93 civic w/ 176K, runs great, burns some oil, great on gas, until......

Yeah, I heard about removing gunk from engines, tried it, bought the gunk removal solution, followed directions w/ exception that I may have had only 2 qt of oil in engine, next drained oil, figured if the gunk removed or did what it was supposed to do since car has so much mileage the seals might leak, so I added extra oil, 4 qt, hoping some would leak out, car started actually sounded quieter, pick up nice, drove about 5 miles was about to pat myself on the back, when I heard the noise, tried to pull over. Noise got louder, car starts to vibrate, in an effort to get car back home, engine losses power, no acceleration, and engines shuts off. In an effort to remedy the problem I drained the oil, added new oil, car starts, idles w/ vibrations and smoke, and shuts off, drained oil, added new oil again, car starts and shuts off after about 5 seconds. I now am convinced the egine has siezed,........................................... .......................any suggestions, solutions, thanks to all in advance..

no a seized engine wouldnt start or even turn over. and for future reference, its NEVER good to run on a low oil level or even high oil level. Running with a high oil level may cause Seals to start leaking, foaming o the oil occurs, pushing oil into the intake etc... very bad things..... u may need a new motor, or rebuild yours.

Ok, from what i read I take it that the most oil in your engine was about 4 quarts, which is fine. I don't know exactly what oil additive you're talking about, but I've seen many of them and personally I'd stay away.

On a high-milage engine, those carbon deposits are important to the engine. The deposits have been there for thousands of miles, and sometimes removing them can cause oil to start leaking. In your case, where is the smoke coming from? The engine itself? And did you spill anything on it?

There is a very good chance that you did severly damage the internals of the engine judging by the noise, and shutting itself off and now refusing to run. But to be sure, make sure your car is getting fuel, and spark.

On a high-milage engine, those carbon deposits are important to the engine. The deposits have been there for thousands of miles, and sometimes removing them can cause oil to start leaking.
Yeah I've heard from people that sometimes if there are carbon deposits on cylinder walls on higher mileage engines that they actually help to seal the rings of the pistons. And then once they cleaned it, the rings weren't snug on the walls anymore. Sounded pretty off the wall (no pun intended) to me, but I've had a couple people that I know personally tell me that.

Thanks for the reply guys

I found the problem but I think it may have caused another, true the engine is not siezed. It was broken spark plug wire. I got all the pieces out and plugs as well. I changed the wires and plugs. I think the damaged wire may have been causing the vibrations. Now when I turn the keys in the ignition, it makes the noise to start but doesn't, I press the gas pedal the car still doesn't start. What could have been damaged as a result of this...(I had repeatedly tried to start the car when this first happened), so I am guessing damaged starter.
Before I go looking for the problem, I would appreciate your responses.

Thanks

sounds like maybe you grinded the teeth off your starter trying to start the car so many times ina row like that. id check that first.

if the starter cranks the engine over its fine. you should not need to give it any throttle when you start it. if you have a timing light hook it up and have a friend crank the car over a few seconds, and if you se the light then its firing, if you dont have one ground the plugs threads while the wire is on it and have someone crank it over but watch that spark, not a nice feeling. also if you pull a plug you will be able to see if it is wet with fuel or not.

ya def try not to get shocked, i once got nailed installing an MSD ignition into an Olds Cutlass, 80,000 volts.... yumm

I got I think 45k volts maybe, whatever this aftermarket coil on my bug was and it straightened my arm right out and held it straight for a good second or two.

if the starter cranks the engine over its fine. you should not need to give it any throttle when you start it. if you have a timing light hook it up and have a friend crank the car over a few seconds, and if you se the light then its firing, if you dont have one ground the plugs threads while the wire is on it and have someone crank it over but watch that spark, not a nice feeling. also if you pull a plug you will be able to see if it is wet with fuel or not.


Can you please give a step by step demo, I am not an auto wiz.. Thanks

I did not yet check the starter, it's been raining here for the past few dasy, however I was reading the manual it the exact symptom is when I turn the ignition on, the chek engine light comes on for about 2 seconds and goes off. I check the fuses in the car, the 7.5A starter fuses does not appear damaged, I removed and attempted to start the car, same effect, possibility the fuse is damage????
If not then it comes down to 2 things, 94tegrs and crxlvr suggestion, if it's firing or teeth damages on the starter.

well, when you turn the key, does the engine start to turn over or do you just hear the starter motor spinning.

that way youll know if the starters engaging. seounds to me like it is since you said it makes the sound like it wants to start but doesnt, i assumed you meant it turns over but doesnt actually start.

and a timing light is a flashlight looking thing with a neg and a pos lead that go to the battery and then either a clamp that goes over the wire or inbetween the plug and wire but on a honda that one wont really work since the plugs buried.

that way youll know if the ignition is even working, and if sparks getting that far and its not starting pull a plug after a few start attempts and see if it is wet with fuel and while its out put it back in the wire and ground the threads and have someone crank the engine over and watch for spark

Finally stopped raining here, got out to check the plugs, battery dead, clicking noise. What I would like to do is remove the starter to check for any obvious damage, I think I have located it but not quite sure. Where exactly is the starter located....

did the starter make any weird noise besides just turning the engine over, it might be a waste to do that cuz starting the car over and over wont really do damamge to the starter just wear the battery and I guess could get tyhe starter motor warm and wear the internal parts like the bruskes/commutator more than normal use but you wont be able to see this anyways. and if the starter grinds trust me youll hear it its loud and doesnt sound good.

anyways is right on top of the starter when looking at it from the passenger.

should be 2 bolts, 14mm I think but cant remember for sure.

alright hold up right there. ok i'm gonna give wut i understood, then give my input. let me know if i missed sumthing.

alright. so the oil system was cleaned in the car. then it started acting funny. turned out to be a bad plug wire. replaced the plugs and wires. engine turned over but didn't fire. then the battery died after sitting for a bit. right?

well the problem is this. u got the wires mixed up i'll bet $50. i did it myself when i first got my car back in 99 (i didn't know crap then). the distributor is marked for the number one piston plug. put the long wire on that terminal and run it to the other end of the engine. that's the number one cylinder. the next terminal clockwise is for the #3 cylinder, then #4, then #2. try double checking and triple checking to make sure they r in the right order. again, not 1,2,3,4 but 1,3,4,2.

well the problem is this. u got the wires mixed up i'll bet $50. i did it myself when i first got my car back in 99 (i didn't know crap then). the distributor is marked for the number one piston plug. put the long wire on that terminal and run it to the other end of the engine. that's the number one cylinder. the next terminal clockwise is for the #3 cylinder, then #4, then #2. try double checking and triple checking to make sure they r in the right order. again, not 1,2,3,4 but 1,3,4,2.

Exactly. :bigthumb:

I am 90% sure that is your problem. Next time do one at a time, that way you won't get the firing order wrong.

I did hear the grinding noise, something was spinning after I even took the keys out of the ignition I heard the spinning grinding noise.

alright hold up right there. ok i'm gonna give wut i understood, then give my input. let me know if i missed sumthing.

alright. so the oil system was cleaned in the car. then it started acting funny. turned out to be a bad plug wire. replaced the plugs and wires. engine turned over but didn't fire. then the battery died after sitting for a bit. right?

well the problem is this. u got the wires mixed up i'll bet $50. i did it myself when i first got my car back in 99 (i didn't know crap then). the distributor is marked for the number one piston plug. put the long wire on that terminal and run it to the other end of the engine. that's the number one cylinder. the next terminal clockwise is for the #3 cylinder, then #4, then #2. try double checking and triple checking to make sure they r in the right order. again, not 1,2,3,4 but 1,3,4,2.

sounds like you know what youre talking about
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that wouldhnt be tghe wires then.

The order of the wires were the same when the car was running. As a precaution I do one at a time and label them.

I have removed the starter, correct 2 14mm bolts. Is there any particular damages I should check for, should I take it apart to do this.

I looked at the wire that were connected, the large wire bolted on seemed ok. The samll wire however came loose while I was attempting to remove the large wire. I am not sure if it was loose to begin with. What are these wires and what do they do.

Thanks

The small wire is the starter wire, it delivers power to the starter relay when you turn the key to "start". The big wire is the main power source for the starter.


So the motor would or would not turn over after changing the sparkplugs?
Then when did the grinding noise start?

if you heard the starter motor spinning that little wire wasnt loose, it wont start without it.

and where you pulled the starter from on the tranny, shine a light in there and look at the teeth on the flywheel, if you want to, get a 17mm socket and extension and turn the engine over with the crank pulley's bolt and check all the teeth just in case and also inspect the teeth on the starter as well.

aqnd get out a battery charger and flip it on to a low amperage charge and theres a way to test the starter, the gear shoiuld shot out an inch or 2 and start spinning, sometimes the silinoid goes and the starter doesnt always kick out to engage the flywheel it just spins or grinds. my silinoid went out in mynissa once and Id have to turn the key over like 25 times sometimes before the starter would catch. new starter and it was fine.


I cant remember where to touch but I think you put the negative to the starter case and the positive youd jump both of the termainals where the wiring went to abd it would do its thing but dont do it untl someone corrects me or says im correct cuz Im not sure. cuz I know when the starters in your car you can use a screwdriver and jump those terminals and it will start the car.