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Dry Cylinders--Honda Civic
I have a 98 Honda Civic with ~ 140K miles. This year, the oil has drained from
the cylinders three times, leading to the car not starting. I've taken it to a local mechanic who discovered the dry cylinders by removing the spark plugs. He poured transmission fluid into the cylinders to get the car to start. He does not know what's causing this, said he's only seen it in cars that sit for extended periods or that needed fuel injector adjustments. He said he ruled out fuel injectors overspraying and washing the oil out because there was no gas in the oil. Said no codes were present on the computer board. The car is driven daily, so sitting isn't the problem. One thing I've always done was change the oil every 5K miles. Have also had serpentine belt, timing chain, and water pump replaced early this year. Mechanic has double checked the timing and says it's good. Been doing research on the valve train, since mechanic thought perhaps something was wrong with the valves but doesn't do that kind of work. I've also noticed that the car practically drinks gas now and the dry cylinder problem seems to be happening at shorter intervals over time. Anybody know what might be the problem? |
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#2
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Dry Cylinders--Honda Civic
Not sure where to start on this.... Dry cylinders? If no oil is reaching
the cylinders, then the engine wouldn't run at all, let alone start, and the damage you would do to it in the mean time is mind boggling! The only thing I can think of is a leaky fuel injector. This can be solved on startup by pushing the gas pedal to the floor when you turn the key. Do this for about 10-15 seconds and it should start. Don't let up off the gas until it starts. Once you get it running, run some good injection cleaner through it, Chevron Techron is what everyone around here talks about. Run it every 3 months through the fuel system, and you should avoid and stuck open injectors. By the way, your car doesn't have a timing chain, it has a timing belt. Big difference. t Corpus Christi wrote: >I have a 98 Honda Civic with ~ 140K miles. This year, the oil has drained from >the cylinders three times, leading to the car not starting. I've taken it to a >local mechanic who discovered the dry cylinders by removing the spark plugs. He >poured transmission fluid into the cylinders to get the car to start. He does >not know what's causing this, said he's only seen it in cars that sit for >extended periods or that needed fuel injector adjustments. He said he ruled out >fuel injectors overspraying and washing the oil out because there was no gas in >the oil. Said no codes were present on the computer board. The car is driven >daily, so sitting isn't the problem. > >One thing I've always done was change the oil every 5K miles. Have also had >serpentine belt, timing chain, and water pump replaced early this year. >Mechanic has double checked the timing and says it's good. Been doing research >on the valve train, since mechanic thought perhaps something was wrong with the >valves but doesn't do that kind of work. > >I've also noticed that the car practically drinks gas now and the dry cylinder >problem seems to be happening at shorter intervals over time. Anybody know what >might be the problem? -- Message posted via CarKB.com http://www.carkb.com/Uwe/Forums.aspx...-cars/200610/1 |
#3
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Dry Cylinders--Honda Civic
Interesting. My '86 Accord sat for nearly a year but started right up
(yeah, I know it's bad for the engine, but the car was totalled anyway). |
#4
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Dry Cylinders--Honda Civic
Corpus Christi > wrote in
: > I have a 98 Honda Civic with ~ 140K miles. This year, the oil has > drained from the cylinders three times, Whaaaat? What kinda hootenanny assertion is that? Oil is never *in* the cylinders to begin with! It get splashed/sprayed UNDER the piston and drains away every time you shut the car off. > leading to the car not > starting. I've taken it to a local mechanic who discovered the dry > cylinders by removing the spark plugs. He poured transmission fluid > into the cylinders to get the car to start. You need a new mechanic. This one doesn't seem to be approaching this in a methodical manner. > He does not know what's > causing this, said he's only seen it in cars that sit for extended > periods or that needed fuel injector adjustments. He said he ruled > out fuel injectors overspraying and washing the oil out because there > was no gas in the oil. Said no codes were present on the computer > board. The car is driven daily, so sitting isn't the problem. > > One thing I've always done was change the oil every 5K miles. Have > also had serpentine belt, timing chain, and water pump replaced early > this year. Mechanic has double checked the timing and says it's good. > Been doing research on the valve train, since mechanic thought perhaps > something was wrong with the valves but doesn't do that kind of work. > > I've also noticed that the car practically drinks gas now Ah, finally a clue! Please tell us the ***EXACT*** sequence of events that occurs when an attempt is made to start the car and it does not. By "exact" I mean EVERYTHING, including crank times, precise behavior when cranking, etc. Any black smoke out the tailpipe? Any black deposits on the bumper on the side the tailipe is on? -- TeGGeR® The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ www.tegger.com/hondafaq/ |
#5
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Dry Cylinders--Honda Civic
Corpus Christi wrote:
> > I have a 98 Honda Civic with ~ 140K miles. This year, the oil has drained from > the cylinders three times, leading to the car not starting. I've taken it to a > local mechanic who discovered the dry cylinders by removing the spark plugs. He > poured transmission fluid into the cylinders to get the car to start. He does ------------------------------------ Your mechanic is a whacko. Cylinders are supposed to be dry inside. Your engine sounds like it's FLOODING, so read your owner's manual and you'll be able to start it next time this happens (pedal all the way to the floor). Meantime, run a can of Techron injector cleaner through the gas tank. This has always happened on a Monday morning, or at least after sitting overnight, right??? 'Curly' |
#6
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Dry Cylinders--Honda Civic
In article >,
Corpus Christi > wrote: > I have a 98 Honda Civic with ~ 140K miles. This year, the oil has drained > from > the cylinders three times, leading to the car not starting. I've taken it to > a > local mechanic who discovered the dry cylinders by removing the spark plugs. > He > poured transmission fluid into the cylinders to get the car to start. He > does > not know what's causing this, said he's only seen it in cars that sit for > extended periods or that needed fuel injector adjustments. He said he ruled > out > fuel injectors overspraying and washing the oil out because there was no gas > in > the oil. Said no codes were present on the computer board. The car is > driven > daily, so sitting isn't the problem. > > One thing I've always done was change the oil every 5K miles. Have also had > serpentine belt, timing chain, and water pump replaced early this year. > Mechanic has double checked the timing and says it's good. Been doing > research > on the valve train, since mechanic thought perhaps something was wrong with > the > valves but doesn't do that kind of work. > > I've also noticed that the car practically drinks gas now and the dry > cylinder > problem seems to be happening at shorter intervals over time. Anybody know > what > might be the problem? How does it not start? At that milage, you could be having problems with the starter solenoid getting stuck. A stuck solenoid causes absolutely nothing to happen when you turn the key. A stuck engine would smoke your starter in seconds. What kind of oil filter are you using? Does the oil light turn off as soon as the engine starts? Who is changing your oil? Is it clean afterwards or just topped off? So your mechanics suspects the valves? Why? That's a quick thing to test on a Civic. Take the valve cover off and turn the engine slowly by hand or by pushing the car in 5th gear. If they open and close, have the right clearance, and compression is good then what's to suspect? Oil takes a LONG time to drain from the cylinders. I've only seen it in a lawnmower that wasn't used for 6 years. If you were leaking enough gas to wash it away then your engine would chug, sputter, and spew gasoline fumes like mad once it started. |
#7
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Dry Cylinders--Honda Civic
Corpus Christi wrote:
> I have a 98 Honda Civic with ~ 140K miles. This year, the oil has drained from > the cylinders three times, leading to the car not starting. rubbish. > I've taken it to a > local mechanic who discovered the dry cylinders by removing the spark plugs. He > poured transmission fluid into the cylinders to get the car to start. transmission fluid? this is not a "mechanic", this is an idiot. > He does > not know what's causing this what a surprise. not. >, said he's only seen it in cars that sit for > extended periods or that needed fuel injector adjustments. gasoline injectors are not adjustable. > He said he ruled out > fuel injectors overspraying and washing the oil out because there was no gas in > the oil. don't believe that unless he's done analysis. and i'll bet he hasn't. > Said no codes were present on the computer board. The car is driven > daily, so sitting isn't the problem. that directly contradicts the "dry cylinder" problem. > > One thing I've always done was change the oil every 5K miles. Have also had > serpentine belt, no serpentine on your civic. > timing chain no timing chain on your civic - it's a belt. >, and water pump replaced early this year. > Mechanic has double checked the timing and says it's good. Been doing research > on the valve train, since mechanic thought perhaps something was wrong with the > valves but doesn't do that kind of work. not the valves. > > I've also noticed that the car practically drinks gas now and the dry cylinder > problem seems to be happening at shorter intervals over time. Anybody know what > might be the problem? > yes, you have an injector stuck open. take this vehicle to a competent repair shop and have them fix the problem - this other guy hasn't the first clue and will probably cost you money because of their poor "repairs" being faulty down the road. in the futu 1. avoid the injector problem by using decent branded gasoline and using injector cleaner periodically. 2. find a competent independent mechanic that knows what they're doing. this person would shame any shade tree. |
#8
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Dry Cylinders--Honda Civic
Thanks. I have a better idea of what's happening now.
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#9
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Dry Cylinders--Honda Civic
Corpus Christi wrote: > I have a 98 Honda Civic with ~ 140K miles. This year, the oil has drained from > the cylinders three times, leading to the car not starting. I've taken it to a > local mechanic who discovered the dry cylinders by removing the spark plugs. He > poured transmission fluid into the cylinders to get the car to start. He does > not know what's causing this, said he's only seen it in cars that sit for > extended periods or that needed fuel injector adjustments. He said he ruled out > fuel injectors overspraying and washing the oil out because there was no gas in > the oil. Said no codes were present on the computer board. The car is driven > daily, so sitting isn't the problem. > > One thing I've always done was change the oil every 5K miles. Have also had > serpentine belt, timing chain, and water pump replaced early this year. > Mechanic has double checked the timing and says it's good. Been doing research > on the valve train, since mechanic thought perhaps something was wrong with the > valves but doesn't do that kind of work. > > I've also noticed that the car practically drinks gas now and the dry cylinder > problem seems to be happening at shorter intervals over time. Anybody know what > might be the problem? Maybe the reason for not starting is bad compression on a cylinder? Squirting oil into a plug hole is usually done as a temporary measure when the rings are worn. Remco |
#10
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Dry Cylinders--Honda Civic
Remco wrote: > Corpus Christi wrote: > > I have a 98 Honda Civic with ~ 140K miles. This year, the oil has drained from > > the cylinders three times, leading to the car not starting. I've taken it to a > > local mechanic who discovered the dry cylinders by removing the spark plugs. He > > poured transmission fluid into the cylinders to get the car to start. He does > > not know what's causing this, said he's only seen it in cars that sit for > > extended periods or that needed fuel injector adjustments. He said he ruled out > > fuel injectors overspraying and washing the oil out because there was no gas in > > the oil. Said no codes were present on the computer board. The car is driven > > daily, so sitting isn't the problem. > > > > One thing I've always done was change the oil every 5K miles. Have also had > > serpentine belt, timing chain, and water pump replaced early this year. > > Mechanic has double checked the timing and says it's good. Been doing research > > on the valve train, since mechanic thought perhaps something was wrong with the > > valves but doesn't do that kind of work. > > > > I've also noticed that the car practically drinks gas now and the dry cylinder > > problem seems to be happening at shorter intervals over time. Anybody know what > > might be the problem? > > Maybe the reason for not starting is bad compression on a cylinder? > Squirting oil into a plug hole is usually done as a temporary measure > when the rings are worn. > > Remco After re-reading your post, I noticed you mentioned he put ATF into your cylinder head. Not sure why he tried that one: That is an old trick to unstick rings and remove carbon deposits - one would basically put some into a carborator. I guess that works the same on a fuel injected car like yours. If that made it work, it is most likely still ring related, imo. |
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