What's up all, I've never posted in this forum, but I thought this might be the right place for my issue. I tried the Integra forum and All Motor forum, both didn't show me any love... so if anyone has any idea what's going on. I'd appreciate some feedback.

First of all, here's my setup: Integra GS-R with Toda Spec A camshafts, ITR springs/retainers, Skunk2 Cam Gears, PYR Racing p72, AEM CAI (now stock because I ripped my fender lining out somehow), Tanabe Racing Medallion.

Last week, I got a reprogrammed p72 from a guy on H-T which shifted VTEC, changed my fuel map, and raised my rev limiter. I've been told by numerous people (on HT) that my valvetrain can handle RPMs of up to 9k. I've only brought it up to 8900 once (measured from the stock GS-R tach), and I don't think I'll do that again because I don't even know if I'm making power that high. Anyway, I did a few runs through the gears to see what the ECU did for my setup, and I shifted on average around 84-8500. Afterwards, my car started to idle kinda funny. The note my exhaust makes is kinda lumpy, but my RPMs aren't fluctuating. I'm also sure there's more ticking than there was before the weekend. Because I already bent my valves once, I'm freaked. The noise isn't as loud as when I bent the valves on a 3rd to 2nd misshift. Even with all this, my car pulls really hard, so I don't know what the problem is.

I've since then swapped the ECU out for my stock one because I've had to drive long distances, and my gas mileage was getting owned (220 a tank...). This seemed to help a little and restored my gas mileage. The exhaust still makes the lumpy sound though, and the engine still ticks louder than usual. I don't hear any misfiring luckily, like when I had bent valves. I also did a check that my friend did when I bent my valves where the spark plug wires are pulled while the car idles. If the cylinder is operating correctly, the car should struggle when a wire is pulled, and it did, for all four of mine. I also did that "screwdriver test" that people on HT have talked about, and I'm not sure what I'm supposed to listen for, but everything sounded pretty normal when I did it. I'm thinking, it might not be bent valves, but the 8900 RPMs thing might have thrown them out of spec? I've also heard that it could be a timing issue, and also that stock injectors tick pretty loudly. Someone on another forum mentioned that I might have fouled a spark plug by running so rich at high RPM's. I don't have any tools to fix the problem, or any money right now, so I hope it's nothing major because I need my car to get around to school and stuff. I also don't have the know-how to do the work myself. Anyone had any symptoms like this on their car?

 

I cant remember if toda spec a's are tunable but that may be a part of the problem.. my friends toda b's definately made idle lope like crazy... timing could be it... see if you can rent or borrow a timing gun.. if not its only like 30 bills... buy one and see if your timing is on.. I believe its supposed to be 16 degrees of TDC...

also are you using a bigger fuel pump (walbro/moroso?) or a bigger TB?

that could also explain the loping...

if that helps.. cool if not ... bump

 

Thanks for the input

I'm not sure if it'd be my timing though. The car ran almost like stock before I put the ECU in, which came a month after the Toda A's and Skunk2 Cam Gears went in. I'm not sure if the ECU caused it, but it gave me the ability to rev to 9200 if my heart desired. The highest I took it was 8900, which the ITR valve train is supposed to be able to handle. Could the high-revving mess up the timing?

Everything else is stock on my car besides what I listed, stock TB, fuel pump, etc.

Would messed up spark plugs cause the symptoms I'm having? The program on the ECU was running pretty rich apparently because my gas mileage dove. Could running so rich have messed up my spark plugs?

 

Check valve clearances.Also check timming, maybe the timing belt is stretched a little
I still would not rev an itr valvetrain to 9000 rpms, even less if you have aftermarket cams.But that just me

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mmuller &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Check valve clearances.Also check timming, maybe the timing belt is stretched a little
I still would not rev an itr valvetrain to 9000 rpms, even less if you have aftermarket cams.But that just me</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah, generally I wouldn't either. I only did it once. I'm getting my ECU re-chipped with an 8400 redline just so I don't do anything stupid again. Until I can get it checked out, I don't have any choice but to drive on it, so I'm hoping it's not more bent valves. Damn this sucks

 

after school bump.

 

I really dont think that stock ITR vavle springs would appreciatea 8900 rpm with a Toda cam. I would start with a vavle adjustment, if you think there is bent valves ater that a compression test is in order. If that looks ok just know that you are parnoid about it and dont do it anymore.

 

what are the adverse effects of driving a car with bent vavles...seeing as the car still runs properly...maybe a slight vavle bend?

i dunno...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 2trix &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">what are the adverse effects of driving a car with bent vavles...seeing as the car still runs properly...maybe a slight vavle bend?

i dunno...</TD></TR></TABLE>

If they're bent, my car is going to have to "walk with a limp" for a while because I don't have the cash to fix it, and I need my car. I really hope they aren't.

Last time I bent 4 valves, all on one cylinder I believe. My car ran pretty crappily, and the check engine light came 3 days after the incident. There was also a lumpy sound from the exhaust, like a WRX. It does that now, but there's no "missing" at idle and the ticking isn't as audible as it was when I bent my valves. The car backfires, but that's nothing new, it's because of my exhaust.

I'm really not sure what the deal is, but I'm hoping it's minor. Like I said, the car was still pulling hard when I was on it last Friday. After the incident, I still crept away on a GTi VR6 w/racing cams twice. Now I'm too paranoid to feel any loss in power unless it's significant...

 

Check valve clearance.....that will tell you if you have bent valves.......
If the valve is bent then the clearance will be way out of wack

 

How do I check valve clearance? is that different from the valve lash/what's adjusted in a valve adjustment?

I have a friend that is going to look at it hopefully next week. I really wish I had some tools to at least examine the situation...

My mind has been pretty much tricked into thinking whatever it wants, so I can't really assess the situation just by ear or how the car feels. I was out with a friend tonight who's got a GS-R, and it seemed like his car had the same tick, but I could just be thinking that. I dunno....