piston engine failure?
12-11-2008, 11:44 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2002
Location: California
Posts: 22,465
so we've run an acura integra http://whyafoto.com/gallery/6783069_...33500671_DYQL9
and this years engine sucked....
briefly, its a 95 b18 NON vtek engine, prep is similar to IT. for last years 25 hours, we ran basically a new engine, and it ran the whole time perfectly.
the motor was pulled apart, and got $300 worth of something, head was redone, rings ????
since the time we fired it up, it seemed weak, or questionable, even though it made power (140whp)
on thursday practise it came into the pits making loud clacking noises, we pulled the valve cover to find the nut for the valve lash adjuster screw had come off. additionally we noticed valve clearance was like .020" spec is .003-5. so we adjusted the valves (imagine 2 rotary guys yelling "it doesnt even NEED this crap!") viola engine is quiet.
friday morning it does it again, so we tow it to the shop, replace rockers, torque the adjuster nuts like its a wheel.
saturday/sunday, we're in the pits a lot, because coolant is disappearing somewhere, we end up topping it off every hour or so, its also using about 1qt/hr of oil. sunday morning the valve adjuster nuts start falling off again, but we just kept going.
car finishes 7th, we were in 3rd before it started overheating.
so we're thinking of building the engine ourselves this year, but WFT can be done about the valve adjusters? everyone else in the pits had had it happen, but didnt seem to be recurring like ours.
the oil burning seems like it should be either a damaged from install ring, or they didnt seat.
and this years engine sucked....
briefly, its a 95 b18 NON vtek engine, prep is similar to IT. for last years 25 hours, we ran basically a new engine, and it ran the whole time perfectly.
the motor was pulled apart, and got $300 worth of something, head was redone, rings ????
since the time we fired it up, it seemed weak, or questionable, even though it made power (140whp)
on thursday practise it came into the pits making loud clacking noises, we pulled the valve cover to find the nut for the valve lash adjuster screw had come off. additionally we noticed valve clearance was like .020" spec is .003-5. so we adjusted the valves (imagine 2 rotary guys yelling "it doesnt even NEED this crap!") viola engine is quiet.
friday morning it does it again, so we tow it to the shop, replace rockers, torque the adjuster nuts like its a wheel.
saturday/sunday, we're in the pits a lot, because coolant is disappearing somewhere, we end up topping it off every hour or so, its also using about 1qt/hr of oil. sunday morning the valve adjuster nuts start falling off again, but we just kept going.
car finishes 7th, we were in 3rd before it started overheating.
so we're thinking of building the engine ourselves this year, but WFT can be done about the valve adjusters? everyone else in the pits had had it happen, but didnt seem to be recurring like ours.
the oil burning seems like it should be either a damaged from install ring, or they didnt seat.
12-11-2008, 02:09 PM
#4
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2002
Location: California
Posts: 22,465
we cant use locktite, as it'll get in the oil, and clog the filter, the safety wire idea sounds like it might work....
h- i'm wodnering if the 10ish hours of running at .020" valve lash damaged something....
valve springs in this motor are soft, i can push down and move the valve by hand, but ive never worked on a honduh before so i dunno what its supposed to be like. since its an endurance race, we short shift, factory redline is like 7200, we have fuel cut set at 6800. i know tommy short shifts it, but who knows what the other guys are doing
h- i'm wodnering if the 10ish hours of running at .020" valve lash damaged something....
valve springs in this motor are soft, i can push down and move the valve by hand, but ive never worked on a honduh before so i dunno what its supposed to be like. since its an endurance race, we short shift, factory redline is like 7200, we have fuel cut set at 6800. i know tommy short shifts it, but who knows what the other guys are doing
12-12-2008, 05:13 PM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Canada
Posts: 3,502
Pull the rockers out of it and inspect everything closely. Check for pulled threads on the stud, oblonged holes, etc.. just keep digging and you will find it. If that stuff is absolutely perfect, it's gotta be somewhere else....
12-13-2008, 06:26 AM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: NJ USA
Posts: 1,915
Originally Posted by j9fd3s' post='913185' date='Dec 11 2008, 06:44 PM
so we've run an acura integra http://whyafoto.com/gallery/6783069_...33500671_DYQL9
and this years engine sucked....
briefly, its a 95 b18 NON vtek engine, prep is similar to IT. for last years 25 hours, we ran basically a new engine, and it ran the whole time perfectly.
the motor was pulled apart, and got $300 worth of something, head was redone, rings ????
since the time we fired it up, it seemed weak, or questionable, even though it made power (140whp)
on thursday practise it came into the pits making loud clacking noises, we pulled the valve cover to find the nut for the valve lash adjuster screw had come off. additionally we noticed valve clearance was like .020" spec is .003-5. so we adjusted the valves (imagine 2 rotary guys yelling "it doesnt even NEED this crap!") viola engine is quiet.
friday morning it does it again, so we tow it to the shop, replace rockers, torque the adjuster nuts like its a wheel.
saturday/sunday, we're in the pits a lot, because coolant is disappearing somewhere, we end up topping it off every hour or so, its also using about 1qt/hr of oil. sunday morning the valve adjuster nuts start falling off again, but we just kept going.
car finishes 7th, we were in 3rd before it started overheating.
so we're thinking of building the engine ourselves this year, but WFT can be done about the valve adjusters? everyone else in the pits had had it happen, but didnt seem to be recurring like ours.
the oil burning seems like it should be either a damaged from install ring, or they didnt seat.
and this years engine sucked....
briefly, its a 95 b18 NON vtek engine, prep is similar to IT. for last years 25 hours, we ran basically a new engine, and it ran the whole time perfectly.
the motor was pulled apart, and got $300 worth of something, head was redone, rings ????
since the time we fired it up, it seemed weak, or questionable, even though it made power (140whp)
on thursday practise it came into the pits making loud clacking noises, we pulled the valve cover to find the nut for the valve lash adjuster screw had come off. additionally we noticed valve clearance was like .020" spec is .003-5. so we adjusted the valves (imagine 2 rotary guys yelling "it doesnt even NEED this crap!") viola engine is quiet.
friday morning it does it again, so we tow it to the shop, replace rockers, torque the adjuster nuts like its a wheel.
saturday/sunday, we're in the pits a lot, because coolant is disappearing somewhere, we end up topping it off every hour or so, its also using about 1qt/hr of oil. sunday morning the valve adjuster nuts start falling off again, but we just kept going.
car finishes 7th, we were in 3rd before it started overheating.
so we're thinking of building the engine ourselves this year, but WFT can be done about the valve adjusters? everyone else in the pits had had it happen, but didnt seem to be recurring like ours.
the oil burning seems like it should be either a damaged from install ring, or they didnt seat.
12-13-2008, 04:23 PM
#7
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2002
Location: California
Posts: 22,465
Originally Posted by Judge Ito' post='913257' date='Dec 13 2008, 04:26 AM
Mike, what the hell are you doing racing a piece of **** honda for??? I'm more then happy you had all this engine failure happen to you 
i know i know! thats why they call it honda challenge, whomever doesnt throw a rod wins!
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
rowtareh
Suspension, Wheels, Brakes, Tires
4
05-04-2004 01:33 AM
REZN8R
Suspension, Wheels, Brakes, Tires
10
12-27-2002 03:13 PM
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)