somebody help this idiot with a smoking B18!

thelotusofchaos · 11-05-2009, 06:02 PM

Sorry but the details are necessary. The current engine in my car is a B18a1 block with a B18b1 Head. It was a complete b18a1 until i started having serious overheating problems. after changing the thermostat and checking all hoses, I was told by a local honda enthusiast that it was most likely exhaust gas leaking into my water jacket in the block. I swapped the head for another i had which had only 1k miles on it since being milled, having valve seals replaced, and 3 angle valve job. the mechanic checked it for warp and installed it with some arp studs from my other block(torqued to 68ft lbs.) it was still overheating and the old head gasket was fine so i swapped the radiator. at first this fixed the problem. Still had a little smoke at startup and after sitting at idle for a few minutes. Figured it to be breaking in the new head... no prob. as time has passed now (bout 3 - 4 weeks) the car has started smoking very bad. it smokes especially bad if started up while the engine is still warm and the plugs are definatley getting fouled as i can tell by the missing that occurs during a warm startup. a few revs and it clears up eventually. also my overheating problem has returned. inspection of my engine bay is as follows: oil on the harness bracket under the intake manifold towards the front of the block, oil slung up by the belt onto the hood, more oil resiue in the vesinity smoke from the bottom of the block (possible dripping onto my exhaust manifold at the front of engine bay), no noticable loss of coolant, a plug disconnected which i reconnected (beside the oil level sensor on the block dont know what it is) and oil dissapearing from the engine(obviously). I noticed that I have what apears to be my PCV valve to my intake mani directly above the area that i am finding oil collecting. hopefully someone can help me diagnose this problem. what am i missing here?

hlittau · 11-05-2009, 11:52 PM

"What am I missing here?"

Well the first thing it sounds like you're missing here is a properly installed valve cover seal. To be pooling oil around the PCV valve is absurd.

Were the guides replaced when the head was done? How many miles are on the lower end?(to rule out rings etc.)

Did the mechanic who checked your head also pressure test it for cracks?

You may want to have the cooling system pressure tested as well. They can also test it for cumbustion byproducts in the coolant. This would NOT necessarily indicate a blown head gasket, as there is also a point on the head/intake manifold interface that has a coolant passage right next to the EGR exhaust passage. These can and do leak across to eachother and also to the nearby #4 intake tube, evidenced by etch marks between them in the head and manifold surfaces. BTW you did use a new gasket there, right?

I know this sounds like a dumb question, but is the smoke you're talking about all coming out the tailpipe or is some coming from under the hood?

There is a lot of little hoses stashed about in there to move small quantities of coolant around to various, sometimes unimagineable places. Is it possible you got some crossed up? It's easy to do especialy if you replaced them all at once like I'm doing now. This is where the shop manual is most valuable to have around.

Good luck, and no, you're probably not an idiot......(yet).

thelotusofchaos · 11-06-2009, 09:15 PM

the guides were replaced although the head was on another enginge for about 1K - 2K. after they were replaced. I am goig to have the pressure tests done. by valve cover seal i imagine you mean gasket and spark plug rings and they are brand new.... i have had smoke come from under the hood but only a couple times. probably burn off from the leak which i have yet to identify. thanks for the info. and i will have to trace out all my coolant and vaccum lines. the sensor that was unplugged i have found out is myknock sensor but i dont see this causing these symptoms. i will repost when i get the code for my check engine light...

DC2_S30 · 11-13-2009, 02:36 AM

What color is the smoke. Is it like a blue color or is it black?

Matt04V6EX · 11-13-2009, 04:10 AM

also, where under the hood is it coming from?

11-05-2009, 06:02 PM	#1
thelotusofchaos New Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Newport, NC Posts: 2	somebody help this idiot with a smoking B18! Sorry but the details are necessary. The current engine in my car is a B18a1 block with a B18b1 Head. It was a complete b18a1 until i started having serious overheating problems. after changing the thermostat and checking all hoses, I was told by a local honda enthusiast that it was most likely exhaust gas leaking into my water jacket in the block. I swapped the head for another i had which had only 1k miles on it since being milled, having valve seals replaced, and 3 angle valve job. the mechanic checked it for warp and installed it with some arp studs from my other block(torqued to 68ft lbs.) it was still overheating and the old head gasket was fine so i swapped the radiator. at first this fixed the problem. Still had a little smoke at startup and after sitting at idle for a few minutes. Figured it to be breaking in the new head... no prob. as time has passed now (bout 3 - 4 weeks) the car has started smoking very bad. it smokes especially bad if started up while the engine is still warm and the plugs are definatley getting fouled as i can tell by the missing that occurs during a warm startup. a few revs and it clears up eventually. also my overheating problem has returned. inspection of my engine bay is as follows: oil on the harness bracket under the intake manifold towards the front of the block, oil slung up by the belt onto the hood, more oil resiue in the vesinity smoke from the bottom of the block (possible dripping onto my exhaust manifold at the front of engine bay), no noticable loss of coolant, a plug disconnected which i reconnected (beside the oil level sensor on the block dont know what it is) and oil dissapearing from the engine(obviously). I noticed that I have what apears to be my PCV valve to my intake mani directly above the area that i am finding oil collecting. hopefully someone can help me diagnose this problem. what am i missing here?

11-05-2009, 11:52 PM	#2
hlittau New Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 26	"What am I missing here?" Well the first thing it sounds like you're missing here is a properly installed valve cover seal. To be pooling oil around the PCV valve is absurd. Were the guides replaced when the head was done? How many miles are on the lower end?(to rule out rings etc.) Did the mechanic who checked your head also pressure test it for cracks? You may want to have the cooling system pressure tested as well. They can also test it for cumbustion byproducts in the coolant. This would NOT necessarily indicate a blown head gasket, as there is also a point on the head/intake manifold interface that has a coolant passage right next to the EGR exhaust passage. These can and do leak across to eachother and also to the nearby #4 intake tube, evidenced by etch marks between them in the head and manifold surfaces. BTW you did use a new gasket there, right? I know this sounds like a dumb question, but is the smoke you're talking about all coming out the tailpipe or is some coming from under the hood? There is a lot of little hoses stashed about in there to move small quantities of coolant around to various, sometimes unimagineable places. Is it possible you got some crossed up? It's easy to do especialy if you replaced them all at once like I'm doing now. This is where the shop manual is most valuable to have around. Good luck, and no, you're probably not an idiot......(yet). __________________ 1991 DB1 Project Car 1988 JR (Isuzu Impulse) Daily driver Order subject to change without notice

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11-06-2009, 09:15 PM	#3
thelotusofchaos New Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Newport, NC Posts: 2	the guides were replaced although the head was on another enginge for about 1K - 2K. after they were replaced. I am goig to have the pressure tests done. by valve cover seal i imagine you mean gasket and spark plug rings and they are brand new.... i have had smoke come from under the hood but only a couple times. probably burn off from the leak which i have yet to identify. thanks for the info. and i will have to trace out all my coolant and vaccum lines. the sensor that was unplugged i have found out is myknock sensor but i dont see this causing these symptoms. i will repost when i get the code for my check engine light...

11-13-2009, 02:36 AM	#4
DC2_S30 New Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Springfield,MO Posts: 4	What color is the smoke. Is it like a blue color or is it black?

11-13-2009, 04:10 AM	#5
Matt04V6EX New Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: NJ Posts: 17	also, where under the hood is it coming from?

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