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1990 dx , bluish gray smoke out the tailpipe especially when shifting or at the bottom of a hill and a strong burnt oil odor in the car when running. is it the rings?

 
Rep Power: 217

More than likely. Oil is sneaking past worn compression rings and being burnt in the CC. I'd do a compression test, as there may be other things that are worn out(seals, guides, etc.)

 
Rep Power: 367

I had not answered before because it could be a lot of potential causes and one need to open it to be sure, which is the natural mechanic thoughts... deciding before cracking open the engine that it is the rings is just... not mechanically inclined... so just leave it to the pros and have the engine checked.

 
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Yeah. That's why I suggested a compression test. We don't want people going around just throwing money at problems and not actually fixing it. Been there, done that .

 
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^ yup, I know that was what you meant , i just worded it

 
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ok thanks for the reply's. i forgot to mention this before, this is my first honda, the check engine light is on and i only have an obd2 scanner so i used the flash/blink method on the ecu/ecm, these codes might be related they might also tell me why my car is smoking i dont even know what they are so if you guys could help me out here, it blinks once then 16 times then 17 times, from what i gather its and o2 sensor, injector and my instrument cluster. dont know. but ill do a compression test in the daylight.

 
Rep Power: 217

Yeah. Pre OBDII troubleshooting I heard can be a PitA. This thread might help you diagnose the blinks a little better. It seems you already have the information you need, though. The first thing I would do for the injectors is do a visual inspection. Just look for anything out of the ordinary. Stuff like leaks. If you can, pull 'em out. The o2 sensor might be a bit of an issue. I think the 5th gens only have one, which I'm going to assume is right near the headers to heat it up quicker.
How to test an o2 sensor You'll need a multimeter to test it though. You can also do a visual inspection of it as well.

 
Rep Power: 235

Is it one long blink or one short blink?

1 short blink- O2 sensor
1 long blink- intake air temp sensor
16 blinks- injectors
17 blinks- vehicle speed sensor

Do a compression test to determine if it is actually losing compression. If it is then do a leakdown test to determine exactly where it is. More than likely the O2 sensor, the IAT, or the injectors are making it run lean causing it to burn valves or rings.

 
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ok i just bought this car for 500 bucks it has a "cold air intake" with no iat sensor in the tube , im gunna look around the engine for the wire to be laying there and get it back in the tube. it has 265k + miles so im hoping to do some kind of swap. dont know what engine to go with since im new to honda. my junkyard has any 4 cylinder you want for 80 bucks. but for now i want to fix the issues with this one just to learn a little bit. so i am looking at possibly replacing piston rings, o2 sensor, intake temp sensor and speed sensor. if im doing rings i guess im gunna need head, exhaust, intake, valve cover and oil pan gaskets, no? im gunna need new head bolts and most likely manifold bolts right or should i get studs. is it common for the sleeves to get scores and or gouges in them when the rings wear, will i need new sleeves? forgive me for running on like this but im a diesel mechanic and dont know much about honda's and i am starting to see how much fun these things could be and relatively inexpensive.

 
Rep Power: 235

If it's the rings and you can R&R the bottom end yourself then it will be cheaper than buying an new bottom end but, chances are if the rings are bad you're heads are shot also. Which means a whole new engine.

New sleeves depends on whether the rings bit deep enough. A lot of times you can just hone it.

Yes, your gonna need all those gaskets. You shouldn't need the exhaust gasket as it should be metal. Doesn't call for new bolts but, I always use new bolts (cheap insurance). Not a bad idea to get a new oil pickup, waterpump, and timing belt/tensioner also.

Best thing you can do is get a factory service manual and review the procedure yourself: http://www.helminc.com/helm/homepage...vlB&usg=AFQjCN

 
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ok so i replaced pcv valve today and it stopped smoking so much but still smokes a little, my compression test showed 120 cylinder one psi 115 cylinder two psi, between 110 and 115 cylinder three psi and 120 cylinder four psi. the book tells me it should be from 135 to 180 psi.

 
Rep Power: 367

lazlong paved this route already

 
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Best video ever of a leakdown test: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgrfT0LFMhc