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Mechanical Problems/Vehicle Issues and Fix-it ForumIf you've got a problem you just can't figure out, a noise you can't diagnose, or a Check Engine Light that won't go away, ask about it here!
hey guys wassup just joined to get some good information i wanted join the Honda family so i bought a Honda civic 04 today and it was manual and i still haven't learnd so i brung my friend so the car was listed saying engine knocks car runs fine 129k so i said hey can use this to do i nice swap since car was so clean .So inside i seen gauges that wasn't connected it seem showing the look of a turbo possibly but never thought about iit so my friend starts up car,the car than makes the clicking sound which rang my ear as a timing tick but idk because i am not familiar with cars well anyway so my friend test drives the car and boom he says its good so buy it than the ride back home was a turn for worst .we went to go get gas and car kept dieing out and my friend insisted was because on hill so he tried start it back up and it wouldn't like the battery had no juice so we found someone jump it than got stuck again eventually took battery autozone and got it charged up, went back and it started up so we thought thats it problem solved .WRONG .so in order get back home we had cross a pretty steep bridge .i was following my friend and everthing was going good than i seen the car reverse lights pop on and than the car seemd be high revvd and than i seen a little bit smoke and boom something blew off under the car idk if was plastic or meta but it blew into pieces and than i blew horn for friend stop he pulld over an said the car cut off due to hill and he clutch started it and he said felt power loss than he felt something blow so we got towed and i seen a oil square with a spot missing in shape of oilpan but mostly a pile oil on passenger side .does anyone know what blew off and what happened .i plan to do a swap to fix .
Im assuming the owner did a turbo tune and blew engine resulting in knock which messed something else up
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Re: PLEASE HELP honda civic 04 mystery
Originally Posted by Hollow Gram
I bought a '04 Honda Civic with 129k miles on it today and it's a manual. I haven't learned to drive a manual so I brought my friend.
The car was listed as engine knocks but car runs fine. I figured this car will make a nice swap since the car is so clean. Inside the cabin are gauges that aren't connected and it seems to have the look of a turbo.
My friend starts up the engine and we hear a clicking sound which rang my ear as a timing tick but idk because i am not familiar with cars. Anyway, so my friend test drives the car and he says its good and recommends that I buy it.
On the ride back home it took a turn for worst. We went to go get gas and car kept dying out. My friend insisted it's because on a hill (inclined) so he tried to start it and it wouldn't. Seems like the battery had no juice so we found someone to jump it. It started and ran but died again.
We eventually took the battery to autozone and got it charged up. Afterwards, it started up and we thought the problem is solved..WRONG!
In order to get back home we had to cross a pretty steep bridge. I was following my friend and everthing was going good but then I see the car's reverse lights come on and the car's engine seemed to be revving high. I then saw a little bit of smoke and something blew off under the car.
I wasn't sure if it was plastic or metal but it blew into pieces and then I blew my horn for friend stop. My friend pulled over and said the car cut off due to hill. He started it and said he felt power loss and he felt something blow so we got towed.
I noticed an oil square with a spot missing in the shape of an oil pan. Mostly a pile oil on passenger side. does anyone know what blew off and what happened? I plan to do a swap to fix .
Im assuming the owner did a turbo tune and blew engine resulting in knock which messed something else up
OP..I took the liberty of reforming your post to make it easier to read. For future reference please know that it makes it hard to read a post that reads out as one, long sentence.
I'm not intending to sound like I'm casting stones because my post don't always apiece...uh, I mean appease all the time either. I make grammatical errors often and far removed from a novelist.
To verify if the car you just purchased has a turbo post a picture of the engine here.
From your's and the seller's description the engine seems to have rod knock. If that is the case the motor is shot and needs replacement. When you stated you plan to do a swap, what type of swap do you have in mind?
Also, if it is rod knock the oil you saw is pointless because that engine is done. Please post a video (via Youtube) of the engine noise here.
OP..I took the liberty of reforming your post to make it easier to read. For future reference please know that it makes it hard to read a post that reads out as one, long sentence.
I'm not intending to sound like I'm casting stones because my post don't always apiece...uh, I mean appease all the time either. I make grammatical errors often and far removed from a novelist.
To verify if the car you just purchased has a turbo post a picture of the engine here.
From your's and the seller's description the engine seems to have rod knock. If that is the case the motor is shot and needs replacement. When you stated you plan to do a swap, what type of swap do you have in mind?
Also, if it is rod knock the oil you saw is pointless because that engine is done. Please post a video (via Youtube) of the engine noise here.
okay sorry
PROBLEM :Car had knock, tried to drive home ,while going up a bridge felt power loss and than something blew and fell off ,have no idea what it was but oil leaked out mainly on passenger side
I WANT TO SWAP BUT NEED A CAR SO SHOULD I JUST REPLACE B17 OR SAVE FOR A K20
Your friend murdered your car right infront of you.
He shifted into reverse while driving on that bridge and blew the engine.. that’s why you saw the reverse light kick on and that’s why it stopped working right after you saw the reverse light..
Your friend murdered your car right infront of you.
He shifted into reverse while driving on that bridge and blew the engine.. that’s why you saw the reverse light kick on and that’s why it stopped working right after you saw the reverse light..
no he clutch jumped it thats when reverse lights popped on than it was running hot and blew but regardless what would blow off a car into pieces is my question
no he clutch jumped it thats when reverse lights popped on than it was running hot and blew but regardless what would blow off a car into pieces is my question
Shifting a car into reverse while traveling forward.. Espcially a front wheel drive car since the weight shift gives awesome traction to the tires to put all the load right onto your already marginal engine.
Only putting the gear shift into reverse will light up the reverse lights, any other reason he gives you is a distraction.
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Re: PLEASE HELP honda civic 04 mystery
Originally Posted by Hollow Gram
The car was listed as engine knocks but car runs fine.
Could be several reasons for knock: Piston slap, rod knock, pre-detontaion. Are you sure it was running fine based on the seller's word?
Originally Posted by Hollow Gram
My friend starts up the engine and we hear a clicking sound.
Clicking (or possibly ticking) sound could be related to: starter, valves, fuel pump.
Originally Posted by Hollow Gram
My friend insisted it's because on a hill (inclined) so he tried to start it and it wouldn't.We found someone to jump it. It started and ran but died again.
Was it not cranking at all or cranking but not starting? Sounds like it could be multiple issues: Weak battery, failing/failed alternator not charging battery. Weak fuel pump.
Originally Posted by Hollow Gram
We eventually took the battery to autozone and got it charged up. Afterwards, it started up.
Did the autozone employee tell you it's holding a charge? Did they offer to test the alternator?
Originally Posted by Hollow Gram
then I see the car's reverse lights come on
As Slumpter stated: "Only putting the gear shift into reverse will light up the reverse lights." To clarify you saw white reverse lights and not red brake lights or blinking hazard lights?
Was the car moving either forwards or backwards at this point or at the point when you saw smoke a piece come off the bottom of the car?
Originally Posted by Hollow Gram
and the car's engine seemed to be revving high.
You were behind him in another car and you could hear the engine revving high?
Get it up on jackstands, take pictures of the entire engine and transmission ..especially the bottom.
You never stated whether your friend is knowledgeable in automotive mechanics or car purchasing. Unless he is, you shouldn't purchase a car without taking it to mechanic that will get it on a lift and inspect it. There's so many aspect of a car: a/c, electrical, suspension, steering, transmission, engine, tires, body and more. It takes mechanics years to acquire working knowledge of all these facets and even a great one might miss some things on a first time inspection. Just imagine how much gets missed by the average car buyer?
Could be several reasons for knock: Piston slap, rod knock, pre-detontaion. Are you sure it was running fine based on the seller's word?
Clicking (or possibly ticking) sound could be related to: starter, valves, fuel pump.
Was it not cranking at all or cranking but not starting? Sounds like it could be multiple issues: Weak battery, failing/failed alternator not charging battery. Weak fuel pump.
Did the autozone employee tell you it's holding a charge? Did they offer to test the alternator?
As Slumpter stated: "Only putting the gear shift into reverse will light up the reverse lights." To clarify you saw white reverse lights and not red brake lights or blinking hazard lights?
Was the car moving either forwards or backwards at this point or at the point when you saw smoke a piece come off the bottom of the car?
You were behind him in another car and you could hear the engine revving high?
Get it up on jackstands, take pictures of the entire engine and transmission ..especially the bottom.
You never stated whether your friend is knowledgeable in automotive mechanics or car purchasing. Unless he is, you shouldn't purchase a car without taking it to mechanic that will get it on a lift and inspect it. There's so many aspect of a car: a/c, electrical, suspension, steering, transmission, engine, tires, body and more. It takes mechanics years to acquire working knowledge of all these facets and even a great one might miss some things on a first time inspection. Just imagine how much gets missed by the average car buyer?
the battery held a 100% charge at autozone,i was follwing the car from behind and the car was going up hill to get onto bridge when the reverse lights popped on after that i heard the car sounding loud and started seeing smoke then a big explosion of smoke and something black fly into pieces from my eyes it looks like he whole engine literally blew up than i seen major oil leak out bottom i have to go look at car and will have more information /pictures tomorrow and the car intitially was bought due to its body being so clean i intended rebuild the engine bay if needed but i thought would make home due to sellers words
I APPRECIATE EVERYONES HELP BTW
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Re: PLEASE HELP honda civic 04 mystery
Originally Posted by Hollow Gram
the battery held a 100% charge at autozone,i was follwing the car from behind and the car was going up hill to get onto bridge when the reverse lights popped on after that i heard the car sounding loud and started seeing smoke then a big explosion of smoke and something black fly into pieces from my eyes it looks like he whole engine literally blew up than i seen major oil leak out bottom i have to go look at car and will have more information /pictures tomorrow and the car intitially was bought due to its body being so clean i intended rebuild the engine bay if needed but i thought would make home due to sellers words
I APPRECIATE EVERYONES HELP BTW
Refer to Slumpter's reply #5 ... seems to be the most likely scenario.
Hope you got a great price on that shell-of-a-car?
Of course you can swap in an engine. Transmission too if needed.
Here is some pictures sorry for quality was hard to take in freezing cold
This all i could see from bottom im not familiar but it looks like something broke here guages in car makes me believe was turbod
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Re: PLEASE HELP honda civic 04 mystery
Originally Posted by Hollow Gram
This all i could see from bottom im not familiar but it looks like something broke here
Wow..that's neat an oil pan with a peep-hole so you can see how the crank is doing in real time..LOL.
Yea dude..the oil pan (hard to tell pics are to close-up) is blown out. Most likely a connecting rod went through it.
Originally Posted by Hollow Gram
guages in car makes me believe was turbod
The current engine isn't turbo but, it may have had one prior.
When you look for another engine to swap in..try to find a car that's been in a wreck but the engine still starts up and runs. Hopefully, you have a friend that has auto mechanic experience to bring with you.
Last edited by Wankenstein; Dec 28, 2017 at 10:48 AM.
Sorry for my poor choice of words. You can’t murder a car, and I highly doubt your friend meant to do any harm.
I could imagine he was in a stressful mindset as he gave the a okay on the car only for him to realize on the drive home it was in far worse shape than he realized.
Then going up that bridge, car is struggling, he was unfamialier with the car and who knows how messed up the shift linkage may be and boom he goes from 5th to reverse..
By far easiest, cheapest, and quickest fix would be to replace wth same kind engine..
If you think a good mechanic is expensive, try hiring a bad one
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Re: PLEASE HELP honda civic 04 mystery
so the car was listed saying engine knocks
Well......you won't have to worry about that pesky engine knocking anymore.
It was on its deathbed when you bought it (probably badly abused), the drive home was the final nail in the coffin.
Drop another engine in it.
Trans if you can get it easy, just because of the reverse lights part of the story.
