Styven Szastur

Hello all

I am just new to this site and I have some major problems with a Honda civic 1990 model that my dad gave me not long ago, he did fix it up a lot, it runs the twin carb 4 cyl engine and auto. been sitting at his house for a long time while he repaired what needed to be done, and just recently gave it to me and my wife as we had no car, so I drove it home which is an hour drive, and the take off after slowing down or stopping was not the best, and it was making this knocking noise from somewhere, plus other driving problems. but when I got the car home I turned the car off and it didn't turn off, I took the battery terminals off and it still kept running, then I pulled three spark plug leads and it stopped, but it was chucking out oil and water from somewhere. took spark plugs out and they were caked in oil, and there was oil in the spark plug sockets, so anyone has any ideas on what the go is with this Honda civic and how to fix all problems please let me know as it'll be greatly appreciated.

ezone

TWIN carb? Last Civic that had a carb in the US was around 1987, and the only car I remember having twin carbs was our Prelude of that era.


So it sounds like it was knocking smoking HOT, as in it lost coolant and was so hot it was able to run without spark, as in "dieseling": fuel is being ignited by glowing carbon deposits in the cylinders or being ignited by hot metal in the cylinders.

How high was the temp gauge? (assuming it has one)
Is there any coolant in the radiator now?
Do the fans work?
Did you find where the coolant and oil exited the engine?

Big question will be, did the engine suffer damage?


Kinda sounds like you still need a car. This one may no longer be a driver.

Styven Szastur

hello Ezone
well when I drove it the temp was very high, and I had to put on the a/c on full hot with windows down to get the temp down, so I take it that it would be as you said about running via overheating etc, the oil and water as far as I could determine was coming from the rocket cover, I do remember hearing the thermo fans kick in. I have not really touched the car since I got it home over a few weeks ago. this has twin carb set up, not sure if it is original or not, but it has twin carbs.

ezone

You are in Australia? You get cars and versions of cars we don't see in the US. You guys really have some cool stuff there IMO.


Severe overheating can cause tremendous damage. Blown head gasket, warped cylinder head, collapsed rings.........all the way up to melting Aluminum components and punching holes in pistons. Plus hoses and the radiator.

If you are serious about saving this car, you will need to verify the integrity of the engine, compression test, put water in it and see if it pours right out, where it pours from, etc.
Evaluate, estimate, and ........decide if it would wiser to put that money toward a much newer car.

Styven Szastur

yes Ezone I am in Australia, hahahaha thanks for thinking we get good cars here, we do have the holden commodore that we export to America, but we don't have muscle cars anymore. Australia is losing it's car industry. But I am going to have a look at the car today, and go over it properly, will check comp pressure and check all levels of fluid, i'll post on my findings later today, want this going properly so I can sell it to a friends sister.