End of the road for my Civic HX? (Update, HX fixed!)

[brucepick]

Egad. Or !#$(*@#$&(!!!

My HX now gives regular CELs (several times a day). P0302, sometimes P0301/P0304/P1300. P0302 = misfire in cyl. #2. The other related #s are the other cylinders, P1300 is a random miss or multi-cylinder.

A shop reports 65 psi compression in cyl #2 and 185 psi in the others. It burns at least 20-25 oz oil per 1000 miles, and sometimes a lot more.

Maybe I'll get a first generation Insight?? Wife says to ditch this car but I think maybe a head rebuild could solve the issues. I commute 55 miles each way so a gas sipper is justified.

Mostly I'm venting but I'd like to read any thoughts or suggestions.

Thanks!

[Jim-Bob]

Why not just try to source a replacement engine? There's no sense in getting rid of an otherwise good car for a simple days worth of engine changing.

[brucepick]

Originally Posted by Jim-Bob

Why not just try to source a replacement engine? There's no sense in getting rid of an otherwise good car for a simple days worth of engine changing.

That was my first thought. But many of these HX engines have the same issue(s). If the money is about the same and this engine's bottom end is OK I'd rather get the top end rebuilt. But wifey says to ditch the car. We'll see what my mechanic friend says after he looks inside with a camera that goes in through the spark plug hole.

IMHO a major source of trouble for the HX engine is the oil pan that only holds 3 qt. About 20 oil changes have proven that to me. Every shop manual says it holds more, so most of these are overfilled regularly. Not good for it.

But I think what got this one was that the head's oil drain holes plugged up, and so the pressure-fed top end components likely were oil starved. Bottom end maybe got enough pressure - I didn't ever see an oil light except just at startup, as one should.

[Daox]

An engine swap would be much easier. Check out what is available locally from auto salvage yards at car-part.com.

[SVOboy]

You could stick a non-HX engine in there easily enough on the cheap. Less mileage but o wells.

Or INSIGHT!!!!

[brucepick]

Originally Posted by SVOboy

You could stick a non-HX engine in there easily enough on the cheap. Less mileage but o wells.

Or INSIGHT!!!!

I like the Insight idea! I've been looking a bit but didn't connect with one yet. Could happen though.

What with the lean burn engine and wideband oxy sensor, the HX uses a different computer. In fact I suspect each version of the engine has its own computer model. So putting in another Civic engine would likely require a bunch of other changes - I'm not really up to that out of fear of missing something.

[comptiger5000]

Have your mech do a leakdown test. If it shows an issue in the head, a top end rebuild is a good option. However, if the compression is low on that cylinder due to bad rings, it's either time for a new engine, full rebuild or new car.

[redneck]

But I think what got this one was that the head's oil drain holes plugged up, and so the pressure-fed top end components likely were oil starved. Bottom end maybe got enough pressure - I didn't ever see an oil light except just at startup, as one should.

Just the opposite. If the oil drains were pluged that would trap oil on the top end which in turn would starve the bottom end.

High oil comsumption can be caused by bad valve stem seals, faulty pvc valve and or bad rings.

Do a wet and dry compression check to see if the problem is due to rings or valves. Or use a leak down tester.

It would be best to diagnosis the exact problem first before making a decision .

>

[brucepick]

Originally Posted by redneck

Just the opposite. If the oil drains were plugged that would trap oil on the top end which in turn would starve the bottom end.>

I had the same thought, at first. But no oil lights ever. So my guess is that enough got through to partially supply the pump. But the pressure-fed areas in head didn't get what they needed. Yes the top was soaking in a pool of oil but not pressurized into where its needed like valve guides and cam bearings.

Anyway I'm just making assumptions. A mechanic friend of mine is examining it today - or tomorrow if the snow keeps him home today.

[Zerohour]

Definitely get a proper breakdown of the actual issue. If you need just a rebuild, its much cheaper than engine, and furthermore, much cheaper than buying another car! Remember, part of eco/green is not about dumping things into a land fill! (well scrap yard in this case)

Not to mention a new engine means you'd be recycling!