Advice needed on car smoking

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Feb 6, 2007
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ny, ny
Car: 99 Acura CL 2.3L 5-speed with 121k miles.

Symptoms of problem:

-Car smokes heavily, massive carbon buildup on bumper.
-Spark plug on second cylinder is drenched in oil. Plug tip is completely fouled.
-Burns about 4 quarts of oil every 2 weeks.
-When I refill the crankcase with oil, car will emit ALOT of smoke initially driving at moderate speeds.

After some research, I think this is being caused by stuck piston rings.

Can anyone confirm or deny this. If confirmed, is there anything I can do to try and free up the rings? I am trying to avoid an engine rebuild if at all possible. Thanks in advance.
 
You might try a compression test, an engine flush, 10W30 group IV/V synthetic oil, air intake cleaner, and gas system cleaner. Then some new plugs.
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Two quarts a week?
crazy.gif
How long you been driving it like this? How long did it take to get this way?
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Reality check people: It's too far gone. Fuggedaboudit.
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I've been driving it around like this for 3 months. I purchased the car last Sept. Any way to fix the valve guides without doing a rebuild? I tried one of those no-leak products but it didn't do anything.
 
It is at the point where you dont have anything to lose. I would start dosing the crankcase with a solvent and 10w 30 cheeeeep oil and filters. I have never seen valve guide wear so bad it would foul a plug. You also may want to pull the valve cover and the oil pan to physically remove the sludge, especially on the pick up screen. After you get most of the sludge off the head, run a wire down the oil galleries and flush with diesel oil, then drain the crankcase.
 
This sounds very familiar to my mid-90s Honda Accord. I had the same smoke problem, and it got to where I added about 2 quarts of oil for every 1 tank of gas. I have since learned that this problem is not uncommon with higher mileage Honda engines.

First, don't worry about the Valve Stem Seals or Valve Guides. I replaced those on my Honda and it did absolutely nothing. You are right when you suspect stuck rings.

Here is what you need to do... You, need to attack this stongly. Add 1 quart of Marvel Mystery Oil (MMO) for every 3 quarts of oil. MMO is safe to add to the crankcase, and it is very effective at softening baked on carbon. I'd use at least a 10W30 while do these procedure. If this doesn't work, nothing will... Really, your engine is headed for the junkyard, so you have nothing to lose.

I wouldn't hesitate to do this until you notice a difference. I didn't do this, and eventually my exhaust valves broke from the heat, blowing up the engine. When my father-in-law rebuilt the engine, he said the exhaust valves were "welded-on" with carbon.

You can buy MMO just about anywhere...
 
Thanks for the advice elroy. I will definitely be flooding my engine with MMO. I've read online that adding auto transmission fluid to the crankcase may help clean built up carbon. I've also read great reviews for Auto-RX in possibly freeing stuck rings. Any thoughts on these products?
 
Twizy,

I wouldn't waste my time with the ATF. If you search here, you'll see that adding ATF to your oil as a detergent is pretty much a myth. Generally, ATF has fewer detergent qualities than does regular motor oil.

As far as Auto-RX goes, it is a good product, but probably not right for what you need. Auto-RX is a gentle cleaning product. It sounds like you don't have time to run a cycle, nor will Auto-RX work as well on very baked-on carbon. Auto-Rx works well on light sludge.

When I replaced the valve stem seals on my Honda to no avail, my father-in-law suggested Rislone. I added one quart of Rislone, and didn't notice a change, so I stopped there. About 5,000 miles later, my engine went to the graveyard...(I presume the exhaust valves couldn't handle the heat from the burning oil and so they broke)

I have since researched the topic, and if I had to do it over again, I would have really flooded my engine with Marvel Mystery Oil (probably at a higher ration than what I recommened to you). Also, I wouldn't hesitate to change the spark plugs. You have nothing to lose from this, as your engine doesn't have long to live if you do nothing...

Good Luck!
 
Drain the engine oil, leave the filter in place, refill with kerosene when the engine is cold, let the engine idle for 10 minutes, shut it down, let it cool, and run it another 10 minutes. Drain the kerosene while hot, replace the filter, fill up with the cheapest motor oil you can find and see if anything improves.

If things begin to improve at all, go with Auto-RX.
 
Quote:


This sounds very familiar to my mid-90s Honda Accord. I had the same smoke problem, and it got to where I added about 2 quarts of oil for every 1 tank of gas. I have since learned that this problem is not uncommon with higher mileage Honda engines.

First, don't worry about the Valve Stem Seals or Valve Guides. I replaced those on my Honda and it did absolutely nothing. You are right when you suspect stuck rings.

Here is what you need to do... You, need to attack this stongly. Add 1 quart of Marvel Mystery Oil (MMO) for every 3 quarts of oil. MMO is safe to add to the crankcase, and it is very effective at softening baked on carbon. I'd use at least a 10W30 while do these procedure. If this doesn't work, nothing will... Really, your engine is headed for the junkyard, so you have nothing to lose.

I wouldn't hesitate to do this until you notice a difference. I didn't do this, and eventually my exhaust valves broke from the heat, blowing up the engine. When my father-in-law rebuilt the engine, he said the exhaust valves were "welded-on" with carbon.

You can buy MMO just about anywhere...




edit: I meant that the rings were welded on by baked carbon
 
I think its decided then, MMO it is. Thanks again elroy. This may sound extreme but what would happen if I just put 4 quarts of MMO in my engine at the next oil change, drive it around maybe 1000 miles, and then change with dino oil? The engine is pretty much gone anyway, so how much more damage can this do?
 
Quote:


what would happen if I just put 4 quarts of MMO in my engine at the next oil change, drive it around maybe 1000 miles...



No no no no no no no. Bear in mind these treatments being advised here are long shots at best. MMO is not motor lube oil. The kerosene thing is drastic. Good luck. But don't drive it with only MMO in the crankcase, that'll leave you stranded somwehere for sure.
 
Quote:


I think its decided then, MMO it is. Thanks again elroy. This may sound extreme but what would happen if I just put 4 quarts of MMO in my engine at the next oil change, drive it around maybe 1000 miles, and then change with dino oil? The engine is pretty much gone anyway, so how much more damage can this do?




Given that you are trying to save the engine...I'd add at least 1 quart of engine oil (15w40) to 3 quarts MMO. I wouldn't hesitate to add the MMO now, prior to an oil change--unless you do the oil change right away.

The oil will ensure that your engine is still getting adequate lubrication, and 15w40 will be harder to burn off. Plus, you can count on needing to add some oil/MMO for a while as the engine is being cleaned, and the MMO is being burned off.

I'd be curious to hear about your results...
 
ok will do. i'll put 2 qts of MMO with 2 qts 10w30 dino this weekend. with the weather being so cold on the east coast recently, i think 15w40 may be too viscous. will update with any improvements/findings.
 
How about pulling the plugs, and doing an MMO soak (or possibly even better, GM Top Cleaner) by pouring it in the cylinders over night? Then crank the engine with the plugs out, pushing out any remaining cleaner. Most of the cleaner will eventually seep past the rings and into the oil. The Saturn guys do that, as the old 1.9 S-series is common to stick ring packs. Maybe you could add some MMO to the oil, and also attack it from the top.
 
Ok, I will try this process as well. Is there a special type of funnel that I can buy to pour the MMO into the spark plug hole?
 
Run a can of BG Quick Clean. It's stopped the oil consumption dead in it's tracks on my Corolla; was burning a quart every 1,000 miles. Don't even waste money playing around with MMO and other weak slow cleaners.

You can find it at Advance Auto parts. Make sure the engine is good and hot, add the whole can, and fast idle at about 1200 rpm for 20 minutes, then drain oil and replace filter, fill with fresh oil, drive around the block, and drain/fill and replace the filter again.
 
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