1993 Honda Civic EX - 192,000 miles

It's been running strong for a while now, no problems. No smoke, leaking oil, loss of power, or other symptoms of low compression.

It has a chronic problem of not starting after a heavy rain. Then I take it to get serviced, they put something new in (i.e. new distributor, cap, plugs, main fuel relay on a separate occasion) and it runs great for a year. This last time, after heavy wind-blown rain last Thursday evening, it would not start Friday morning. The starter is working, it almost turns over, but seems like it's suffocated and will not start up.

I took it to Precision Tune on Saturday. They say it's got spark, it's getting fuel, and the guy was "playing around" with the firing order (which apparently is backwards in their manual from what it's supposed to be for this model car only). They run a compression test and say 3 of the cylinders are way low (60-80) when they should be at 100+. They say I need a new motor.

My Dad's mechanic says that after cranking it a lot, you can wash the cylinders with gas if it isn't getting ignited, thus giving a false negative on the compression test. I ask if they'll fix it by putting a few drops of oil in the spark plug holes to relubricate the cylinders, and they say it's too risky, they're not allowed to do that procedure.

Do you think the compression test could be a false negative?
I probably won't put a $1500 rebuilt engine in a $2000 car.

Is it worth a few hundred dollar bucks to get a second opinion, perhaps from the dealer, or should I go with their synopsis and scrap the car?

Words.

9/30/2008 1:51:04 PM

I trust Precision Tune about as far as I can throw their shop.

You need to get a second opinion, preferrably from a shop that has a clue about Hondas. Precision Tune is NOT the place.

BTW, those shitdicks have NO clue about firing order and distributor rotation on a Honda if they say it's backward from what their manuals say. All Honda Civics have the same firing order, though some use different distributors. They all spin the same way, and nothing is different...unless you have a late model Si with the K series engine.

You need to take it to Happy Jap's in Cary or maybe TAO. Or, depending on where the hell you live, maybe one of the garage rats here can do a compression test for you.

FYI, the only way a compression test can be considered valid is if you do it with the engine warm. I've seen a hell of a lot of engines spin low tests when cold, and yes, gas in the cylinders won't help a damn thing. A half ounce of oil in each during the test won't hurt a thing. They're pussies.

Did they hold the throttle open when cranking? Did they pull the ECM fuse so that it wouldn't squirt gas into the cylinders while they were doing the whole thing? Is the air cleaner filthy as hell?

9/30/2008 2:00:17 PM

I live/work in Cary, so Happy Jap or Tao is doable. I don't have answers to your last 3 questions, but the last guy I talked to at Precision sounded competent. The first guy couldn't spell "relay" or "distributor". I shit you not. I think I'll have it towed to Tao. Thanks for your input!

9/30/2008 2:04:11 PM

Happy Jap's is cheaper by about 25 or 30 bucks an hour, and Rex knows those cars. I like a lot of the guys at TAO, but they ain't cheap.

And if you go there, tell'em Superfly sent you. He will either shoot you or may cut you a little break, but don't count on it.

[Edited on September 30, 2008 at 2:33 PM. Reason : Superfly]

9/30/2008 2:32:26 PM

Well it's already on it's way to Tao, so I guess I'm paying a little more, but I just want a fair diagnosis. I'll tell him about Superfly and then duck.

[Edited on September 30, 2008 at 2:36 PM. Reason : unless the superfly thing was for happy jap's]

9/30/2008 2:35:51 PM

It was for Happy Jap's. He's about as crazy as I am.

A wonder I've never worn a straight jacket.

9/30/2008 3:22:41 PM

if you want to sell the car for cheap with a blow'd up motor let me know

[Edited on September 30, 2008 at 6:04 PM. Reason : .]

9/30/2008 6:04:04 PM

That motor's not blowd up. That's just Precision Tune talkin.

9/30/2008 6:13:17 PM

you're going to ruin this for me man

9/30/2008 6:15:08 PM

So yeah, Tao auto got it started fine this morning.
They're giving it a tune up and fixing a "bad negative battery terminal (I think is what they said)"
$235.

Beats a new engine.


===D- - - -PrecisionAuto

10/1/2008 1:31:29 PM

This would be a good time to start calling Precision Tune and asking for some money back. Is this the one at Hillsborough and Jones Franklin?

10/1/2008 1:34:46 PM

Yes, that's the one. They didn't charge me though.

10/1/2008 3:37:40 PM

what the fuck

need new engine turned into needing a new battery cable?

10/1/2008 4:25:52 PM

I found spark plugs that could be removed by hand after that place replaced them on a friend's car.

I've never had a problem with fluid changes there, but I don't think I'd trust them for much beyond that. It's always a good idea to check the fluid levels/color after getting them done anywhere too.

10/1/2008 4:31:08 PM

Just picked up the car. Runs better than ever!

Yeah, they just did a tune-up (replaced dist cap, plugs, cables, etc, tuned the engine)
and put a new cable from the car to the negative side of the battery.

I am happy though.

10/1/2008 4:47:05 PM

Quote :

"tuned the engine"

lollercoaster

10/1/2008 6:10:03 PM

^it's a ricer, of course it needs tuning.

10/1/2008 6:25:05 PM

^^I believe it means set the timing/firing order correctly. That's what it says on the bill "tune engine to high C".

10/2/2008 5:25:42 PM

Quote :

"I believe it means set the timing/firing order correctly."

opened the timing belt cover, they looked at the timing and closed it.

10/2/2008 5:42:12 PM