Here's my story; Well, my 2000 Civic Si was heavily burning oil ever since I got it. Symptoms pointed out to bad valve seals and guides (smoking blue on cold start ups) and my cyl 4 spark plug was always fouling out while cyl 1-3 were normal. Compression checked out fine across all four (185-190 psi) and all injectors were "clicking" when I put a screwdriver on the base of injector and my ear to the handle.
So I recently decided to fix my oil burning problem. I had the head removed by a shop owned by a friend and is knowledgeable with Hondas. The head was then sent off to the machine shop only to find out the head was worked on before and that I had bronze valve guide inserts that were heavily worn along with shot valve seals. I was pretty sure this was the main cause of oil burning and hoping it would be fixed as soon as the head was back and the engine reassembled.
So I had the valve seals and guides all replaced. All intake and exhaust valves were cleaned and head was fully cleaned with a mild port and a 16 valve job. Everything was then measured and the valve train was assembled to spec. The head also got a full OEM Honda top end gasket kit when reassembled onto the block.
Well, I recently got my car back from the shop and the problem I have now is that my cyl 4 spark plug still fouls out like before and when I look down on the cyl 4 piston, it's wet. The other 3 cyl's are fine and plugs are fine too. However, the oil consumption is still present but a lot less than it was before but still a decent amount to notice it dropping.
The car does run like a champ, pulls hard and more smoothly than before. But the engine is still consuming oil and the cyl 4 spark plug keeps fouling out.
I was told it could be my piston rings but my cyl walls were smooth and showed no signs of scoring when the head was off. Also, the car does not constantly smoke like it were to have bad rings.
What can be my possible problems?...I mean if the head is basically rebuilt and "new like"...what would cause the fouling of the cyl 4 spark plug and oil consumption?
My friend with the shop is going to get me a new cyl 4 injector and changing it to see if it stops the problem since it's the only thing he thinks is causing the problem besides the rings (he's highly doubtful of the rings).
But if the ring land was cracked or the engine had worn oil control rings, wouldn't it smoke like constantly as in big plumes of blue smoke out the exhaust pipe?
Cause my car doesn't do that...only if I get on the throttle hard, I see a bit of blackish smoke coming out...but in VTEC, there is very noticeable black smoke coming out.
So, I had a test pipe bolted in and drove the car around for a bit. It was smoking blue a lot, during acceleration and idle. I guess my rings are done for
But then I had the cat switched back on and the smoke went away.
That's because the cat. is an afterburner of sorts and operates at high enough temp to burn off the oil going through it (at least until the deposits plug it up)...
