well, from what you guys posted in my other thread it looks as if i’m running too rich (too much black soot on the bumper). I haven’t pulled the plugs yet to check (haven’t had time) but even if thats not the problem i figure this will be good info for me to know anyway.
the motor is a newly rebuilt b17a…pretty much everything is brand new. no performance mods other than 11:1 compression and an exedy clutch. Since its basically a stock motor i’m not sure why it’d be running rich. other than the soot it runs great, i had a hesitation problem for a couple days but that has since gone away (???).
Originally posted by XDEep reset ecu and check o2 sensor voltage?
the ecu is not the problem, the ecu was reset by doing the swap…and i also reset it recently for other reasons.
i have been suspecting the O2 sensor (because of the hesitation problem i was having). i didn’t know you could test the voltages though…guess i should have looked at the helms (i’m looking now). Eventhough by following the troubleshooting guide in the helms it says that if you aren’t getting a cel (which i’m not) then you need not check the voltages.
Colin i just changed my girlfriends o2 sensor a couple of days ago becuase she was runing rich aswell. She has a B18 and i know that they are two different motors but the o2 sensors purpose is exacly the same it did hurt performance in her case.Eventough i figure you have done some serious searching here is a link that might help. http://www.autohausaz.com/html/emissions-oxygen_sensors.html
It wouldnt hurt to change that sensor as well since you are runin a brand spanking new motor and it only takes about 10 minutes.
In her case it would hurt performance go away then come back a month latter till finally i got tired of just thinking that was the problem and changing it.
Good luck buddy
better rich than lean my friend- i dont see a big problem with running rich- if it was TOO rich you would be able to feel it at WOT because it just would not increase in power like it used to
Originally posted by gen2ls/vtec
[B]better rich than lean my friend- i dont see a big problem with running rich- if it was TOO rich you would be able to feel it at WOT because it just would not increase in power like it used to
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roy: i would like to change the sensor either way…however i’m lacking funds right now. I already had to fork out $100 unexpectedly for a new coil, and even before that i was over $300 in the hole from my swap. I have a little money right now but i want to find out FOR SURE the problem before i start buying parts. I would hate to spend $60 or whatever on a new O2 sensor only to find out its something else i need to fix the problem. as of right now though i’m hoping its the O2 sensor.
gen2ls/vtec: yes, definitely better rich than lean. I’m running 11:1 on 91 octane…so lean would definitely not be good. But there is SO much soot on the bumper that there is no way i’m just running a little rich. And i can’t really compare to see if i’m lacking any power because its a brand new motor…the previous motor was a worn out b18a, now its a rebuilt b17a…completely different animal. and i’m not familiar with what the motor should feel like.
Colin sorry i forgot you just spend way more than you had planned for the rebuild. The rebuild can get real expensive fast, I’m planing on starting mine next W/E so i have a couple of questions but i’ll e-mail you. Runing rich is not good either the cheapest way to know would be to pull the plugs, check them to see if your injector might be leaking, another thing i thought might cause that is if one of your cylinders is not getting the right spark and is not burning the fuel. I really don’t think you cat. would have anything to do with it but the O2 senser might be the problem.
Sorry if i haven’t helped but that is what comes to mind.
well the best way to make it running a perfect air/fuel ratio is to purchase new O2 sensors and tune your car with a lambda meter after installing a hondata system. I see from your SN that you have a 91 which means you are using an obd0 setup so aside from converting to obd1, your best bet is new o2 sensors and getting the a/f ratio perfect- this would be 12:1 at WOT and 26:1 at idle
Originally posted by gen2ls/vtec
[B]well the best way to make it running a perfect air/fuel ratio is to purchase new O2 sensors and tune your car with a lambda meter after installing a hondata system. I see from your SN that you have a 91 which means you are using an obd0 setup so aside from converting to obd1, your best bet is new o2 sensors and getting the a/f ratio perfect- this would be 12:1 at WOT and 26:1 at idle
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thanks for the input roy. go ahead and shoot me and email with any questions you may have about the rebuild and i’ll see if i can help.
gen2ls/vtec: lambda meter? i saw you posted about that in another thread as well awhile back. could you give me some more info on exactly what it is and what it does? what exactly do they tune with a lambda meter? like what changes would they make to the car? and how much does it cost to get it tuned.
Hondata is NOT an option. Plus considering the motor is nearly stock if its running rich there is something wrong somewhere. I don’t want to correct a problem by getting another mod. I want to correct the problem at the source, not just get rid of the symptoms. Plus, i don’t have the $$ for hondata, i’m on a VERY limited budget for the reasons i posted in my above post.
oh, and already converted to obd1. That was part of my swap. I’m running obd1 distributor, injectors, ecu and all sensors. I guess i should have mentioned that.
one more question too. Can i disconnect the O2 sensor to see if thats the problem? meaning: if the O2 sensor is whats causing me to run rich…and i disconnect it, will i continue to run rich? or will it go back to approx what it should be? I know it’ll throw a code…i’m just wondering if that is the problem if i can diagnose it this way.
good to see you got ur b17a build up done colin. for me i have to pull my engine tomorrow too many problems:( anyways if you get a cel your car supposedly goes into like a safe mode i believe. if thats the case im not sure if your car will run normal or run rich still.
Originally posted by GEN2GSR good to see you got ur b17a build up done colin. for me i have to pull my engine tomorrow too many problems:( anyways if you get a cel your car supposedly goes into like a safe mode i believe. if thats the case im not sure if your car will run normal or run rich still.
thanks ryan. sorry to hear about all your problems. unfortunately i’m sort of in the same position. hesitation, too much soot, and still some oil leaking. Hopefully the hesitation and soot are related and can be fixed by the same thing. But i’m stumpted as to where the oil is coming from.
thats what i thought about the cel, i just wasn’t sure. So, that makes me think i can just unplug it…if the soot goes away then it was the O2 sensor that was bad?
good luck with pulling your motor thihs weekend, let us know how it turns out.
Originally posted by 91IntegGS
[B]thanks ryan. sorry to hear about all your problems. unfortunately i’m sort of in the same position. hesitation, too much soot, and still some oil leaking. Hopefully the hesitation and soot are related and can be fixed by the same thing. But i’m stumpted as to where the oil is coming from.
thats what i thought about the cel, i just wasn’t sure. So, that makes me think i can just unplug it…if the soot goes away then it was the O2 sensor that was bad?
good luck with pulling your motor thihs weekend, let us know how it turns out. [/B]
thanks colin. in your oil leak can u actually see oil or do u have to keep adiing oil because ur low all the time? check to see if any old hoses arent attached or maybe there cracked. perhaps the oil pain gasket, vtec solinoid, or maybe the black oil box on the back of the b17a. check those. just what i found like to leak.hope that helps man:)
Originally posted by GEN2GSR thanks colin. in your oil leak can u actually see oil or do u have to keep adiing oil because ur low all the time? check to see if any old hoses arent attached or maybe there cracked. perhaps the oil pain gasket, vtec solinoid, or maybe the black oil box on the back of the b17a. check those. just what i found like to leak.hope that helps man:)
well, originally the leak was the vtec solenoid gasket. that was leaking like crazy. but i fixed that. now i’m noticing oil in the same spot. and yes i am noticing there is a little less oil in there than there should be. i’m just not sure if the leak is 100% responsible for all the oil thats missing…its hard to tell.
i haven’t noticed any oil actually leaking down on the ground (but it could be). honestly i’m getting quite frustrated :mad:
well its good to hear you converted to obd1 a lambda meter is simply a device that measures the air/fuel ratio. Most speed shops that are reputable with a dyno will have a lambda meter that they can charge you to rent while properly tuning your vehicle. www.motec.com has them if you want to look at them. And if you dont have the $$ for hondata I’m sure you don’t have the $$ for a lambda meter (about $1000-1200 :shock: )
The best thing to do is purchase a new o2 sensor and either lower your fuel pressure by trial and error or tune it with a lambda meter will make the a/f ratio as accurate as possible. At WOT you still should see some black smoke. especially with increased backpressure between shifts.
Originally posted by gen2ls/vtec
[B]well its good to hear you converted to obd1 a lambda meter is simply a device that measures the air/fuel ratio. Most speed shops that are reputable with a dyno will have a lambda meter that they can charge you to rent while properly tuning your vehicle. www.motec.com has them if you want to look at them. And if you dont have the $$ for hondata I’m sure you don’t have the $$ for a lambda meter (about $1000-1200 :shock: )
The best thing to do is purchase a new o2 sensor and either lower your fuel pressure by trial and error or tune it with a lambda meter will make the a/f ratio as accurate as possible. At WOT you still should see some black smoke. especially with increased backpressure between shifts.
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well, let me just say again…i’m broke. so i need to figure out what it is before i actually buy something. If i buy an O2 sensor and thats not the problem then i’m $85 in the hole and still have the problem and then it’d take even longer till i can afford to fix it. However it really is looking like i’m just gonna have to start trying things to see if it’ll fix it, cause i’m not sure how else to go about this.
and about the tuning w/ a lambda meter. yeah, thats good but the car is stock (except for compression). Since the car is stock there is no reason for it to be running rich…unless something is broken correct? and i can’t alter fuel pressure because i don’t have a fpr…but that doesn’t mater cause stock fuel pressure should be just fine. I’d like to get at the route of the problem instead of using something like a vafc or fpr to just get rid of the symptoms.
oh, and the hesitation came back today It seems to be heat related. When its warm out the car doesn’t have hardly any power, but in cooler weather its fine.
richie: thanks! and thanks for the aka term on the lambda meter…i’ve heard “wide band O2 sensor” before and now i know a little more about what it is.
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a lambda meter is simply a device that measures the air/fuel ratio. Most speed shops that are reputable with a dyno will have a lambda meter that they can charge you to rent while properly tuning your vehicle. 
a lambda meter is simply a device that measures the air/fuel ratio. Most speed shops that are reputable with a dyno will have a lambda meter that they can charge you to rent while properly tuning your vehicle.