a few issues with my beater 1990 civic hatch. help me out.
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a few issues with my beater 1990 civic hatch. help me out.
EDIT: I JUST REALIZED I SHOULD'VE PUT THIS IN THE PRE '92 CIVIC FORUM. CAN A MOD PLEASE MOVE THIS THERE? THANKS.
I picked up a 1990 Honda Civic Hatchback the other day. 179K miles, 4-speed manual. Paid $350 for it. It runs and drives alright, but not as good as I'd want it to run. Here's the deal:
1) Black smoke out the tailpipe. I did a compression test and it's kinda all over the place. Worst cylinder is #4 (right-most cylinder). It showed barely 30psi on the compression guage. I poured in a little bit of oil into the cylinder and tested again, and no difference. So is it the valves? How would I go about fixing this?
2) Transmission is VERY stiff. Takes a good amount of effort to put it into first and second (clutch depressed all the way down). Also, there's a metallic clanging sound when I hit about mid-rpm in first gear. Similar sound when it's just idling in neutral with clutch not pressed. I wanted to change out the transmission fluid but I have no experience with manual transmission so I have no idea where to begin with that one. What else could I do to fix the transmission problems?
Other than those things, it's an alright car. I changed the oil, oil filter, air filter, and spark plugs today and it's running a little better. Although the oil pan drain bolt is leaking.
Help a brother out. Thanks in advance.
I picked up a 1990 Honda Civic Hatchback the other day. 179K miles, 4-speed manual. Paid $350 for it. It runs and drives alright, but not as good as I'd want it to run. Here's the deal:
1) Black smoke out the tailpipe. I did a compression test and it's kinda all over the place. Worst cylinder is #4 (right-most cylinder). It showed barely 30psi on the compression guage. I poured in a little bit of oil into the cylinder and tested again, and no difference. So is it the valves? How would I go about fixing this?
2) Transmission is VERY stiff. Takes a good amount of effort to put it into first and second (clutch depressed all the way down). Also, there's a metallic clanging sound when I hit about mid-rpm in first gear. Similar sound when it's just idling in neutral with clutch not pressed. I wanted to change out the transmission fluid but I have no experience with manual transmission so I have no idea where to begin with that one. What else could I do to fix the transmission problems?
Other than those things, it's an alright car. I changed the oil, oil filter, air filter, and spark plugs today and it's running a little better. Although the oil pan drain bolt is leaking.
Help a brother out. Thanks in advance.
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Joined: Dec 2002
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From: NoVA
30PSI in one of the cylinders means you're screwed. Your rings are shot. Not sure what the exact compression numbers should be, but usually anything 120PSI and above is safe.
Black smoke equals running rich...too much fuel.
The metallic noise you are hearing are your heat shields for the exhaust. You can get under the car and either rip them out or move them around so they stop rattling.
Go to Jiffy Lube and have them change out your tranny fluid, it might cost all of $30. You also may want to bleed the hydraulic fluid in your clutch system...that is provided you have a hydraulic clutch.
Black smoke equals running rich...too much fuel.
The metallic noise you are hearing are your heat shields for the exhaust. You can get under the car and either rip them out or move them around so they stop rattling.
Go to Jiffy Lube and have them change out your tranny fluid, it might cost all of $30. You also may want to bleed the hydraulic fluid in your clutch system...that is provided you have a hydraulic clutch.
I'm made of meat!
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Richmond, VA
I think a 90 is teh cable clutch.
Dude, that motor's had it. The 30 PSI cylinder is either a valve or a head gasket problem. If you poured oil in there... and it didn't change anything... the rings aren't the problem.
Your best bet is to find a 90-93 RS/LS/GS integra in a junkyard, pull the engine, tranny and ECU, rebuild those if necessary while your current motor still works, and cram that sucker in there.
Dude, that motor's had it. The 30 PSI cylinder is either a valve or a head gasket problem. If you poured oil in there... and it didn't change anything... the rings aren't the problem.
Your best bet is to find a 90-93 RS/LS/GS integra in a junkyard, pull the engine, tranny and ECU, rebuild those if necessary while your current motor still works, and cram that sucker in there.
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what if i just get a head off of another D15 engine? i'm not looking for VTEC or anything. i simply want this sucker to run reliably for a few months. can i just swap in a rebuilt head? how much do those suckers go for? where can i get one?
I'm made of meat!
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Richmond, VA
eBay is where I'd start. Someone's spare parts pile is probably where I'd finish. Lots of D15 engines should be occupying space in people's garages everywhere, because lots of people have swapped their civics already. You might get lucky and find someone near you. Ask kids in parking lots that hang out late-night with their ricemobiles, and one of them might know somebody. Some people would give them away just to get rid of them. Heck, I've got a 8-valve CX head in my garage. You probably don't want it... I definitely don't want to ship it.
