MY 97 Prelude SH has been burning oil like crazy. I had it for almost 2 months and one night all the oil was gone!!! Bone DRY!@! I switched it to full synthetic when the previous owner used regular. And now its been burning a quart of oil every week. Any suggestions? Are my valve seals f**ked? The previous owner was this 40 year old guy that had it for 10k miles. Should I try to sell or fix it?

 

either you've got a basic leak or a serious engine disaster. If you can't see oil on the floor, the its the engine. If you're driving 1000 miles/week you shouldn't be burning more than 1 quart or so. If its burning down dry and there aren't any puddles your engine needs serious attention.

 

also wanted to add...no oil underneath the car, compression is good, and ive had it for 5 months now (problem started at 2nd month) and have still been filling it to proper amount

 

My H22 used to burn oil pretty quick until I switched over to full synthetic, now it's fine.

 

Running synthetic will almost always make an oil-burning problem worse.

You can try running a heavier oil to slow the process down, but Preludes are notorious for burning oil due to loose rings.

You can install some new rings with a tighter end gap, or put up w/ the burning and try to stay out of VTEC most of the time.

 

What is your driving style?

 

You shouldnt start adding straight synthetic oil to a car..........you need to start with a synthetic blend and then go to full synthetic, but i dont think the oil has anything to do with your problem.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by redludevtec &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">You shouldnt start adding straight synthetic oil to a car..........you need to start with a synthetic blend and then go to full synthetic, but i dont think the oil has anything to do with your problem.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Thats a bunch of bullshit!

 

Castrol GTX 10W30 enough said (nothing else)

Stay away from Synthetic I had the same problem but I found my solution.
Doesn't burn at all.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 95 lude &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Thats a bunch of bullshit!</TD></TR></TABLE>

I concur.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Gerhard_001 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">What is your driving style?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I rip it at least once a day but never into red or constantly

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MechEng &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Castrol GTX 10W30 enough said (nothing else)

Stay away from Synthetic I had the same problem but I found my solution.
Doesn't burn at all.</TD></TR></TABLE>

its not really a solution to the problem, the problem still exists, the reason synthetics will leak and burn more than regular does is all the extra crap in regular oil and the particles are bigger, if there is a leak in your car that has been plugged by years of regular oil, when you change over to synthetic it will get rid of that crap buildup exposing the leak that already existed but was hidden, even if leaking/burning oil synthetic is better at lubing and preserving your engine as long as you keep levels ok

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by twistedbydezign &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

its not really a solution to the problem, the problem still exists, the reason synthetics will leak and burn more than regular does is all the extra crap in regular oil and the particles are bigger, if there is a leak in your car that has been plugged by years of regular oil, when you change over to synthetic it will get rid of that crap buildup exposing the leak that already existed but was hidden, even if leaking/burning oil synthetic is better at lubing and preserving your engine as long as you keep levels ok</TD></TR></TABLE>

From my understanding, i'd agree with him, try switching back to a blend or regular and see if it lessens your problem. But I am not totally sure if/how that is possible to switch back like that. I have heard some people say its fine, and others say its a huge mistake... so I dunno, research and come back and let me know? haha.

 

the way i figured it out once before was the same as what these guys are telling you to try. switch back and forth and find out what burns more. for me and my 1 h22a and 1 h23a it was valve seals on both of them. the h23a was worse. but after replacing those on the h23 it was just fine. the h22a was in a car that was totalled so i never had a chance to tear into to see what would fix it. if i remember correctly though doesnt being in vtec alot cause oil blow-by via the exhaust chamber?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by twistedbydezign &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">its not really a solution to the problem, the problem still exists, the reason synthetics will leak and burn more than regular does is all the extra crap in regular oil and the particles are bigger, if there is a leak in your car that has been plugged by years of regular oil, when you change over to synthetic it will get rid of that crap buildup exposing the leak that already existed but was hidden, even if leaking/burning oil synthetic is better at lubing and preserving your engine as long as you keep levels ok</TD></TR></TABLE>

Agreed, I there is definately a problem. I may be lucky but I never have to top off oil. I've been using 5w 30 and haven't had an oil problem.

 

switch to 15w-40.

 

When i used to run Mobil1 5w30 i burnt oil, but not at your rate. Ive switched to a heavier 10w30 blend and it doesnt burn nearly as much. Also check you PCV system, if your intake has oil in it it means your getting oil sucked into your intake which will then end up been burnt up. Do you get alot of black crap on your rear bumper?

Also dont listen to people telling you to stay out of VTEC, thats like avoiding sex. You might as well sell the car if your gonna do that.

 

There is no thick black crap on my bumper and I forgot to mention I started using 5w-30 synthetic first then 10w-40 but there was no change in the amount of oil burning (still one quart a week exactly). Should I just sell?

 

dude, I had the same problem. Burning oil, but no smoke,
The problem was the thruster bearing on the second main for the crank has spun and ate up part of the crank. this is allowing the crank to spin on the metal and shift from side to side, this is where the oil is being burnt. You can take your oil pan off and I'm very sure this is the problem. Hope this helps. Also I thought I had broke a ring, but i hadn't..

 

I ur bearing is spinning that isnt going to burn the oil like ur saying. Oil isnt actually being combusted when oil isnt getting to the bearing.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by HOLDEM1981 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">dude, I had the same problem. Burning oil, but no smoke,
The problem was the thruster bearing on the second main for the crank has spun and ate up part of the crank. this is allowing the crank to spin on the metal and shift from side to side, this is where the oil is being burnt. You can take your oil pan off and I'm very sure this is the problem. Hope this helps. Also I thought I had broke a ring, but i hadn't.. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I have a REAL hard time with the above. Removing the PCV valve would disprove it immediately because if the above were true there'd be a TON of smoke coming out of that tube. That's not logical.

So you have no leaks, not drips, and no smoke? How many miles a week do you drive?

 

I have the same problem...had it for atleast 1+ yr. The previous owner ran Mobil 1 which I ran too at first. Ever Since I have run Amsoil from 5-30 to 10-30 to 10-40 ...they all burn about the same. Like someone else said...synthetic will always exaserbate an oil leak in our engines as the syn-oil has smaller particles or whatever and lubricates better and has cleaning agents I believe.

So anyway I had a thread about my prob almost a yr ago and it still persists. About 1-2 quarts every 1000 miles if I recall now I dont really keep as close track. I have to top of the oil atleast once a month. I switched back to conventional Honda oil last winter and it made NO DIFF ...BUT maybe if I had used convential for a few oil change it would have guncked up the leak.
I went back to Amsoil though because its waay better...and I like to **** $$ away

Mine smokes at start-up and in VTEC etc. but not all the time so I am HOPEING it is VALVE SEALS like somone else said. I would think Rings would smoke constantly like the old american **** boxes and VWs I see from time to time around town w/smoke billowing out the back.

PS: After aleast a yr of this issue and my performance does not seem to be compromised except when my oil gets low (low oil pressure for VTEC).

 

I tore down the engine and yes this is what was burning my oil. It wasn't from the bearing spinning, it was from the crank turning against the main cap. This was for sure my problem. The crank is completely ate up and so is the main cap.