Oil consumption issue

[sweck]

I recently purchased a 97' Honda Prelude and it's having a weird oil consumption issue.

At startup, idle, or when crusing around at part throttle, no smoke at all. Even if i'm going around at like 3/4 throttle, no smoke. However, if I give it enough pedal to have it downshift, (yes I bought an auto) and stay on the throttle, it smokes like a TRAIN!

So it seems like it only smokes in higher RPMs and under load.

Basically i'm just confused on why there is such a drastic change. I thought valvestems at first, but wouldnt it smoke on startup and cruise as well? I did a compression test when I first purchased the car (dont recall #s), and they were all consistant, so I know its not a HG or anything.

I'm not much of a honda guy so any input would be helpful! Not sure if it has anything to do with the vtec or anything?...

What should my compression numbers be? It's a stock bottom end and factory headgasket.

Thanks in advance!

[asianjkim]

You might wanna get a compression test. PM honda ghandi and he'll help you out.

[sweck]

I've done a compression test, I just dont recall the numbers as they didnt seem like anything too troubling (it was in april). I'm just currently on campus, i'll post up specific numbers later. Thanks.

[M@]

Holy shit, look what the cat dragged in. :)

[Terry]

Don't you work at shop?

[2fastNturn]

Too much VTak!

[FrankDMS]

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: Too much VTak!

[sweck]

yes terry I work at a shop, however i've never really worked on many hondas, and was hoping that maybe someone has been in this same situation and would have some recommendations.

Yes too much vtak.

[Terry]

I would post this in the Ghandi forum he'll get you an answer real quick.

[Evil_SpeedRacer]

Sounds like my old Civic when the rings went out. Good luck with that, I hope its not rings on yours man. Was the car modded when you bought it? Did it ever have NOS or a turbo kit?

[HONDA GHANDI]

How many miles?
Has it ever been rebuilt?
what color smoke?
what were the compression numbers?
How much oil is it using between oil changes?

[sweck]

I was so confused because I had done a compression check on it shortly after purchasing it and everything looked dandyI noticed a couple weeks after it smoked under acceleration, so figured it was something else.

Well did a compression test yesterday, and sure enough 180-180-180-130.

So I guess its time to rering, might as well just reseal the whole motor.

Thanks for the input though guys.

[Evil_SpeedRacer]

3 of those cylinders are kickass, it seems less likely now that it is rings. I now wonder about the valves, valve seals, and possible carbon depsits on the valve seat keeping that cylinder from sealing... Tobi?

[HONDA GHANDI]

Its possible but not likely. If he just bought the car and it was not properly maintained by the previous owner, a lot of things can happen. Ive seen this before with high mileage cars. Person who buys the car beats on it much harder than the orig owner who did not take care of it very well. The oil rings can collapse over time and can be carboned up as well causing a compete ring failure. Now its not to say that it was just its time anyway, or to say that the new owner should have been more careful, just that the previous owner should have treated the car a little better, and driven it like it was meant to be driven.

[Evil_SpeedRacer]

I hear ya, but it seems like those other cylinders are in tip top shape which made me wonder about the valves. I expected all of them to be around 150 or less with the description he started with. What is the service limit on that engine? H22 right? If it was my car, I would have taken the head off already but I'm crazy like that. Plus I'm a DSM guy LOLz :D

[sweck]

Yeah can't really pull the head as it's the daily and the talon is in pieces in the garage. I go to school at CSU, and work in lakewood 3 days a week, so it's quite a distance to hitch a ride.

I'm pretty sure its the rings on that cylinder, as it has progressively gotten worse since the last compression test. We'll see though...

[hrcDSM719]

That sucks man, i feel for you! I have a buddy that was looking to get rid of an h23 shortblock, Ill give him a call and see if he still has it and what he wants for it.

[dopeem1]

sounds like your valve guides are shot to me

[Piston Pounder]

Leakdown test would pinpoint your problem.

[xxxd-manxxx]

ya i was thinking the rings. colbys hatch smokes like this to and his rings are going bad.