i have a qucik question. Is it possible for my engine to be burning oil because of bad valves?..Assuming i do a compression test and everything is ok. I have a 1990 honda civic DX with a D15b. It has roughly 210 000 km on it.

 

A compression test will check your piston ring seal. A leak down test will check your valve seals.

 

Compression test & leakdown test will both test the valves, in the sense of how well the valve seals against its seat when it's closed. That's not where oil comes from.

The oil seal around the valve stem can leak. That seal never sees pressure during either a compression or a leakdown test. On the intake valves it leaks the most when you shift, or when you coast with the clutch engaged & the throttle closed. That's when the vacuum is strongest, so it pulls oil thru the seal.

 

so the only way im gonna tell is if i remove the rocker cover and examine the seals eh? How hard are they to change?..

 

i would also like to know how hard it is to change the valve seals
i got some viton valve stem seals right here but im not sure how hard it is to install them and how possible it is to screw things up

 

yeah...I took out the spark plugs so i can perform a compression test. And i noticed that the spark plugs were wet with oil. And i didn the rocker cover gasket with the O rings already. Is it possible that the o rings r not sitting correctly, causing the oil to seap throught the spark plug area? I am gonna do another compression test shortly and record the results. How long should i let the engine turn over for when i perform the test for each cylinfer?

 

Spark plugs wet with oil above or below the threads?

Below the threads:
It can't have anything to do with the VC gasket. It's gotta be rings or valve seals or something internal.

Above the threads:
I don't know about D-engines, but some (F-engines?) have another seal farther down in the spark plug tube. Sorta like the cam cap itself is part of the tube, and there's an o-ring between the cam cap & the head itself. Is yours like that??

Compression test:
Warmed-up engine, all plugs removed, spark & fuel disabled, wide-open throttle. Crank enough times for the pressure to get as high as it gets & stops climbing. I guess that's usually 6 or 7 times.

 

To tell you the truth it looks like there is some oil on both top and bottom. I cant really figure out thou. I am going to check at the moment, and i will be back with an update.How could i disable the fuel from being injected?..Should i just unplug the fuel injectors? I think it may be my valve seals. But when i am driving i can hear *clacking* and im not to sure if its my valves that may be needing adjustments.. or maybe my cam...but i still cant rule out my valve seals yet.

 

You can usually disable spark & fuel all together by pulling a fuse or 2, depending on your car. I don't have a wiring drawing for a '90 Civic, but that might be easier than unplugging injectors. (Unplugging the injectors would work.)

Incorrect valve lash can make clicking noises, but Honda fuel injectors are kinda loud, too. Leaking valve seals wouldn't make noise like that, would they??