Thanks for the reply, well said, i'll leave all alone. I'm happy with the mpg just wanted to try for a few more. No emission
testing here in PA. other than visual and gas cap check. Tailpipe does look black though, plugs are fine, i guess you don't see
the gray color anymore.

"TeGGeR®" <tegger@tegger.c0m> wrote in message

 

"Robert Mozeleski" <moz@ncx.com> wrote in
news:OaCdnULyW_KtHTrfRVn-2g@nni.com:

> Thanks for the reply, well said, i'll leave all alone. I'm happy with
> the mpg just wanted to try for a few more. No emission testing here in
> PA. other than visual and gas cap check. Tailpipe does look black
> though, plugs are fine, i guess you don't see the gray color anymore.


Gray was with leaded gas. Black is the norm now.


--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

 

"Robert Mozeleski" <moz@ncx.com> wrote in
news:OaCdnULyW_KtHTrfRVn-2g@nni.com:

> Thanks for the reply, well said, i'll leave all alone. I'm happy with
> the mpg just wanted to try for a few more. No emission testing here in
> PA. other than visual and gas cap check. Tailpipe does look black
> though, plugs are fine, i guess you don't see the gray color anymore.


Gray was with leaded gas. Black is the norm now.


--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

 

TeGGeR® wrote:
> jim beam <nospam@example.net> wrote in
> news:WIydnc_6UMD86DvfRVn-2w@speakeasy.net:
>
>
>>TeGGeR® wrote:
>
>
>>>My guess is your rings are bad. At least $2,000 to fix that.
>>
>>i vote the o.p. spends some time addressing the easily fixable
>>problems before stressing about serious [expensive] mechanical stuff.
>
>
>
>
> For sure.
>
> My price was meant to be a deterrent.
>
>
>
>
>>especially using a "non-leaky" oil.
>
>
>
> Now that's something I never thought of. Supposedly those "high-mileage"
> oil formulations can help swell seals and get a little more useful life out
> of them. It's worth a try.

so far, i'm having plenty of luck with plain castrol gtx 5w-30. my main
seal's pretty much stopped leaking now.

regarding oil consumption, mine took a dramatic hike after working on
the distributor recently. turns out i'd set the timing a little too
advanced. not enough to cause audible detonation, but the issue about
higher ignition temp seems to be real. now that i've fixed it,
consumption is back to zero. i drove down to las vegas today, dipstick
showing the same as when i left. 600 miles, high ambient temps, big
long hills at full throttle. somehow managed to get here nearly 2 hours
earlier than anticipated. get my drift?

i recently found my old bosch automotive handbook - 3rd edition. if you
get a chance, take a look at a copy - current is 5th edition. lots of
useful info about the whole theory of injection, ignition, etc.
including tghe above info on egr valve operation. there's also
something on plug selection. apparently, there /is/ a small power yield
difference related to plug running temperature. using plugs that are
too cool reduce power output.

>
> Also, using a heavier regular oil can often reduce oil consumption enough
> to extend the engine's useful life. Something like 20W-50.
>
>
>
>
>>if he does everything else and it
>>doesn't reduce oil consumption, sure, fix the motor.
>
>
>
>
> An '89 Civic is "basic transportation" to the insurance company ($500-
> $1,500), and about $1,000 on the used car market. Putting $2K into fixing
> the motor does not make economic sense unless the car is in unusually good
> condition and has a known history.
>
>
>
>
>> but i'll bet you
>>lunch that it does. especially on the 89 civic. it doesn't have the
>>ring problems of the 88 accord discussed recently. my crx has 305k,
>>near enough, and no appreciable oil consumption unless it's thrashed
>>[!].
>> even then, it's less than a quart between changes.
>
>
>
>
> Lots of city driving and short trips will eat up the oil control rings
> relatively quickly. Highway driving will see them lasting longer.
>

 

TeGGeR® wrote:
> jim beam <nospam@example.net> wrote in
> news:WIydnc_6UMD86DvfRVn-2w@speakeasy.net:
>
>
>>TeGGeR® wrote:
>
>
>>>My guess is your rings are bad. At least $2,000 to fix that.
>>
>>i vote the o.p. spends some time addressing the easily fixable
>>problems before stressing about serious [expensive] mechanical stuff.
>
>
>
>
> For sure.
>
> My price was meant to be a deterrent.
>
>
>
>
>>especially using a "non-leaky" oil.
>
>
>
> Now that's something I never thought of. Supposedly those "high-mileage"
> oil formulations can help swell seals and get a little more useful life out
> of them. It's worth a try.

so far, i'm having plenty of luck with plain castrol gtx 5w-30. my main
seal's pretty much stopped leaking now.

regarding oil consumption, mine took a dramatic hike after working on
the distributor recently. turns out i'd set the timing a little too
advanced. not enough to cause audible detonation, but the issue about
higher ignition temp seems to be real. now that i've fixed it,
consumption is back to zero. i drove down to las vegas today, dipstick
showing the same as when i left. 600 miles, high ambient temps, big
long hills at full throttle. somehow managed to get here nearly 2 hours
earlier than anticipated. get my drift?

i recently found my old bosch automotive handbook - 3rd edition. if you
get a chance, take a look at a copy - current is 5th edition. lots of
useful info about the whole theory of injection, ignition, etc.
including tghe above info on egr valve operation. there's also
something on plug selection. apparently, there /is/ a small power yield
difference related to plug running temperature. using plugs that are
too cool reduce power output.

>
> Also, using a heavier regular oil can often reduce oil consumption enough
> to extend the engine's useful life. Something like 20W-50.
>
>
>
>
>>if he does everything else and it
>>doesn't reduce oil consumption, sure, fix the motor.
>
>
>
>
> An '89 Civic is "basic transportation" to the insurance company ($500-
> $1,500), and about $1,000 on the used car market. Putting $2K into fixing
> the motor does not make economic sense unless the car is in unusually good
> condition and has a known history.
>
>
>
>
>> but i'll bet you
>>lunch that it does. especially on the 89 civic. it doesn't have the
>>ring problems of the 88 accord discussed recently. my crx has 305k,
>>near enough, and no appreciable oil consumption unless it's thrashed
>>[!].
>> even then, it's less than a quart between changes.
>
>
>
>
> Lots of city driving and short trips will eat up the oil control rings
> relatively quickly. Highway driving will see them lasting longer.
>

 

jim beam <nospam@example.net> wrote in
news:j4SdnR72_s-gWjrfRVn-vw@speakeasy.net:



>
> i recently found my old bosch automotive handbook - 3rd edition. if
> you get a chance, take a look at a copy - current is 5th edition.
> lots of useful info about the whole theory of injection, ignition,
> etc. including tghe above info on egr valve operation. there's also
> something on plug selection. apparently, there /is/ a small power
> yield difference related to plug running temperature. using plugs
> that are too cool reduce power output.


I would think (not having read your book) that this would only be true if
the current plugs were overheating or getting dirty and producing a weaker
spark. If the current plugs are not producing a weak spark under heavy
load, then cooler plugs won't affect anything.



--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

 

jim beam <nospam@example.net> wrote in
news:j4SdnR72_s-gWjrfRVn-vw@speakeasy.net:



>
> i recently found my old bosch automotive handbook - 3rd edition. if
> you get a chance, take a look at a copy - current is 5th edition.
> lots of useful info about the whole theory of injection, ignition,
> etc. including tghe above info on egr valve operation. there's also
> something on plug selection. apparently, there /is/ a small power
> yield difference related to plug running temperature. using plugs
> that are too cool reduce power output.


I would think (not having read your book) that this would only be true if
the current plugs were overheating or getting dirty and producing a weaker
spark. If the current plugs are not producing a weak spark under heavy
load, then cooler plugs won't affect anything.



--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

 

TeGGeR® wrote:
> jim beam <nospam@example.net> wrote in
> news:j4SdnR72_s-gWjrfRVn-vw@speakeasy.net:
>
>
>
>
>>i recently found my old bosch automotive handbook - 3rd edition. if
>>you get a chance, take a look at a copy - current is 5th edition.
>>lots of useful info about the whole theory of injection, ignition,
>>etc. including tghe above info on egr valve operation. there's also
>>something on plug selection. apparently, there /is/ a small power
>>yield difference related to plug running temperature. using plugs
>>that are too cool reduce power output.
>
>
>
> I would think (not having read your book) that this would only be true if
> the current plugs were overheating or getting dirty and producing a weaker
> spark. If the current plugs are not producing a weak spark under heavy
> load, then cooler plugs won't affect anything.
>
>
>
they have a big long section on bosch plugs [naturally] and have a chart
showing power yield as a function of operating temp. has 3 lines
showing too hot, correct & too cold. but the amount is unquantified,
they're just trends. i'll check again when i get home.

 

TeGGeR® wrote:
> jim beam <nospam@example.net> wrote in
> news:j4SdnR72_s-gWjrfRVn-vw@speakeasy.net:
>
>
>
>
>>i recently found my old bosch automotive handbook - 3rd edition. if
>>you get a chance, take a look at a copy - current is 5th edition.
>>lots of useful info about the whole theory of injection, ignition,
>>etc. including tghe above info on egr valve operation. there's also
>>something on plug selection. apparently, there /is/ a small power
>>yield difference related to plug running temperature. using plugs
>>that are too cool reduce power output.
>
>
>
> I would think (not having read your book) that this would only be true if
> the current plugs were overheating or getting dirty and producing a weaker
> spark. If the current plugs are not producing a weak spark under heavy
> load, then cooler plugs won't affect anything.
>
>
>
they have a big long section on bosch plugs [naturally] and have a chart
showing power yield as a function of operating temp. has 3 lines
showing too hot, correct & too cold. but the amount is unquantified,
they're just trends. i'll check again when i get home.