Team Honda Thread

[conor97hx]

My last tank was 56.7 mpg according to my scangauge, bumping the tire pressure up and adjusting how i drive has been a huge help so far. And I've done a bit of weight reduction by taking everything out of the trunk, trim and everything. Don't know if that's made a difference but all together these few things have helped.

[brucepick]

I just cleaned my EGR passages this past weekend. 2000 Insight. No more herky-jerky. So far no visible mpg improvement, but the change from lean burn back to regular is a lot smoother now.

It had about 1-2 mm. thick tar-like black goop coated on some of the passage walls. Do you guys usually find it caked on nearly rock-hard, or more like a thick tar? I've been running Marvel Mystery Oil in my fuel (4 oz per 10 gallons fuel) so I'm wondering if that made my buildup any softer than usual.

I also found the steel vacuum tube going up through intake manifold was badly rusted - and leaking. It provides vacuum to the fuel pressure regulator. Spraying some carb cleaner on the steel tube while idling caused the rpms to go up and down. Finger-tracing the tube down under the manifold, I found the hose it connects to - so I plan to splice in a hose soon, to bypass the leaky tube.

[California98Civic]

Don't know about MMO, but can't you just patch the tube?

[brucepick]

Originally Posted by California98Civic

Don't know about MMO, but can't you just patch the tube?

Temporarily, I did patch the tube - by splitting a length of rubber hose and then hose-clamping it over the exposed 1-1/4" of rusty steel tubing.

BUT that's only temporary. The tube is now so weak that manhandling the manifold while extracting the EGR passages plate, was enough to bend the tube over by 15º or so. I think I could replace it if I remove the whole manifold but - much easier to connect a hose that bypasses the rusty tube.

About the Marvel Mystery Oil -
I am trying to find out whether it changes the nature of the awful black material clogging the EGR passages.
My (former) Civic HX had clogged EGR passages and I never could get at them to clean them. But using MMO in the fuel enabled decent lean burn. I found it helped on the Insight too. Disagree with me if you like, it doesn't matter to me. I'm not trying to push the case for MMO here. Just trying to find out what hardness the clog material usually has?

My QUESTION to readers is, were your EGR passages clogged with hardened , baked-on black crud? Or was it more like a tar like material one could scrape off with a screwdriver blade? Because that's what I found, after about 15,000 miles driven using Marvel Mystery Oil.

Thank you in advance, for your informative replies.

[California98Civic]

I wasn't disagreeing. Sorry for not e clear enough. I was just saying I didn't know if MMO has the effect you describe. That tube sure sounds spent, now that you describe it more. Yikes!

[Xist]

In some places mine was tarry and other places it was hard. I needed to do a great deal of scraping and ended up scratching up the gasket, which I replaced. I think it depends on how long the carbon has had to bake on.

[California98Civic]

Wow, Nutwagon!

When I first joined EM I could often get jnto the Top Five on the main FE list, and into the top three in Team Honda sometimes. Recently, because I reduced my expectations and because of all the VXs and Insights in Team Honda, I often do not make the top ten at all, especially in Summer. So I'm shocked to see my car at #10 right now.

But the Nutwgon... with the exception of Nutwagon and my #10 showinf, all the other top 10 vehicles are Gen1 Insights or VXs. The VX cars are often highly aeromodded too. Nutwagon is probably devotedly hypermiled, but the car is also radically modded. Check his list of mods on his garage page. Wow.

And if this list were reorganized around percent over EPA, Nutwagon would be #1 by a lot.

[Gasoline Fumes]

I'm hoping my current tank is over 80 MPG. It's looking pretty good so far! I'll know in a couple of weeks. I just replaced a noisy front wheel bearing, that might give me a boost. I'm not sure how much longer I can keep the Nut Wagon going, the rust is getting bad. Really bad.

[California98Civic]

She's a quarter century old... New York State old. That's a lot for a DD.

[PaleMelanesian]

Originally Posted by Gasoline Fumes

I'm hoping my current tank is over 80 MPG. It's looking pretty good so far! I'll know in a couple of weeks. I just replaced a noisy front wheel bearing, that might give me a boost. I'm not sure how much longer I can keep the Nut Wagon going, the rust is getting bad. Really bad.

Good work keeping a good one going this long.

I may be able to drag my average up a bit now. I've had a construction detour for several months now and it just finished. New stop sign, but less 2-lane highway.

But... school is starting next week. We'll see how that changes things.