell it.

 

Sell it and move on..why would you spend $2300 just to put $2300+ into..doesnt sound like a smart financial move(not judging just saying)...if this was a project car id say just swap a motor in..but sounds like its a daily and downtime could be awhile while you diagnose and repair..

 

Agreed^.

 

Ya
1300 in body work/paint
450 for new tires
then all new breaks
battery
motor mounts
oxygen sensor
timing belt
oil pump

So I am willing to put the money into and keep. Wanted to see if it is worth just getting the valve job, or if it would be a little more cost effect vs long term us to go deeper into this thing.

 

I get that for sure, but new used car means more maintenance and contentiously fixing, mo money mo problems. Girl had a new TDi and payments were a bit much. And as I didn't want to touch it after the warranty was up.

 

i know what your saying but..itd make more sense to cut your losses unless your girls going to stick to this car for awhile...ive been in the same boat as you and in the end..all the money i spent on diagnosis and throwing parts at the car trying to figure out the issue(s) wasnt worth it.. i could've saved that and just put it towards another car..im team no car payments myself as its just another bill to add to the pile,but you can find a person unloading a reliable vehicle fairly easy...especially now that its tax season

 

Aside from putting money into it. If you do the work yourself you are going to put countless hours into the car as well, if a shop does it, great but it won't be cheap.
(And you won't ever get any of that back when reselling.)

If you are dead set keeping the car and fixing it up.
I would start by pulling the head off as mentioned in my previous post.

Might want to look around your area and see if you can find another car with no issues and let this current accord go.

 

Funny you mention this tax season. Seems like all the Hondas in my area are going for 1/2x more now during tax season than any other time of the season! Haha
And I see people buying them for the high prices. I would not buy a car during tax season. Not many need the cash so they up the prices. When they have no money/taxes is when they let their car go dirt cheap. Lol