Autocross car with tired engine

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Noob here, did some searching but couldn't find the help I need. I have a 1990 Honda Civic Si with 208k miles that needs some help. It's prepped for autocrossing and is raced/driven to races only. Compression test was even but low I think (155?) although I do live at altitude. Owner X prepped the car for autocross and raced it for 4 yrs using synthetic oil, was seen to blow some smoke occasionally on course under decelleration. Owner Y raced it for 1 yr, synthetic + some sort of Lucas additive (Lucas has stabilizers and stop leak products, not sure what he used). I've been running it this season with straight Mobil 1 and lately it has been coughing up fairly large amounts of soot on some start ups, which it wasn't doing when I bought it, but no noticeable smoking. Recently changed to MaxLife to see if that helps the valve seals any. It will probably get a valve job over the winter. Any suggestions from the oil experts on how I might nurse it through this summer?

TIA
Chris in CO
 
smoke during deceleration, assuming that it's not running a carb or something (still EFI where injectors are being shut off during deceleration), then there's only 2 main culprits to your engine: (1) piston ring problems (coked oil control rings, floating compression rings, glazed bore, etc.) (2) valve guides/seal problems.

I would completely tear down the engine and go through it if I were you.
 
Originally Posted By: ChrisBitner
I've been running it this season with straight Mobil 1 and lately it has been coughing up fairly large amounts of soot on some start ups, which it wasn't doing when I bought it, but no noticeable smoking.


What color is the soot? Black is fuel most likely a leaking injector when it sits. Blue or blue/white is oil. Of course how does it smell and how is your coolant level?
 
The Lucas products did not help the engine. It just turns your synthetic oil into a semi-synthetic blend and somewhere around 60 weight oil.
Maxlife is good stuff too.

I know someone is going to bust my chops over reccomending it. But at 208,000 miles you have quite a bit of mileage on that engine.
Ever think of running an Auto RX clean and rinse phase? It might clean up alot of the goop left behind from all the other additives that have been used.
It seems that Auto RX does things for seals better than everything else out there, and it should improve your compression from the tests I have seen.

Whatever you decide keep us informed.
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Originally Posted By: Quest
smoke during deceleration, assuming that it's not running a carb or something (still EFI where injectors are being shut off during deceleration), then there's only 2 main culprits to your engine: (1) piston ring problems (coked oil control rings, floating compression rings, glazed bore, etc.) (2) valve guides/seal problems.

I would completely tear down the engine and go through it if I were you.


Given the racing nature of the incident, Quest, couldn't over fill or sump shift whip it up under high vacuum? One would typically see the puff when one went off of vacuum to acceleration, but it would probably depend on how severe or protracted the deceleration under vacuum braking event was.
 
Originally Posted By: ChrisBitner
Noob here, did some searching but couldn't find the help I need. I have a 1990 Honda Civic Si with 208k miles that needs some help. It's prepped for autocrossing and is raced/driven to races only. Compression test was even but low I think (155?) although I do live at altitude. Owner X prepped the car for autocross and raced it for 4 yrs using synthetic oil, was seen to blow some smoke occasionally on course under decelleration. Owner Y raced it for 1 yr, synthetic + some sort of Lucas additive (Lucas has stabilizers and stop leak products, not sure what he used). I've been running it this season with straight Mobil 1 and lately it has been coughing up fairly large amounts of soot on some start ups, which it wasn't doing when I bought it, but no noticeable smoking. Recently changed to MaxLife to see if that helps the valve seals any. It will probably get a valve job over the winter. Any suggestions from the oil experts on how I might nurse it through this summer?

TIA
Chris in CO


Spend your money in tires and on the driver. Make sure it passes tech inspection and is safe. Don't worry about oil consumption on a car that is used for such a limited purpose.

Maybe buy some more spark plugs.

The only effort I'd put into this is the cost of a set of new plugs and a 32oz bottle of MMO.

Pull the plugs on a cold engine, put 4 oz of MMO in each cylinder and let that sit for 24 hours. With the plugs still out put a towel over the plug holes, remove power to the ignition system so you don't get any stray sparks, and run the engine over for about 30 seconds to blow most/all of the MMO still in there out.

Put the rest of that bottle in the oil filler, replace the OLD plugs and run the engine at idle for about 20-30 minutes and then change the oil. Maybe drive it gently, but I'm not as comfortable with that solution.

After the oil change, put the NEW plugs in (after it's cooled again) and take the car for a good drive.

Spend any real money on better tires, struts and most importantly seat time training the driver.
 
Originally Posted By: TaterandNoodles
Originally Posted By: ChrisBitner
I've been running it this season with straight Mobil 1 and lately it has been coughing up fairly large amounts of soot on some start ups, which it wasn't doing when I bought it, but no noticeable smoking.


What color is the soot? Black is fuel most likely a leaking injector when it sits. Blue or blue/white is oil. Of course how does it smell and how is your coolant level?


Hmmm, interesting. Soot is definitely black, a nice oval pattern on the driveway. Coolant level is good, it does smell a bit rich when started/cold. BTW, planning to change the pcv today to eliminate that variable.

Any risks with the autoRX process?
 
Originally Posted By: ChrisBitner


Any risks with the autoRX process?



My personal opinion- even if there are no risks (and I think there are some) there is no benefit, especially since that car has been run on synthetic PAO oils or synthetic blends for a while. Oil goes in the crankcase, not cleaners, not thickeners, not additives.

Use a good oil and as someone else said, spend your money on tires, suspension, and safety gear.
 
Originally Posted By: ChrisBitner

BTW, planning to change the pcv today to eliminate that variable.


thumbsup2.gif


I would check off all of the PM before I added anything.
 
Originally Posted By: Gary Allan

Given the racing nature of the incident, Quest, couldn't over fill or sump shift whip it up under high vacuum? One would typically see the puff when one went off of vacuum to acceleration, but it would probably depend on how severe or protracted the deceleration under vacuum braking event was.


You are possibly correct sir, that given the fact that this car is used for autoXrossing, then the likeliness of (a) overfilled crankcase and (b) sloshing of the oil inside the crankcase causing oil to seep past the rings during high vacuum/deceleration.

Oh well, it's one of those cases where you either focus on spending your money elsewhere (tires, etc.) or you go all-out for an engine rebuild.

Q.
 
Originally Posted By: ChrisBitner
Noob here, did some searching but couldn't find the help I need. I have a 1990 Honda Civic Si with 208k miles that needs some help. It's prepped for autocrossing and is raced/driven to races only. Compression test was even but low I think (155?) although I do live at altitude. Owner X prepped the car for autocross and raced it for 4 yrs using synthetic oil, was seen to blow some smoke occasionally on course under decelleration. Owner Y raced it for 1 yr, synthetic + some sort of Lucas additive (Lucas has stabilizers and stop leak products, not sure what he used). I've been running it this season with straight Mobil 1 and lately it has been coughing up fairly large amounts of soot on some start ups, which it wasn't doing when I bought it, but no noticeable smoking. Recently changed to MaxLife to see if that helps the valve seals any. It will probably get a valve job over the winter. Any suggestions from the oil experts on how I might nurse it through this summer?

TIA
Chris in CO

Dont race it rev it or push it. You answered your own question. Nurse it through the summer.
 
Originally Posted By: Quest
Originally Posted By: Gary Allan

Given the racing nature of the incident, Quest, couldn't over fill or sump shift whip it up under high vacuum? One would typically see the puff when one went off of vacuum to acceleration, but it would probably depend on how severe or protracted the deceleration under vacuum braking event was.


You are possibly correct sir, that given the fact that this car is used for autoXrossing, then the likeliness of (a) overfilled crankcase and (b) sloshing of the oil inside the crankcase causing oil to seep past the rings during high vacuum/deceleration.

Oh well, it's one of those cases where you either focus on spending your money elsewhere (tires, etc.) or you go all-out for an engine rebuild.

Q.


LOL.gif
Yeah, it still comes down to those choices in the end.

Worry about the smoke and either fix it or not. Or don't worry about it and keep on driving.

Your abbreviated wisdom can take the long road in my head.
55.gif
 
Originally Posted By: TaterandNoodles
Originally Posted By: ChrisBitner

BTW, planning to change the pcv today to eliminate that variable.


thumbsup2.gif


I would check off all of the PM before I added anything.


+1
 
Originally Posted By: mechtech2
I'd keep putting oil in it and drive it until it breaks.


Bingo!!! Run it til rebuild time....
As was posted before, spend the time/money on safety...
Much easier to fix broken engines than people.
 
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