Rep Power: 0

hello,

i just bought a 89 honda civic DX manual car from a lot, and when i test drove it nothing was wrong with it. Not even a day after i bought it, did it start to smoke a little bit when i would reach higher rpms. Then i went to change plugs and wires and found oil covering all four of my spark plugs. it has been driving fine other than the smoke for a week and now its gotten alot worse and is stalling when at idle. Auto zone thinks its some valve seal problems. I have a heines manuel and it gives a procedure to remide valve seal problems except that it does not apply to the 16valve motors. Of course thats what i have. So im left in the dust. Can anyone tell me how to fix these problems, if its my valve seals or not. Please help!

 
Rep Power: 312

For all 4 cylinders to have bad valve stem seals is odd. Sounds like a blown head gasket instead. Get a compression test done. White smoke usually means its burning water inside the motor somewhere. Black smoke is running overly rich in fuel and blue smoke is burning oil.

Take it to a good mechanic who can run some diags on it.

 
Rep Power: 304

head gasket

 
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i dunno, a was always told blue smoke was head gasket, and white smoke was burning oil, my toyota used to burn 20w50 because of bad valve seals, id go valve seals, specially if you have oil in ur spark plugs

 
Rep Power: 262

i would say either head gasket or piston rings.

Bad piston rings would make you loose compression and would also allow excess oil to go into the cylinder.

Or what the other ppl say.

 
Rep Power: 304

headgasket does all the forementioned

 
Rep Power: 262

actually..... its probably the PCV

 
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its not the head gasket. if it is a head gasket the exaust would like steam...i mean steam. i know this cause that's what happened on my lincoln and then i bought CIVIC. I would go with valve seals.

 
Rep Power: 264

Stop running around like chickens with your heads shopped.

Do the god damned compression test and go from there.

 
Rep Power: 813

listen to the man, that will tell you all the answers.

 
Rep Power: 304

please dont give anyone advice you have no clue what your talking about obviously

 
Rep Power: 0

White smoke can mean blow headgasket. but oil on your plugs is another item. Pinch off the pcv valve and listen for a clicking sound. That will tell you if the pcv valve is working. How many MIles are on this civic? It might be time to just overhal it, and have the head inspected for any signs of warping along with the block. You could try also just taking the valve cover off and look at the spark plug tube seals. See if they have any defects to them, examples tears, missing rubber, missing period. Oil on the tip of the plug, you have some serious issuse going on. A... the oil retaining ring on the piston is shot, or b you have some head issues going on. Get it looked at asap, oil on the plugs is a bad bad sign.
Hope this helps some
Jeff

 
Rep Power: 304

hopefully itys the valve cover gaskets and spark plug tube seals. it really does sound like it could be the spark plug tube seals as well. if there is oil getting on the plug its going to make it run bad, miss fire but, the white smoke makes me think its the HG