I have a swapped b16a2 in my 93 coope. Owned it for about 2 months, and now i am getting severe oil useage, blowby out the exhaust.

I use probably 1 quart of oil ever 4 days, and 1 quart every 2 days when i drive it hard.

I have used seafoam in my engine through the brake booster line and spark plug holes a few times, and noticed a SIGNIFICANT increase is power.

I am NOT saying by any means that i started burning oil AFTER using seafoam. I am simply stated that one of the products i have used is seafoam, along with lucas oil, fuel injector cleaner, etc.

I have not heard of any of these products ruining seals, but is it possible, and if so, how/ what is the problem with my car.


Only serious replies, no flaming is appreciated.


Modified by drumminforev at 7:11 AM 1/27/2006

 

There is a warning on the can...yes, its possible that its the cause

(you put it down the plug holes...? why?? you could have washed out your rings)

 

Putting it in the holes is the same as in the break booster line. it goes in the cylinder and disolves the carbon. Of course i didnt flood the entire cylinder, just small amounts.

How could this do it, I know its possible, but how could it actually happen.

 

Damn, that's a lot of oil. Don't know about seafoam, but is your PCV system clean and working? It could contribute to the blow-by problem, but not as much as you indicate. I think your cylinders/rings are toast.

Did you do a compression test yet?

 

youre supposed to put 1/3 in through the booster, 1/3 through the gas tank, 1/3 through the valve cover
Am I wrong in thinking that you put maybe 3/4 through the booster and the rest though each plug hole? Thats a whoooole lot for the cylinders at once.

Have you done a compression test?

 

Not yet, i guess that should be the next thing i do, compression test.

I dont understand why my rings would be gone after only 35k miles on the engine, US SPEC.

I put the seafoam in the brake booster line and holes over a few sessions, not all at once.

How would i know if the PCV system is clean and properly working

 

i remember a friend did that once, instead of reading the directions he pour the whole can in the brake booster, turns out he hydrolocked his b18c5

 

My car is in no way hydrolocked nor has it ever been,

Anyway, no responce on what the source of the problem is. And how to fix.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by pennies_hatchie &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i remember a friend did that once, instead of reading the directions he pour the whole can in the brake booster, turns out he hydrolocked his b18c5 </TD></TR></TABLE>

Something does'nt sound right here. When you pour it through the brake booster line the car should "feel" like it's going to die, which is when you slow down in pouring in the Sea Foam and/or blip the throttle a little to keep the car from dying. I can't see how you could hydrolock a motor by doing this?

 

when did you start burning oil right after seafoam was used or 2months later?

do a compression and leak down test

does your valve cover breather blow out any air?

 

Exactly, when you poor the seafoam in, you let off as it dies down and give it some air, then continue and repeat.

The valve cover breather sucks in air with very weak force, doesnt blow at all to my noticing.

The oil started burning slowly more and more, around the time i used seafoam, which is also the time i started driving my car hard.

I have used a bottle of engine restore, and looks like it has all burned out since the oil was almost empty again this morning.

 

mine was doin the same thing and it was my valve seals. i was burning a quart a week when driving hard so i had the head rebuilt anyway and never had the problem again.

 

Yeah im not in the position to 'just have the head rebuilt'. If its the valve seals then i can replace them.

What are the odds that is would be the valves seals over the piston rings....or both

 

Do a compression and leakdown test. It might tell u something or it might not but its worth a try.

 

I am getting blowby right now as well, due to a smog tech retarding my timing and running the car extremely hard to get the hc levels down.

anyway, you can tell if it's your rings by doing a compression test. after you do the initial test, put a small drop of oil in the spark plug hole. If that cylinder's comp. raises, your rings are shot, in that cylinder anyway.

otherwise, it can be your seals and valve guides.

I'm hoping my problem is just from my seal or guides...easy fix compared to rings. good luck, and keep us updated.

I don't know why everyone tells people just to go out and get a leakdown. Not everyone has $150 to go get a leakdown

 

Compression test, Done. Piston rings, Bad. I assume.

Dry test.
170
170
168
180

With teaspoon of oil added
190 / 210 with a little more oil added
185
180
180

Whats with the extra high reading on the first one with extra oil. Does that mean all my readings are extremely low, or what.

 

the dry test results are fine.
min compression test for that engine is like 135 psi.
the more oil you pour in the more space is taken up and the higher the result. pour a cup in and watch the comrpession test results go through the roof.

 

so, it seems the seafoam did exactly what it was intended to do; it loosened up all of the carbon deposits in your engine. the problem lies in the fact that the carbon was helping your motor seal the combustion chambers. i believe that that's what pdiggitydogg meant by it "washed your rings". tight work.

 

I did seafoam the other day and my car seams to run a little better. I don't really think that could be the cause of the oil burn off. Compression seams good, I think that 130-140 means you need a rebuild. My LS/VTEC has 200-210 across the board. Sounds more like seals to me.

 

interesting... So his compression is good? So if its not his rings, then its the valve guide seals? I am having a similar problem with oil blowby, a hge cloud of smoke after I do I high rev pull, I go though 4 quarts every 1.5 to 2 weeks depending on how I drive, which is usually hard...

BUT, I never used seafoam...... and this was after I put my new head on, possibly I foregot to check the valve seals, woops? So whats the compression suppos to read? oh wait I have a d15b7...

 

Yes, i figured the carbon deposits sealed the engine, and the piston rings would not need to fully expand to finish the seal.

Now when the carbon is removed, I would assume that the piston rings would expand back out to full extention, sealing against the now clean sidewall, as if it just came out of the factory.


So what is everyones opinion, piston rings, valve seals, bend valves, head gasket?

 

I also must mention that i am running very lean and burning hot, ever since i put iridium spark plugs, they are coated with with when i pulled them.

I notice a loud ticking sound also. I wonder if it is detonation due to burning so hot. Its not like a ping sound, but a loud *** tick that is variable with the speed of the rpm.


Why would i be burning hot and whats the sound?

 

your dry test looks fine. cyl., either 2 or 3, which ever way you had it, was a little low, but nothing to worry about.

When you come to a stop have you ever seen a cloud of burnt oil smoke come out from your engine bay or under the car? if so, def your valve seals.

are you smoking when you hit the gas hard? does it have a blue tint to it?

i, as well, have been running hotter since the smog tech retarded my timing (yes, he put it back) i have not been able to do a comp. test yet though.

it could be your valve guides as well. Do some research on what good valve seals look like, then check yours out.

i highly doubt your car is pinging...probably just need a valve adjusment.

Id say, stay off the vtec until you know whats wrong. is your oil turning black too, or are you just burning it?

 

Yes, i totally didnt mention that it was actually burning out. Major smoke when i do the following sequence:

Idle
Rev to about 7k and let it drop to about 3k
rev again &lt;-- at this rev, my exhaust will smoke like hell. Not dark at all, very light colored.

OR

If i am driving and gettin on it like hell, it will be smokin a good bit the whole time while on it, AND when i let off (i.e. negative vacuum pressure drops below -20psi, on my gauge) i can hear my exhaust sputter like its spitting out oil...very fast put put puts.

Even better, i have actually had to clean my driveway off because when i let my car warm up for about 5 minutes, there was a nice trail of black oil drops trailing out my exhaust tip.

The oil seems to be getting black very quickly now. Considering i am adding a quart ever few days, its very dark every time i check it...whats going on

Also, what are you guys talking about when u say smog tech retarding timing.

 

Same EXACT thing my is doing, Im pissed now I have a trail of balc **** on my driveway I just pressure washed!

So was your dry compression right? Im hoping our rings arent shot as some say it is,lets hope it is valve guide seals.